SPREAD shapes the random-voltage probability distribution from a constant, through bell and uniform, to bimodal gates

The X generator’s random voltages are not flat noise; SPREAD sets the width and shape of their probability distribution. Fully counter-clockwise it collapses to a single constant voltage; approaching 12 o’clock the values concentrate near the centre, and at 12 o’clock follow a bell curve (usually central, occasionally extreme); at 2 o’clock they span the whole range with equal probability (uniform); past 2 o’clock extreme values grow more likely, and fully clockwise only the minimum and maximum occur — which effectively turns the X outputs into random gates. The paired BIAS control skews the distribution toward low or high values without shifting or narrowing it — a probabilistic offset. Together they sculpt the character of a random melody before quantization.

Examples

SPREAD near 12 o’clock for a melody hugging a pitch centre; open to 2 o’clock for wide, uniform leaps; fully CW to get random gates instead of pitches. Follow X with the STEPS quantizer for tonal random tunes.

Assessment

With SPREAD at 12 o’clock and BIAS skewed high, describe the centre and range of the output, and state what SPREAD fully clockwise produces.