User manual.
Every note
is a crowd.
DESKTOP / 0.5.0 BETA
macOS · Windows
September 2026
01 / KURARE MANUAL
Find your way.
Play first. Explore one control at a time.
This edition covers the Kurare 0.5.0 desktop beta. Website screenshots show example patches from earlier beta builds, so displayed values and version labels are illustrative. Current controls are checked against the 0.5.0 source.
02 / KURARE MANUAL
Your first swarm.
From a held note to a moving cloud.
- Load Kurare and play. Add it to an instrument track and enable MIDI input. Complete beta access if prompted. Stop SEQ and set ARP to OFF for direct keyboard playing.
- Save before exploring. QSAVE keeps a copy of the current patch. Turn off modulation links and keep effects low when you want to hear the macros clearly.
- Hear one swarm. Move RATIO P towards red and select the red dot above the macros. Use POLY, a modest POPULATE setting, and hold a note.
- Loosen the crowd. Bring DECOUPLE down, then raise it slowly. Listen for the shift from a joined voice to beating and a looser cloud.
- Add spread and heat. Move DIVERGE, then EXCITE. Try low DECOUPLE with DIVERGE raised: the swarm can stay coordinated while its members spread into pitch layers.
- Bring in white. Select the white swarm, give it a different road or octave, and bring RATIO P back towards the middle. Save a combination you like.
03 / KURARE MANUAL
Install & get started.
The commercial instrument is currently in public beta.
| Platform | Setup |
|---|---|
| macOS | VST3 and Audio Unit. Run the supplied package, then restart your host and rescan if needed. Universal Apple Silicon / Intel build; macOS 11 or later. |
| Windows | VST3, 64-bit. Run the supplied installer and let it finish installing the required runtime and WebView2 components. Use a 64-bit host. |
Beta access
Download the current build from valdlabs.com/kurare. On first launch, follow the in-plugin email verification if prompted. Signing up for website release notifications is separate from verifying access inside the instrument.
Desktop licence keys
If you have a purchased VLD1 key, open SET / ☰, then LICENSE and Enter license key…. Enter the purchase email and key. Licence verification happens locally inside the plugin.
Plugin locations
macOS VST3: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/
macOS AU: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/
Windows VST3: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\
Logic uses Audio Units. On Windows, choose VST3. Load Kurare on an instrument track and enable its MIDI input or monitoring. The current public installers supply plugins.
04 / KURARE MANUAL
Meet the instrument.
Two swarms in the centre; shaping and movement around them.
The centre
The coloured dots choose which swarm the four macros edit. RATIO P blends red and white. Below the disc, WAVE X / Y, RATIO and the road arrows shape the waveform. MUTUAL and OCT sit beside the disc.
The racks
FILT and FENV are on the left. Amplitude ENV, LFO and FX / DLY / REV are on the right. Each FILT, FENV and ENV selector chooses its own swarm. The bottom-left buttons open SEQ, presets and SET.
05 / KURARE MANUAL
Working with controls.
Editing, routing and saving without losing your place.
| Gesture / control | Use |
|---|---|
| Drag a knob | Move up or down to change the value. |
| Double-click | Return the control to its default. |
| Right-click / hold | Open the control menu. A touch hold of about half a second opens it too. |
| MIDI Learn | Assign a hardware CC; type a CC number or clear it from the same menu. |
| Lock | Protect this parameter from Randomize. You can still edit it normally. |
| Link to LFO / MOD | Route one of the three LFOs or two MOD lanes to this control; Unlink releases it. |
| Macro slots | Put a frequently used control on one of the two SEQ-page macro knobs. |
| SET / ☰ | Open settings, sync, MIDI mappings and randomisation. |
Randomise one part of the patch
Randomize Synth changes sound controls and the swarm seed. Randomize Sequencer changes the sequence. Save first, then protect any controls you want to keep with Lock.
Read the moving controls
Routed parameters show their live values. LFO range markers and MOD1 / MOD2 colours help identify the source. If a knob returns after you move it, check modulation and host automation.
06 / KURARE MANUAL
Four ways to shape a crowd.
Each swarm has its own set of macro values.
Think of each note as a group of small oscillators listening to one another. They can move together, drift apart, or hover between those states. A single note carries a red swarm and a white swarm.
| Macro | What to listen for |
|---|---|
| POPULATE | Adds members, from 1 to 32 per swarm. Small groups make individual beating easier to hear; larger groups create a denser texture. Population can also change the level. |
| DECOUPLE | Releases the pull that keeps members together. Low values give a joined voice; higher values bring beating, moving clusters and eventually a loose cloud. |
| DIVERGE | Spreads members into pitch layers and changes their brightness. This remains audible even when DECOUPLE is low and the phases are tightly coordinated. |
| EXCITE | Adds agitation to phase and pitch. Raise it for a more restless, simmering texture; its effect depends on the other macros and the chosen wave. |
Try the locked choir
Keep DECOUPLE low. Raise POPULATE enough to hear a crowd, then move DIVERGE. The sound can gain lower and upper pitch layers without dissolving into a freely drifting cloud. Add EXCITE gradually for movement within that coordinated state.
07 / KURARE MANUAL
Red, white & the space between.
Choose what you edit separately from what you hear.
| Control | Role |
|---|---|
| Red / white dots | Select the swarm edited by POPULATE, DECOUPLE, DIVERGE, EXCITE and its wave controls. Selecting a swarm does not solo it. |
| RATIO P | Blends the red and white audio buses. Use either end to listen to one swarm while designing it. |
| MUTUAL | Cross-coupling between the swarms. At M 000 they are isolated; raise it to let them influence each other. |
| OCT − / + | Transposes the selected swarm from −2 to +2 octaves. This is separate from the sequencer’s pitch range. |
| POLY / MONO | POLY plays independent notes; MONO gives a single-note, legato playing style. |
| UNI 2 / 4 / 8 | Stacks voices on each note. Larger stacks use the available voice budget sooner. |
| PORT | Pitch glide time, found in the FX bank. Try it with a MONO line. |
Build a clear foreground and a moving background
Give red a smaller, more coordinated population. Give white a larger population with more DECOUPLE and a higher octave. Start with MUTUAL at zero, blend white in quietly, then raise MUTUAL to hear whether the interaction helps the patch.
08 / KURARE MANUAL
Travel along a wave.
A road is a family of single-cycle waveforms.
Each road contains 127 frames ordered by brightness. Moving through it changes the raw tone played by the swarm. The road arrows choose the family; the wave controls choose positions within it.
| Control | Role |
|---|---|
| WAVE X | First position on the selected swarm’s road. |
| WAVE Y | Second position on that road. |
| RATIO | Mixes X and Y using phase-offset interference. This is the waveform blend, separate from the red/white audio balance above the disc. |
| Road arrows | Choose the selected swarm’s road. Read its name above the waveform strip. |
| SPLIT | Each swarm uses its own wave setup. |
| BLND | Combines the two swarms’ wave setups into a shared waveform. The populations and their macro settings remain separate. |
Explore the wave before the movement
- Listen to one swarm with low EXCITE and a modest DIVERGE.
- Pick CLAS and turn WAVE X slowly.
- Move WAVE Y elsewhere on the road, then sweep RATIO.
- Try VOX or GRIT with the same settings.
- Use a slow LFO on WAVE X for ongoing timbral movement.
09 / KURARE MANUAL
Eleven roads to explore.
Start with a family, then find a frame you like.
| Road | Character |
|---|---|
| PROC · Procedural | Seeded additive frames: simple tones through increasingly complex spectra. |
| CLAS · Classical | The familiar sine, saw, square and reverse-saw family. |
| VOX | Vocal and formant-like shapes for speaking, nasal or choir-like colours. |
| ACOU · Acoustic | Frames drawn from acoustic instruments. Try them for a more organic starting point. |
| DIGI · Digital | Sharper digital spectra and bright synthetic edges. |
| GRIT | A narrowing pulse moving into increasingly noisy, rough frames. |
| CHIP | Game-like waveforms and compact digital tones. |
| RAW | Distorted and reduced-resolution wave shapes. |
| HARM · Harmonic | Drawn and additive shapes with clear harmonic structure. |
| BW · Bandlimited | Classic shapes and their rounded, gapped and blended variations. |
| PLUCK | Frames drawn from plucked and electric-string sounds, clavinet and theremin. |
These are waveform families, not recordings of complete notes. The swarm, envelopes and effects determine how the sound develops. The sampled road material comes from Adventure Kid Waveforms; PROC, CLAS and GRIT are generated.
10 / KURARE MANUAL
Two filter characters.
Choose a filter model independently for each swarm.
Select the red or white FILT dot, then use the filter-model selector above the filter controls. The TYPE readout follows the selected model.
| Model | Response |
|---|---|
| Morphing Multimode Filter | A smoother state-variable character. TYPE moves through low-pass, band-pass, notch and high-pass: LP → BP → NOTCH → HP. |
| VOKS | A Voks character with saturation inside the resonance path. TYPE moves between LP and BP only. More RES brings growl, a stronger resonant peak and possible loss of bass. |
| Knob | Use |
|---|---|
| TYPE | Choose or blend the responses available in the selected model. |
| CUT | Move the filter frequency. With LP, lower values remove more high end. |
| RES | Emphasise the cutoff region. Start low when comparing the two models. |
| ENV | Bipolar filter-envelope depth: centre is off, right opens the filter, left closes it. |
Smooth body, rough edge
Keep red on Morphing Multimode Filter with a rounded low-pass setting. Select white, choose VOKS and raise RES gradually. Bring white into the mix with RATIO P. A small amount can add a moving edge without giving the whole patch the same filter character.
11 / KURARE MANUAL
Shape the life of a note.
Amplitude controls level; the filter envelope controls brightness.
Each swarm has an amplitude envelope and a filter envelope. Use the ENV dots beside A / D / S / R to select an amplitude envelope, and the FENV dots beside F.A / F.D / F.S / F.R to select a filter envelope.
| Stage | Amplitude | Filter |
|---|---|---|
| Attack | A: rise into the note. | F.A: rise to the envelope peak. |
| Decay | D: settle from the peak. | F.D: settle towards sustain. |
| Sustain | S: level while held. | F.S: envelope level while held. |
| Release | R: fade after note-off. | F.R: return after note-off. |
A short, bright pluck
Use a short A, modest D, low S and enough R for a natural finish. In the matching filter, choose LP and lower CUT. Raise ENV above centre; use short F.A, modest F.D and low F.S. The brightness opens briefly and then settles.
A cloud that arrives slowly
Raise A and R, and keep enough S to sustain a held note. Give white a slower attack than red so the second swarm appears after the initial note. Add a slow modulation source once the envelope feels right.
12 / KURARE MANUAL
Grit, echoes & space.
Shared effects shape the mixed red and white signal.
| FX control | Function |
|---|---|
| CRSH | Centre is clean. Turn left for sample-rate and bit reduction; right for saturation / drive. |
| CHOR | Adds stereo chorus around the swarm’s natural movement. |
| PORT | Sets pitch glide time. |
| FOLD | Folds the output waveform to add harmonics. Acts after the reverb and chorus. |
DLY: delay
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| TIME | Centre = OFF. Left selects tempo divisions from 1/32 to 2 BAR; right is free time, about 10 ms to 2 s. |
| FBCK | Sets repeat decay. Zero gives a single echo. |
| TYPE | DIGITAL, TAPE, PING or LOFI. |
| WET | Sets the delay contribution. |
REV: reverb
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| TIME | Reverb decay. |
| SIZE | Shapes the reverb; in SHIMMER it controls pitch shift, with an octave up at centre. |
| TYPE | HALL, ROOM, PLATE or SHIMMER. |
| WET | Sets the reverb contribution. |
Signal order: CRSH → delay → reverb → chorus → FOLD → output ceiling. A ceiling does not guarantee a clean tone: CRSH, FOLD, VOKS and some roads intentionally add roughness. Delay needs TIME away from OFF and WET above zero.
13 / KURARE MANUAL
Three sources of movement.
LFOs move a control around its current position.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| SHP | Sin, Tri, Saw, Sqr, S&H (stepped random) or Rnd (smooth random). |
| DEPT | Amount of movement. Zero removes the effect. |
| SPD | Lower half: free speed, roughly 0.02-20 Hz. Upper half: synced divisions, 4 BAR down to 1/32. |
| DEST | Choose the target. Off disconnects the source. |
Make both swarms breathe
- Select LFO 1 and a sine shape.
- Set DEST to Ox2Dec, which means both swarms’ DECOUPLE.
- Choose a slow synced SPD and begin with a small DEPT.
- Hold a chord and listen for the pull into and out of coordination.
Route from a knob
Right-click a supported control and choose Link to LFO 1, 2 or 3. Then adjust the source’s depth and speed. Several LFOs aimed at the same destination combine their movement.
Ox2 means both swarms; O1 means red and O2 white. For example, O1WvX moves red’s WAVE X, while O2Cut moves white’s cutoff.
14 / KURARE MANUAL
Let the swarms play.
Generate notes with one part, or give each swarm its own.
Press SEQ, choose an ALGO and adjust its four labelled knobs. Set a scale, octave range and DIV, then press ▶. In SLAVE sync, start the host transport too. The grid shows the generated result.
JOIN
One sequence plays both swarms. Use this when red and white form a single layered part.
SPLIT
Separate RED and WHITE sequences. Select the part at the top before changing its algorithm, timing or pitch controls.
Algorithm, timing, scale, chord, arp, TIE and LATCH belong to the selected part. Run state, sync and MOD lanes are shared. Played notes feed both parts’ note pools. The sequencer SPLIT mode is separate from synth-page SPLIT / BLND.
15 / KURARE MANUAL
Seven pattern generators.
The four ALGO knob labels change with the selected method.
| Algorithm / knobs | Starting point |
|---|---|
| WAVE INTERFERENCE FRQ A · FRQ B · MIX · THRES | Combines two waves into a pattern. Change their rates, blend them, then use the threshold to shape which steps sound. |
| EUCLIDEAN HITS · STEPS · ROT · FILL | Distributes hits across an internal cycle. Set hit count and cycle length, rotate it, then explore the fill. Useful for clear rhythmic starting points. |
| RANDOM WALK STEP · RANGE · BIAS · DRIFT | Moves through pitch space in steps. Explore small wandering intervals or wider leaps, with direction and drift shaping the movement. |
| LOGISTIC MAP R · SEED · THRES · SPAN | A nonlinear number sequence. R and SEED change the pattern; THRES selects sounding steps and SPAN changes pitch spread. Small moves can make large differences. |
| CELLULAR AUTOMATA RULE · INIT · NBRS · GENS | Builds a pattern from an evolving row of cells. Change the rule, initial state, neighbourhood and generation depth. |
| KAPREKAR SEED · DIGS · GATE · SPAN | Uses repeated digit operations. SEED and DIGS alter the source; GATE and SPAN shape rhythm and pitch spread. |
| FIBONACCI MOD · SKIP · GATE · SPAN | Builds a repeating number pattern from the Fibonacci sequence. MOD wraps the values, SKIP advances through them, GATE controls activity and SPAN pitch spread. |
The same algorithm settings regenerate the same base pattern. PROB can omit notes as the pattern cycles; moving a modulation source onto an algorithm knob changes the pattern itself.
16 / KURARE MANUAL
Length, rhythm & feel.
Shape how the generated notes play.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| DIV | Duration of one sequencer step, from 1/32 to 2 BAR. T means triplet; a dot means dotted. |
| STEPS | Playback window, from 1 to 32 steps. |
| DENSE | Keeps a proportion of the algorithm’s sounding steps. 100 leaves them intact; lower values thin the pattern; zero silences it. |
| PROB | Chance that a step will play. The probability mask is chosen once per cycle. Lower it for variation between passes. |
| LENGTH | Duration of sequencer notes as a proportion of the available step time. |
| ARP LEN | Separate length for arp-driven notes. Right-click LENGTH and choose Show ARP LENGTH; use the same menu to return. |
| SWING | Changes the relative timing of steps. Centre is straight. |
| HUMN | An alternative timing law on the SWING knob. Right-click it to switch modes; distance from centre sets the humanisation amount. |
| STRUM | Spreads the tones of a chord in time. Zero plays them together. |
| DIR | FWD, REV, PING (back and forth) or RAND. |
| TIE | Holds a note through the rests after it, up to the next sounding step. With ARP off, this makes one held note rather than repeated attacks. |
Thin a busy pattern without changing its identity
Leave PROB at 100 and reduce DENSE. You remove some existing hits in a repeatable order. Reduce PROB instead when you want the omissions to vary between cycles.
17 / KURARE MANUAL
Notes, scales & chords.
Constrain the pattern before adding more complexity.
Choose the pitch material
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| ROOT | The musical root, C through B. |
| SCALE | Constrains generated pitches to a scale. |
| OCT − / OCT + | Lowest and highest octaves available to the pattern. Moving one beyond the other collapses the range to that octave. |
| CHORD | Builds a chord on each note. Also works with played notes: one key can trigger a chord without running the sequencer. |
Scale names
CHROM (chromatic), MAJOR, MINOR (natural minor), DORIAN, PHRYG (Phrygian), LYDIAN, MIXO (Mixolydian), HARM (harmonic minor), PENT+ (major pentatonic), PENT− (minor pentatonic), BLUES and WHOLE (whole tone).
Chord choices
OFF, MAJ, MIN, 5 (power chord), SUS2, SUS4, MAJ7, MIN7, 7 (dominant seventh), ADD9 and DIM. Chord tones preserve the selected chord quality; they are not individually forced back into the selected scale.
Play and latch
The keyboard at the bottom plays notes and feeds the arpeggiator. Its − / + buttons shift the displayed keyboard octave; this is separate from the pattern’s OCT − / OCT + range.
LATCH keeps played notes held after release. Add notes by playing them; play a latched note again to remove it. Turn LATCH off to release the held pool.
18 / KURARE MANUAL
Put notes into motion.
The arpeggiator has its own clock and note source.
The ARP selector chooses a mode; OFF disables it. The ARP button toggles between OFF and the last selected mode. ARP DIV controls its speed independently of the sequencer’s DIV.
| Mode | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| UP / DOWN | Walk held notes from low to high, or high to low. |
| UP/DN / DN/UP | Move through the held notes in both directions. |
| ORDER | Follow the order in which notes were played. |
| RAND | Choose from the held-note pool in random order. |
| CHORD | Play the held pool together at each arp tick. |
| SEQ:NOTES RTRG | Read the generated sequence, skip its rests, and restart the arp playhead at each sequencer step. |
| SEQ:TRUE RTRG | Read the generated sequence including rests; restart at each sequencer step. |
| SEQ:NOTES FREE | Skip rests and let the arp playhead continue across sequencer steps. |
| SEQ:TRUE FREE | Include rests and let the arp playhead continue across sequencer steps. |
Use it without the sequencer
Stop SEQ, select UP and play a chord. Enable LATCH if you want to release your hands. The arp needs held or latched notes when SEQ is off.
Use it with the sequencer
When SEQ runs, held-note modes use your played notes and fall back to the sequence if the pool is empty. The four SEQ modes explicitly use the generated pattern as their material.
19 / KURARE MANUAL
Patterns of movement.
MOD1 and MOD2 generate values instead of notes.
Open SEQ and select MOD1 or MOD2. Each lane has its own algorithm, four algorithm knobs, STEPS and PROB. Press its lit button again to return to the note lane.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| TARGET | The parameter to move. Off disconnects the lane. |
| RATE | Tempo-synced duration of a modulation step. |
| MIN / MAX | The target’s travel limits. Swipe to change them; double-tap resets. Equal limits hold a fixed value; reversing them inverts the sweep. |
| SHAPE | SQUARE holds values, CRV eases between them, TRI ramps linearly. MIX chooses among these interpolation styles from step to step. |
20 / KURARE MANUAL
Give movement a destination.
MOD sets a value; an LFO moves around that value.
A MOD lane moves its target between MIN and MAX, like a hand turning a knob. It takes over the target’s base position. If two MOD lanes share a destination, their values are averaged; LFO movement is then applied around that result.
| Target family | Examples |
|---|---|
| Both swarms | Ox2Pop, Ox2Dec, Ox2Div, Ox2Exc, Ox2Cut, Ox2Amp. |
| One swarm | O1 = red; O2 = white. O1Cut changes red’s cutoff; O2Exc changes white’s EXCITE. |
| Waves / interaction | RatioP, Mutual, O1/O2 WvX, WvY, WvR, Road and Oct. |
| Effects | Crush, Chor, Porta, Fold, DlTim / DlFbk / DlWet, RvTim / RvSiz / RvWet. |
| Sequencer | SqP1-SqP4, SqPrb, SqLen, SqSwg and SqStr; Vel controls generated-note velocity. |
A slowly changing red swarm
- Choose MOD1, RANDOM WALK and target O1WvX.
- Set CRV, a slow RATE and a modest MIN / MAX range.
- Keep PROB at 100 while exploring the four algorithm knobs.
- Listen to red and watch WAVE X move. Add white afterwards.
Lower PROB holds the previous value on skipped steps. MOD lanes have their own running cycles: stopping the note sequencer does not disconnect a routed MOD lane.
Use RatioP for the visible swarm mix and the specific WvX/Y/R targets for waves. The list retains legacy entries such as Wave and Bal; these are not substitutes for the current swarm controls.
21 / KURARE MANUAL
Clock & MIDI.
Decide who starts the pattern and where the notes go.
| Sync setting | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| SLAVE | Follows host transport and song position. The default setting in this build; start the host as well as enabling the sequencer. |
| FREE | Runs without waiting for host transport. Available DAW tempo still supplies timing. |
| MASTER | Currently free-running. Do not treat this setting as working Ableton Link clock broadcasting. |
| NEXT BAR / IMMEDIATE | In SLAVE, choose whether playback waits for the next 4/4 bar boundary or starts immediately. |
Choose sync from SET / ☰. Check it again after loading a preset or pressing RESET, because these can restore a saved or default setting in this beta. Use the DAW tempo where the host supplies the clock.
Map a hardware control
- Right-click a knob and choose MIDI Learn.
- Move your hardware knob or slider.
- Use the MIDI mapping panel to inspect or clear assignments.
Use CC numbers 0-119. Channel-mode messages 120-127 are reserved. Parameters are also available for host automation.
Play one swarm from MIDI
With SEQ, ARP, LATCH and CHORD processing off, channels 1-14 play both swarms; channel 15 plays red and channel 16 white. When note processing is active, incoming notes feed the sequencer/arp pools instead. Pitch bend is not routed in this edition.
22 / KURARE MANUAL
Keep it. Share it.
Save the complete patch before experimenting further.
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| SAVE | Store a named .kurare preset. |
| QSAVE | Save immediately under a generated name. |
| LOAD / arrows | Browse the library or step through presets. Factory presets are read-only; save a copy to make a variation. |
| SHARE | Show the text patch key, QR code and share-card options. |
| PASTE | Load a copied Kurare patch key. |
The factory bank contains 16 presets, with SOLAR YARN as the startup patch. Your DAW also saves the plugin’s state with its project.
The seed is part of the patch
The seed gives swarm members their repeatable starting properties. Randomize Synth rolls a new seed as well as controls. Saving the preset keeps it with the patch; Randomize Sequencer works on the sequence.
Key compatibility
The 0.5.0 build writes KRR5 keys, including both filter models. It also accepts KRR3 and KRR4; those older formats restore both filters as Morphing Multimode Filter. Earlier beta formats and other products’ keys are not interchangeable. If a key is marked newer, update Kurare rather than editing the key text.
Back up your presets
macOS: ~/Library/KURARE/Presets/
Windows: %APPDATA%\KURARE\Presets\
23 / KURARE MANUAL
Three patches to explore.
Small listening experiments, with room to wander.
Coordinated, but spread out
Listen to red on CLAS. Use a modest population and low DECOUPLE. Raise DIVERGE while holding a note, then add EXCITE slowly. Keep the filter fairly open and effects low while learning the transition. Bring in a quieter white swarm an octave above for a second layer.
A filter that answers the swarm
Pick a bright DIGI or GRIT frame on red. Choose VOKS, lower CUT and raise RES gradually. Route a slow sine LFO to O1Cut. Keep CRSH centred and FOLD low at first, so the filter’s contribution stays easy to hear. Add a short delay once the movement works.
A bass and a restless reply
Use sequencer SPLIT. Give RED a low Euclidean pattern and a short amplitude envelope. Give WHITE a higher Random Walk pattern with a slower DIV, more EXCITE and a contrasting road. Keep both in the same scale, blend with RATIO P, then try a little MUTUAL.
24 / KURARE MANUAL
When something seems wrong.
Check the simplest cause before changing the whole patch.
| Symptom | Check |
|---|---|
| No sound | Complete beta access if prompted. Enable host MIDI monitoring, check the audio output and track level, then play a note. |
| SEQ is enabled but idle | SLAVE waits for host transport. Start the DAW, or choose FREE to run without transport. Check NEXT BAR if the start is delayed. |
| Pattern visible, no notes | Set DENSE and PROB to 100. Check LENGTH, amplitude sustain and the audible swarm’s balance. |
| ARP is silent | With SEQ off, play or latch notes. Check ARP is not OFF. |
| A macro does little | Check which swarm is selected and whether RATIO P lets you hear it. Remove modulation temporarily and try a different road. |
| Filter envelope seems inactive | Move ENV away from centre and check the matching FILT / FENV swarm selectors. |
| A control keeps moving back | Inspect LFO/MOD links, CC assignments and host automation. |
| Sound is unexpectedly rough | Centre CRSH, reduce FOLD and RES, check VOKS and the road, then reduce EXCITE or DECOUPLE. |
| High CPU or crackles | Reduce population or unison, shorten long release tails, and try a larger host buffer. Freeze/render a completed part if needed. |
| Notes keep sounding | Turn off LATCH, stop SEQ/ARP and release held notes. Long release, delay feedback and reverb leave tails. |
| Patch key rejected | Check it belongs to Kurare and is supported by this build. Keep the original preset; use a newer build for newer keys. |
For support, include OS, host, Kurare version, a preset or patch key, and steps to reproduce the issue. A short recording helps. Keep licence keys private. Contact: hello@valdlabs.com.
25 / KURARE MANUAL
Quick reference.
The current desktop beta at a glance.
| Instrument | Kurare 0.5.0 |
|---|---|
| Synthesis | Two Kuramoto-inspired swarms per note; red and white. |
| Voices / population | 16 voices; 1-32 members per swarm, up to 64 inside a voice. |
| Wave roads | 11 roads; 127 frames per road. Independent X / Y / RATIO and road selection per swarm. |
| Shaping | Per-swarm Morphing Multimode Filter / Voks, filter ADSR and amplitude ADSR. |
| Effects | Shared crush/drive, delay, reverb, chorus and wavefolding; portamento. |
| Modulation | Three LFOs, two algorithmic MOD lanes, swarm-specific destinations and MIDI CC learn. |
| Sequencing | Seven generators, up to 32 steps, JOIN / SPLIT, twelve scales, ten chords plus OFF, arp and latch. |
| Presets | 16 factory presets; .kurare files; KRR5 patch keys with KRR3/KRR4 reading support. |
| Platforms | macOS: VST3 / AU. Windows x64: VST3. |
Credits
Designed and developed by Jaime Paiva / Våld Labs, Lisbon. The swarm concept draws on Yoshiki Kuramoto’s work on coupled oscillators. Curated waveform material includes Adventure Kid Waveforms. Built with JUCE; see the distribution for licence notices.
September 2026 desktop edition. Interface captures are from the Kurare product page. Beta features and layouts may change; keep a copy of the build and presets used for important projects.