ALM TV Breaks Down the Squid Salmple: Sync, Slice & Stretch in Eurorack

The first demonstration dives into BPM syncing, a crucial technique for modular breakbeat work. By loading a one-bar Amen break into channel 3, ALM TV shows how adjusting the speed parameter alters both playback speed and pitch—classic sampler behaviour. However, the Squid’s new Pitch Parameter allows for pitch shifting without affecting tempo, a nod to more advanced sample engines.

Syncing is made straightforward: holding the function button while adjusting speed reveals a BPM indicator, letting users dial in precise loop tempos. The video illustrates how easily the Squid Salmple can be clocked from Pamela’s Pro Workout, ensuring tight rhythmic alignment. Layering additional one-shots becomes trivial once the break is locked in, and the Pitch Parameter can then be used to shift the break’s character without derailing the groove. The workflow is fast, tactile, and designed for live tweaking.

A highlight of the latest firmware is the Pitch Parameter, which decouples pitch from playback speed. This addition transforms the Squid Salmple from a basic sample player into a much more creative device. Users can now shift the pitch of a looped break up or down while keeping its tempo locked, allowing for everything from subtle tuning adjustments to wild, formant-shifting effects.

ALM TV demonstrates the utility of this feature both as a simple pitch shifter and as a source of more extreme timbral changes. When combined with filtering or layered with other samples, the Pitch Parameter becomes a powerful tool for sculpting unique textures. The video underscores how this function can be used musically—whether thickening up a track or sending a break into uncharted sonic territory.

The next section explores slicing and sequencing, giving users granular control over their break samples. By entering the Qsets page, the Squid Salmple allows for rapid subdivision of a sample into multiple segments—16 slices in the demo—each of which can be triggered and sequenced independently. This opens the door to intricate beat rearrangements and step-based sequencing.

The workflow is flexible: slices (Qsets) can be played back in order, at random, or sequenced via CV using expanders like the Axon 2. The video shows how external sequencers or LFOs can modulate slice selection, resulting in evolving, non-repetitive break patterns. The ability to edit start and end points for each slice independently means users aren’t locked into rigid divisions, encouraging creative sample mangling and live improvisation.

The final patch showcases time stretching, a classic sampler trick now made modular-friendly. By manipulating both the speed and pitch parameters—often via CV—the Squid Salmple can drop a break to half speed while maintaining its original pitch. This is achieved by careful offset and attenuation settings, allowing for smooth or abrupt transitions between normal and stretched playback.

ALM TV demonstrates how gates and probability can be used to jump between playback states, making it easy to inject variety into a live set or sequence. The result is a convincing time-stretch effect reminiscent of vintage samplers, but with the immediacy and voltage control that modular users crave. The video wraps up by encouraging users to update their firmware and experiment with these techniques, hinting at the Squid’s potential as a centrepiece for creative sample manipulation in any Eurorack system.