Real-time stereo time stretching, pitch shifting, and audio-derived CV

Capicola is a stereo time stretcher and pitch shifter running on the open Alchemy Lab platform. Developed with Matthew Nielsen of Heavylight Industries, it uses keyframe time stretching to pull audio apart while staying aligned to the incoming rhythm.

• Independent pitch and time controls.
• Forward and reverse stretching, with a true freeze at the center.
• Transient detection, manual slicing, and an external trigger input.
• Grain Size, Quality, and feedback controls for stretched washes, rhythmic loops, tape-like degradation, and distortion.
• Internal envelope modulation and external CV, with dedicated attenuverters for the main controls.
• Two envelope outputs and two trigger outputs for the rest of your rack.

Winner of Best Demo at DAFx ’26!

The hardware is field-programmable: load Capicola, Echoa, Spagyros, or another Alchemy Lab firmware on the same module. Capicola firmware is free, with a dedicated reversible front panel available separately.

Interactive manual
Open source
Capicola product page

https://hermeticmodular.com/modules/alchemy-lab/capicola