Sound Parameters – Oscillators Introduction
Waldorf microQ User´s Manual
58
Wavetable Synthesis in the microQ
The sound generation of the alternative waveforms (Alt1 and Alt2) of the microQ is based on
wavetable synthesis. This type of synthesis combines analog access and digital flexibility in a simple
way. Although wavetable synthesis is a form of "sample playback" in principle, you should avoid this
term because functionality, operation and results are totally different.
Each of Alt1 and Alt2 contain
one wavetable with 128 Waves each.
Please keep the terms "wavetable" and "wave" in mind. Don´t confuse the two.
The following overview explains how the Wavetable Synthesis works:
A wavetable into the microQ is a table consisting of 128 waveforms. Each waveform is classified by
its own special sound character. The main difference of wavetable synthesis in comparison with other
sound generation principles is the facility not only to play one waveform per oscillator, but also to
walk through the wavetable via different modulations. Therefore you can create wavetable sweeps.
The results can be dramatic - much more so than those any sample playback based system could ever
produce. This is a unique feature of wavetable synthesis.
This principle offers powerful capabilities. To give some examples:
•
Each note on a keyboard can access a different wave of the wavetable.
•
Different waves can be played depending on key velocity.
•
A LFO can modulate the position within the wavetable. You can create subtle to drastic
sound changes.
•
User-selected controllers e.g. the mod wheel, can change the position within the
wavetable. When you turn the wheel while playing a chord, each note´s wave will be
modified intantly.
•
Wavetables are perfect as the FM Source when you want to create very strange sounds.
You should keep the following sentence in mind because it describes the essential of the wavetable
synthesis:
A wavetable is a table of pointers to up to 128 waves, among which you can move at will.
If you like the sound and possibilities of wavetable synthesis, you should try out the Waldorf
Microwave II, XT or XTk. These are pure wavetable synthesizers. Also the Waldorf PPG Wave
2.V as a VST Instrument is capable of this synthesis.
