ALM Busy Circuits Pamela's New Workout (2016–2023)

Name: ALM Busy Circuits Pamela's New Workout
Brand: ALM Busy

The module that turned clock division into an art form—now with waveforms, modulation, and a brain big enough to keep up.

Overview

You patch in a clock, twist a few knobs, and suddenly your whole system is breathing in time—like someone flipped a switch and the machine woke up. That’s the magic of Pamela’s New Workout the moment it clicks. It doesn’t just divide clocks; it dances with them. Where the original Pamela’s Workout was the go-to for clean triggers and rhythmic splits, the New Workout is what happens when you hand that same DNA a full palette of modulation tools and say, “Go wild.” Eight outputs, each a fully programmable lane of synchronized voltage, can now generate not just gates but full waveforms—saw, triangle, square, random stepped, smooth random (yes, “Mario hills,” as one reviewer so perfectly put it), and more. It’s not just a clock divider. It’s a rhythmic brain, a modulation engine, a conductor for your entire modular setup, all crammed into a lean 8HP.

And that little OLED screen? Game-changer. No more squinting at seven-segment LEDs trying to decode what “32.16” means mid-performance. The New Workout gives you real-time feedback, letting you see waveforms, timing grids, and parameter changes as they happen. It’s like upgrading from a flashlight to a headlamp when you’re digging through the dark corners of a patch. The interface is still immediate—turn a knob, see a change—but now the context is richer, deeper. You can program Euclidean rhythms with visual feedback, set loop lengths, assign CV control to nearly every parameter, and save 200 different setups across banks. That kind of recall wasn’t just rare in Eurorack when this launched—it was revolutionary.

Positioned between the original Workout and the later Pro Workout, the New Workout was the sweet spot for years: enough firepower to be future-proof, compact enough to fit in any system, and priced to be attainable without feeling like a compromise. It didn’t just improve on the original—it redefined what a “clock module” could be. Where the first Pamela was a utility, the New Workout is a creative instrument. You don’t just use it to sync things; you compose with it. Want a slow sine wave modulating filter cutoff in 5/8 time while another output fires off randomized gates in a triplet shuffle? Done. Need one output to act as a looping envelope while another generates stepped random voltages quantized to a minor pentatonic? Also done. And because it’s all clock-synced, nothing drifts, nothing feels mechanical—it feels alive, but in time.

Specifications

Manufacturer	ALM Busy Circuits
Production Years	2016–2023
Model Number	ALM024
Form Factor	Eurorack
HP Size	8HP
Depth	22mm
Power Requirements	+12V @ 100mA, -12V @ 100mA
Outputs	8 programmable CV/gate outputs
Waveforms	Sawtooth, triangle, square, random stepped, smooth random, Euclidean, logic-based patterns
Clock Division Range	/512 to x48
BPM Range	25–300 BPM
CV Inputs	2 assignable CV inputs for parameter control
External Clock Input	Yes, 24–1 PQN compatible
DIN Sync	Input and output via adapter
Display	OLED, graphical interface with real-time feedback
Preset Storage	200 user banks
Resolution	10-bit output resolution
Firmware Updates	via audio cable, no special hardware required
Expandability	Compatible with PPEXP1 (extra outputs) and AXON-2 (CV expansion)
Country of Origin	England

Key Features

The OLED That Changed Everything

The original Pamela’s Workout had a retro seven-segment display that gave you just enough info to know what was happening—if you knew the code. The New Workout’s OLED screen isn’t just a visual upgrade; it’s a functional revolution. Suddenly, you’re not guessing at timing ratios or mentally calculating Euclidean steps. You see the rhythm laid out in front of you, like a tiny sequencer screen built into a clock module. Programming a 7-over-12 polyrhythm? The display shows the pulse distribution. Tweaking the width of a square wave? You see the duty cycle change in real time. It turns what could be an abstract, numbers-heavy process into something tactile and immediate. And because the screen is graphical, it can adapt—showing waveforms, timing grids, or parameter menus depending on what you’re doing. It’s the kind of interface that makes you wonder how you ever lived without it.

Eight Lanes of Synchronized Chaos

Each of the eight outputs is a full modulation channel, not just a trigger tap. You can assign any waveform, set its division or multiplication ratio, adjust pulse width, add randomization, or lock it into a Euclidean rhythm. But the real power is in the interplay. One output can modulate the pulse width of another. You can set up cascading delays, where each output fires a fraction of a beat after the last. Or use the “smooth random” mode to generate undulating control voltages that evolve over time—perfect for modulating pitch, filter cutoff, or panning in a way that feels organic but stays perfectly in time. And because everything is clock-synced, you can layer complex, evolving patterns without fear of drift or timing glitches. It’s like having eight tiny sequencers, each dedicated to modulation, all locked to the same heartbeat.

CV Control and Expandability

Two assignable CV inputs let you bring external control into the system—modulate clock speed, shift timing, randomize outputs, or morph between presets in real time. But the expandability is where it really shines. With the PPEXP1 (Extra Pam Outputs), you can add four more physical outputs, letting you route internal signals without sacrificing your main eight. The AXON-2 CV & Control Expander adds even more CV inputs and logic functions, turning Pamela into the central nervous system of a much larger patch. These expansions aren’t gimmicks—they’re built into the firmware, so they feel like natural extensions of the module itself. And because ALM designed the firmware to be upgradable via audio cable (just play a .WAV file into the module), owners could access new features years after purchase, like the quantized waveform mode that lets you run a sawtooth wave through a major scale or a random stepped voltage through a blues pentatonic.

Historical Context

When the original Pamela’s Workout dropped in the early 2010s, it filled a gap no one realized was there: a compact, intelligent clock divider that could handle complex rhythms with ease. Before that, syncing multiple modules meant juggling multiple dividers, often with limited flexibility. Pamela changed the game by putting eight editable outputs in one module, each with triplet support, random skips, and delay division for shuffle. But by the mid-2010s, modular users wanted more—they didn’t just want triggers, they wanted modulation. That’s where the New Workout came in, launching in 2016 as a full evolution. It arrived at a time when Eurorack was shifting from boutique curiosity to mainstream tool, and musicians were building larger, more complex systems. They needed brains, not just voices. Competitors like the Make Noise Maths and the Intellijel Metropolis offered modulation and sequencing, but Pamela’s New Workout carved its niche by being ruthlessly focused on clock-synced control. It wasn’t trying to be a full sequencer or a standalone synth—it was the conductor, the metronome with imagination. And with its open firmware updates, ALM showed a commitment to long-term support that was rare in the modular world, where many modules were “done” the day they shipped.

Collectibility & Value

Pamela’s New Workout was discontinued in 2023, succeeded by the Pro Workout, which means the used market is now the only place to find it. Prices vary widely based on condition and whether the firmware is up to date. As of 2026, a fully functional unit with the latest firmware typically sells for $350–$425, while units with outdated firmware or cosmetic wear go for $280–$330. It’s not the cheapest module on the used market, but it holds value well because of its reputation and versatility. That said, buyers should be cautious. The OLED screen, while a major upgrade, is also a point of failure—some early units had issues with screen burn-in or flickering, though firmware updates mitigated most of these. More common are issues with the encoder knob, which can develop crackling or lose registration over time from heavy use. It’s not a hard failure, but it can make navigation frustrating. Always test the knob and screen before buying. Also, check that the firmware is current—older versions lack features like quantized waveforms and smooth random. Upgrading is free and simple (just play a file from a phone), but some sellers don’t bother. If you’re buying used, ask for proof of a recent update. Despite these quirks, the New Workout remains one of the most sought-after modulation modules of its era. It’s not just functional—it’s inspirational. Patch it in, and your system suddenly has more rhythm, more motion, more life. That kind of magic doesn’t go out of style.