What are some of the better software Wavetable synths?

[PietW.]

Wondering what everyone considers to be good software wavetable synths. I have a Waldorf Microwave 1 and love it. Is there anything similar in software form?

Seriously, I don't care if there isn't because I have a MW1 anyways. I am just curious what plugin everyone likes to use for wavetable synthesis.

For a Waldorf Microwave, there is no Softwarderivat. No largo or no PPG 3.V. The microwave is and will remain unique, and I curse the day that I sold him.

[whyterabbyt]

I wonder (genuinely so) was the first mention of the term "wavetable" as a single-cycle waveform used in scientific circles before PPG Wave (where it was used for a series of single-cycle waveforms being scanned through with a pointer) or after...

Ive been unable to confirm either way. Ive seen references to papers which might predate PPG's useage, but I cant locate them to check. And the lack of an obvious and findable origin doesnt mean there is no such origin. Ive certainly known of the scientific useage since the mid 80s myself... its not a recent cooption, as it were.

The distinction is ostensibly one between (2 to N complete waveform cycles) and (1 to N complete waveform cycles) though. In a hierarchy of algorithms (2 to N) is a subset of (1 to N) but not vice versa, so you can see why the technical definition is 'more complete'

The problem for me is that in some common useage accepts that 'wavetable' refers to (2 to N), it doesnt do so definitively. Other common useage exists with modifiers (eg 'scanned wavetable') to explicitly differentiate the kind of thing done by PPG and others. Differentiation is good, IMO, it reduces confusion.

However I find that subscribers to the 'PPG own the term wavetable' opinion cant actually provide an as-accepted common-use term for the case of single-cycle waves, or NxN cycle 2-or-more dimensional tables, whereas both fit within the scientific hierarchy.

Its also worth noting that contemporary competitors to PPG (eg Korg) used their own terminology (ie wave sequencing), so originally 'wavetable' was sort of used as a technology 'brand name' (kinda like Arturia's AET versus FXpansion DCAM, for their proprietry modelling technologies).

[pdxindy]

In addition to 3.V, my wavetable scanning workhorses are Zebra and NI Massive. Massive has a very glossy, modern sound that's great for spacey, atmospheric sweeps, metallic/plucky comping sounds, icy pads, etc. Zebra is definitely the deepest of the three. It's fun to use Waldorf-esque wavetables in Zebra, since you can get sounds that are somewhat evocative of a PPG but with way more programming possibilities. It's a cleaner, more hi-fi sound than a PPG, of course, but when using Waldorf 3.V, I have True PPG mode turned off half the time; the gritty artifacts of the PPG and Microwave can make for great crunchy basses, but it's often not so pleasing in the higher registers.

You can also use the decimator filter in Zebra for a less hifi sound...

[george]

For wavetable as single cycle waveform you will find Discovery Pro and Corona can handle them pretty well.

[Richard_Synapse]

if i remeber correctly Dune and Zebra also feature wavetable synthesis...

Yes, though in Dune it's more of an extra gimmick, it wasn't really intended to support wavetable synthesis at first. It ended up similar to the classic PPG which doesn't use much or any interpolation when blending between waveforms. As such the sound is too harsh at times when sweeping through the wavetable. In Dune 2 we'll do it properly, smooth and accurate, which I think is more useful for sound design in general.

Richard

[Bronto Scorpio]

In Dune 2 we'll do it properly, smooth and accurate, which I think is more useful for sound design in general.

Nice!

Cheers
Dennis

[ouroboros]

erm, free for plinking - oatmeal.
It doesn't import or scan waves, but you can draw the single cycle forms to your hearts content, with some tools for manipulating them.

[PietW.]

In Dune 2 we'll do it properly, smooth and accurate, which I think is more useful for sound design in general.

Nice!

Cheers
Dennis

Very Nice

[ew]

I wonder (genuinely so) was the first mention of the term "wavetable" as a single-cycle waveform used in scientific circles before PPG Wave (where it was used for a series of single-cycle waveforms being scanned through with a pointer) or after...

Ive been unable to confirm either way. Ive seen references to papers which might predate PPG's useage, but I cant locate them to check. And the lack of an obvious and findable origin doesnt mean there is no such origin. Ive certainly known of the scientific useage since the mid 80s myself... its not a recent cooption, as it were.

The distinction is ostensibly one between (2 to N complete waveform cycles) and (1 to N complete waveform cycles) though. In a hierarchy of algorithms (2 to N) is a subset of (1 to N) but not vice versa, so you can see why the technical definition is 'more complete'

The problem for me is that in some common useage accepts that 'wavetable' refers to (2 to N), it doesnt do so definitively. Other common useage exists with modifiers (eg 'scanned wavetable') to explicitly differentiate the kind of thing done by PPG and others. Differentiation is good, IMO, it reduces confusion.

However I find that subscribers to the 'PPG own the term wavetable' opinion cant actually provide an as-accepted common-use term for the case of single-cycle waves, or NxN cycle 2-or-more dimensional tables, whereas both fit within the scientific hierarchy.

Its also worth noting that contemporary competitors to PPG (eg Korg) used their own terminology (ie wave sequencing), so originally 'wavetable' was sort of used as a technology 'brand name' (kinda like Arturia's AET versus FXpansion DCAM, for their proprietry modelling technologies).

Before. Wolfgang Palm's first digital oscillator synths (1978 or so) didn't travel between waves during playback, yet he refers to them in interviews as the first wavetable synths.

ew

[Arrested Developer]

For a Waldorf Microwave, there is no Softwarderivat. No largo or no PPG 3.V. The microwave is and will remain unique, and I curse the day that I sold him.

+1, if we are talking about the MW1


For "wavetablesque" sounds i really liked the emagic ES2, when it was new...
In combination with some hardware synths, it was a really good teamplayer

Zebra2 is my actual favourite one, since it offers lots of possibilities to "downgrade" the sound.
(probably with Massive and Reaktor there are plenty of great alternatives....need more time to check out these....
(the value of a synth largely depends of the time that one spends with it...

[Bronto Scorpio]

In Dune 2 we'll do it properly, smooth and accurate, which I think is more useful for sound design in general.

Nice!

Cheers
Dennis

Very Nice

Indeed!

I only have Dune BE (Beat Edition) but I *love* it. It's really hard to impress me with a synth but Dune is simply great! And *way* more than a trance machine!

I quickly recorded some wavetable-ish demos:

A simple 80s synth which somehow reminds of me the sounds from the first Nightmare on Elm street movie I had on VHS
Freddy On VHS

This one sounds like a mad Korg Wavestation from the future
Intro Wave Sequence

And this one is slightly off topic since it isn't that wavetable-ish but I just wanted to show that the osc waves in Dune are *great* for drones and textures
Machine Room

Keep in mind that I made these with Dune BE so there aren't any effects on the sounds. Some of them could need a nice delay

Cheers
Dennis

[pdxindy]

Zebra2 is my actual favourite one, since it offers lots of possibilities to "downgrade" the sound.

Just made this wave scanning preset in Zebra with some 'downgrading'

http://draigathar.org/sounds/Zebra11.mp3

[jonahs]

If you're willing to make your own wavetables NI's Skanner (XT) is good fun.

[Ingonator]

Wondering what everyone considers to be good software wavetable synths. I have a Waldorf Microwave 1 and love it. Is there anything similar in software form?

Seriously, I don't care if there isn't because I have a MW1 anyways. I am just curious what plugin everyone likes to use for wavetable synthesis.

For a Waldorf Microwave, there is no Softwarderivat. No largo or no PPG 3.V. The microwave is and will remain unique, and I curse the day that I sold him.

But obviously Largo is the closest one at it includes all wavetables of the Microwaves (I/II/XT). Due to the more digital nature of the Largo filter in comparison to the real analog one in the Mirowave 1 Largo would maybe fit better into the Microwave II/XT.

The PPG Wave 3.V contains a lot of wavetables too but AFAIK not all from the Microwave.

I don't know exactly about Kubik as i did not really play with it myself.


Anyway if you want exactly the sound of a Microwave I you would maybe have to go for the real thing...
I had a Microwave XT back in 2005 which was really cool but currently i am quite happy with the Blofeld.


About the wavetable discusssion: For me the term wavetable synthesis is the way how it was implemented in the PPG Wave.
About wavetables in ElctraX: The "wavetable import itself is more like morphing or doing PWM with a single cycle wave but in the VA waveforms it contains a few "real" wavetables with multiple waveforms.


Ingo

[hibidy]

OK, hibidy has yet another stupid question. Are not some sample based "synths" considered "wavetable"? I wiki'ed it and it doesn't really sink in yet.