Installation

Thank you for choosing Arcane Devices Caress of Stars! Follow the simple steps below to get the module installed correctly. If you have ever installed a Eurorack module, your shouldn't expect any surprises here.

Observe ESD precautions when handling to avoid damage to the device. Sensitive electronics are exposed during the installation process.

  1. Make sure your Eurorack case's power supply is turned off.

  2. Plug the 16-pin (wider) connector of the ribbon cable that came with the module to your case's power supply board. Make sure the red stripe on the ribbon cable is on the -12V side on the power supply board.

  3. Plug the other end of the ribbon cable (the narrower 10-pin connector) to the header marked POWER on the module with the red strip on the ribbon cable on the side of the RED marking on module's board.

  4. Mount the module in your case's 1U row and fasten using the attached screws. Do not overtighten.

  5. Turn on the case. You should see LEDs on the module light up.

  6. (Optional) Follow the firmware update procedure to install latest code.

We hope our sequencer will bring joy to your music making. Enjoy!

Introduction to the user interface

Front panel overview

Front panel

The module's state is displayed at all times using the three rows of LEDs on the panel. Interactions happen using the data entry touch strip and the bottom row of function buttons. In some cases the bottom row doubles as sequence step selector. The specific meaning of the data row and function button operation depends on active function and channel's mode.

Home button and the Follow function

If no other function has been activated, the Follow function is active. Here, the bottom row buttons always correspond to their labeled functions. You can always return to that state by pressing the button.

In Follow mode pressing the touch strip will have immediate effect on channel's output and the value will be recorded into the currently playing step. Learn more about Follow mode in live editing.

Channels and channel modes

The module has four built-in channels. Additional channels can be added with expanders. Pressing the button corresponding to a channel selects it:

Each individual channel can be in CV or Gate mode, or two neighbouring channels can be linked together into a Combined (pitch + gate) mode. Read how to set the channel mode here.

Currently selected channel and it's mode is visible on the left end of the function row.

Sequence pages

A sequence can be extended up to 4 pages. Read about setting sequence lengths in loop length.

When a sequence has more than one page, you can move between them using the + combo:

Finding the running version

Added in release 2025-08-24

Currently installed firmware version can be checked by pressing on device startup:

LEDs will display binary-coded version number. The rows will show, top to bottom, the release year, month and day. See releases for LED patterns of each release.

Press to return to normal operation.

Update procedure

Programming diagram

The module can be updated by playing a WAV file into one of the trigger inputs.

  1. Obtain the latest firmware package from the releases page.

  2. Decompress the archive. It should contain a .wav file.

  3. Unplug all jacks from the module and turn on your case. There is no need to put the module in a special mode.

  4. Connect your audio interface's output to the rightmost trigger jack of the module. If using a stereo output, use a stereo (TRS) cable.

  5. Disconnect any speakers connected to the audio interface's output and set output volume to the maximum.

  6. Play the wav file on that output. Update progress will be displayed on the LEDs:

  7. When the audio file stops playing, the module should restart and return to normal operation with the updated firmware. If an error occurs during the update procedure, all function lights will start blinking. In this case turn your case off and on again to return to normal operation, then attempt the procedure again.

Releases

See how to find running version's LED pattern.

Stable releases

Early releases

2025-09-01

Download | LED pattern

  • Improved reliability of panel cirtuit protection
  • Fixed diplay of ties in gate editing function

2025-08-28

Download | LED pattern

  • Fixed a race condition that could lead to missed input triggers
  • Fixed muting for even channels in combined mode

2025-08-25

Download | LED pattern

  • Added position interpolation for touch input

2025-08-24

Download | LED pattern

  • Added firmware version display function
  • Fixed increased latency due to incorrect DAC priority
  • Changed brightness for tied steps

2025-08-13

Download

  • Implemented persistent state

2025-08-12

Download

  • Fixed critical hangup when log buffer fills up

2025-08-11

Download

  • Restored slider gate-painting in step edit function for gate channels
  • Add density-painting as an alternative step edit for gate channels

2025-08-08-B

Download

  • Clear page combo
  • Fixed page switching when moving steps in step editor
  • Fixed performing in reset-step for gate channels

2025-08-08

Download

  • Fixed overdubbing of tied gates

2025-08-07

Download

  • Fixed gate output when slider is held
  • Page now follows the playing step in follow function
  • CLEAR now advances the step in step edit
  • Fixed incorrect rendering of values on value row in follow function

2025-08-06

Download

  • Improvements to tie and gate length UI
  • Fixes for performing in reset-step
  • Firmware recovery mode

Channel modes

CV Channel

A CV channel outputs continuous or quantized voltages. It is most suitable for modulation.

If the selected channel is in CV mode, only the channel LED is lit.

Gate channel

Gate channels are suitable for programming drums and other non-pitched events. Each step can be set or not set. When a set step is played, a gate signal will be generated.

If the selected channel is in Gate mode, the channel's LED and the GATE LED are lit.

Combined channel

A combined channel links together two channels into a CV + Gate pair. This mode is suitable for programming more traditional pitched events (musical notes).

When two neighboring channels are combined, both their LEDs are lit. The odd-numbered channel's output will carry the pitch voltage and the consecutive even-numbered channel it's paired with will be used for gates.

Toggling channel modes

To switch a particular channel's mode, hold the button and press press that channel's selection button. For example, to switch the mode for Channel 1, press the + combo:

Only odd-numbered channels can be set to the Combined mode.

Internal clock

The module can be clocked either externally via the STEP input or using the built-in clock.

+ starts and stops the clock.

+ can be used to tap-in the tempo.

+ resets all sequences, equivalent to a RESET trigger.

Live editing

When the follow mode is active (by default after startup and after pressing ), the touch strip can be used for live performance and live editing.

CV and Combined channels

Pressing the touch strip causes the selected CV value to be recorded into the currently playing step. For a Combined channel, that also means setting a gate on that step.

CV value will be determined from the position on the touch strip subject to scale and range settings.

Ties and slides

If a touch strip is held for a duration of multiple steps, these steps will be tied.

Tied steps are represented with darker LEDs. Last of the tied steps will have a regular gate length.

For a Combined channel, hold and drag on the slider across more than one step to create a slide:

Slide steps will change their CV value linearly for the duration of the whole step, starting with the value recorded for that step and ending with the value recorded for the next step.

Gate channels

Tapping the touch strip in any position will set a gate on the currently playing step.

Holding the touch strip for more than one step will create a tie, same as for Combined channels.

Performing and editing in follow mode

We give you a few ways to step-program sequences. This is the most direct one, allowing you to hear the notes when programming.

When the play head is reset (+ or reset trigger), you can use the touch strip to perform without altering the sequence.

Pressing a step button when the slider is held will write a CV value (and gate for combo mode) to that step:

Moving around the sequence

and buttons will move the playing step across the sequence. + resets all sequences.

Clearing a sequence

Pressing + channel will erase that channel's the entire sequence:

A single page can be erased with the + combo:

Step editing

Unlike live editing, step editing does not follow a running clock.

First, select the step to begin editing from:

  • Press to enter step selection. LEDs on the value row will indicate value at each step.
  • Step selection now happens via the repurposed function buttons. Pressing a button under a particular step indicator LED will select that step.

  • CV values set on the slider will now be written to the editing step.
  • Once the slider is released, editing will automatically progress to the next step.

For combined channels, pressing the slider will also set a gate at the current editing step. Such gates can be unset with the button while step editing is active.

and will move the editing cursor around. When entering a new combined sequence, moving forward without setting a gate is useful for leaving rests.

Setting multiple steps

A single CV value can easily be set on multiple steps in one go. Enter step selection by pressing . Press and hold the touch strip on the desired value, then press buttons corresponding to the desired steps:

Editing gate sequences

For gate mode channels, the step edit function behaves differently. Once the step edit function is activated, you can set/unset gates on any step by pressing the corresponding button:

Gate painting

You can also set/unset gates using the slider. Swiping starting on a set gate will clear all gates under the swipe, while starting on an unset gate will set gates:

Density-painting

Experimental

This is an alternative step edit function. To activate, press then .

In this mode, dragging on the slider does not set/unset a continuous sequence of steps. Instead, it created/clears a regular pattern of steps, with intervals between steps determined by drag distance:

This operation will affect the currently visible page only.

Switching channels in gate edit function

You can quickly switch channels without exiting the step edit mode with the +channel combo:

Gate lengths

To set the gate length for newly entered steps, select the function.

Use the slider to set the new length:

Leftmost side of the slider sets minimum gate time, rightmost end sets the entire step duration as the gate length.

Loop length

Number of pages

  • Go to the loop length function by pressing .

  • Pressing the + combo will change the number of pages for the selected channel's sequence.

If a new page was not populated before, it will be duplicated from the existing pages (page 2 from page 1, pages 3 and 4 from pages 1 and 2).

Loop steps

To set a range of steps to loop over:

  • Go to the function
  • Touch and drag over the steps on the slider:

Save and Recall

Quick save and quick recall

Pressing will store the state of all sequences into the quick recall buffer.

will restore that state, overwriting all changes made since the save.

Save slots

Not implemented yet.

Quantizing to a scale

Press to enter scale selection. To set the scale, press and drag on the slider (either left or right). The initial touch position determines the root note (with each value LED equivalent to a half-step, starting at 0V). As you drag, you go through availble scales. Currently those are:

  • Chromatic
  • Minor
  • Pentatonic

Pressing when scale selection is active disables quantization and switches back to continuous CV entry:

Quantization affects only values entered when the scale is selected.

CV range

You might wish to get more precision from the available length of the slider. That can be achieved by constraining the entry of CV values to a smaller range of octaves.

Range selection is an alternative function under the scale button. To activate it, press then :

Dragging on the slider over a range of octave indicators on the value LED row will cause them to be selected:

Clock division

Power-of-two divisions

Press to activate the clock division selection function. If the clock is running, the step row LEDs will demonstrate the clock rate of each setting. The choice is made by tapping the slider over the desired rate:

The divisions, left to right, are:

  • 1/1
  • 1/2
  • 1/4
  • 1/8
  • 1/16
  • 1/32
  • 1/64

Integer divisions

Integer clock divisions are available via the alternative DIVIDE function.

Press then select:

The divisions, left to right, are:

  • 1/1
  • 1/2
  • 1/3
  • 1/4
  • 1/5
  • 1/6
  • 1/7
  • 1/8
  • 1/9
  • 1/10
  • 1/11
  • 1/12
  • 1/13
  • 1/14
  • 1/15

Mutes

Quick mute

To quickly mute/unmute a single channel, use the + combo.

Arm-then-apply mode

To mute/unmute multiple channels at once, you can use this two-step operation:

  • Switch to function.
  • Press channel buttons for channels you wish to toggle.
  • Press to apply the operation. Only the blinking channels will be muted after this.