Bastl Instruments Crust

Crust combines two sound layers: a TONE generator with two oscillators and a NOISE source. The tone layer offers four configurations (FM, FM2, dual and ring modulation), a pitch envelope, detune, octave, semi and fine tuning and a timbral shape control. The noise layer has four modes (white noise, clap, bit and metallic) and a lowpass/highpass filter.

A LAYER fader crossfades between the two sources while also adjusting their relative decay times, and the ENV knob sets envelope length: decay lengthens clockwise, while attack and decay both lengthen counter-clockwise for shaker, reversed or synth-like sounds. The TIMBRE section and a final CLIP stage move the emphasis between body and transient, from soft clipping with bass boost to a transient shaper with hard clipping. An assignable CTRL knob with CV input lets the player expose one extra parameter for performance.

The module has a trigger input, manual triggers, a velocity input that doubles as an external envelope input when no trigger is patched, a calibrated V/Oct input, CV inputs for LAYER, ENV and TIMBRE, and an ENV output. Sample & Hold can be switched on or off for each CV input. Firmware is updated over micro USB. The hardware is interchangeable with the Pizza Oscillator, differing only in panel, and a free VCV Rack version is available.