Dawesome Kontrast. Wavetable synth. Coming Autumn 2025.

[sandandpaint]

Initially I thought the scan was a trajectory along a path but the dev said the image is scanned left to right with a vertical playhead. In which case there can be multiple Y values for any X and that has to be resolved somehow

The scan is a trajectory along a path!

This includes traditional wavetable synthesis as a special case: just make the scanline a straight vertical line. Moving this vertical line left and right would then correspond to moving the slice position in a traditional wavetable synth.

In traditional wavetable synthesis you then have one or two modifiers that will modify the wavetable. In KONTRAST, instead of modifying the wavetable, you modify the form of the slice: it can have almost arbitrary shapes.

really pleased to hear it is a trajectory - that is way more interesting

[PetVor]

[...] really pleased to hear it is a trajectory - that is way more interesting

Yes, indeed!

Two main advantages:
• With just one dial, you can add subtle fluctuations to the shape – resulting in instant organic sound.
• In traditional wavetable synths, you can use inharmonic content – but you can’t shape its inharmonicity. With KONTRAST, inharmonicity becomes an expressive and playable dimension of sound design.

It’s no longer a fixed property of a waveform – it’s something you can sculpt, modulate, and explore musically. Think of...
* Tasty attack transients, tuned percussion, mallets, electric pianos
* Crushed glass and ceramic hits
* Snappy kalimbas and bowed vibraphones
* Rusted bells and overblown flutes
* Snarling metallic basses that flex and growl under pressure

Sounds that feel alive – because the inharmonicity moves.

[Old Norse]

[...) Image to wavetable isn't new though. Serum has had it for years. As have metasynth and others. [...]

Of course! I have fond memories of experimenting with Metasynth, back when my hair was dark and my belly was concave. That was almost 30 years ago though, which is why I chuckled at the thought of once more venturing out to shoot radiators. But I'm ready to go! This tool looks like a whole different ballgame.

[kraster]

[...) Image to wavetable isn't new though. Serum has had it for years. As have metasynth and others. [...]

Of course! I have fond memories of experimenting with Metasynth, back when my hair was dark and my belly was concave. That was almost 30 years ago though, which is why I chuckled at the thought of once more venturing out to shoot radiators. But I'm ready to go! This tool looks like a whole different ballgame.

Absolutely.

I own everything that Dawesome has released and they never disappoint.

[sandandpaint]

It's not so much image to wavetable as wave terrain synthesis. Looks like best implementation yet

[foosnark]

• In traditional wavetable synths, you can use inharmonic content – but you can’t shape its inharmonicity. With KONTRAST, inharmonicity becomes an expressive and playable dimension of sound design.

Oh, hadn't even thought about that.

[sandandpaint]

• In traditional wavetable synths, you can use inharmonic content – but you can’t shape its inharmonicity. With KONTRAST, inharmonicity becomes an expressive and playable dimension of sound design.

Oh, hadn't even thought about that.

being able to control movement of the trajectory/gesture into different parts of the terrain for different lengths of time will be quite incredible.

[PetVor]

being able to control movement of the trajectory/gesture into different parts of the terrain for different lengths of time will be quite incredible.

You can of course use MPE or any other modulation source to do so.
But the funniest way is to simply record a movement with the mouse and then have that being replayed.

[Download SOphist]

oh well, another 89 eur off the wallet... I just wished I wasn´t teased so early

[sandandpaint]

being able to control movement of the trajectory/gesture into different parts of the terrain for different lengths of time will be quite incredible.

You can of course use MPE or any other modulation source to do so.
But the funniest way is to simply record a movement with the mouse and then have that being replayed.

hooray! I was hoping for something like this. How long is the intro pricing for as I am away for a bit early October?

[Shabdahbriah]

How long is the intro pricing for as I am away for a bit early October?

KONTRAST - Dawesome.png

[sandandpaint]

How long is the intro pricing for as I am away for a bit early October?

KONTRAST - Dawesome.png

thanks - as long as it lasts a couple of weeks or so I should be right

[stoopicus]

This thing looks absolutely wild. Strong chance of intro sale pickup for me.

[foosnark]

This is an upcoming hardware synth that uses a similar technique. He wasn't the first to think of this stuff by any means (as he says in the video, an article in 1978 mentions it). But there are all kinds of ways of implementing it. This video has a pretty neat explanation/demonstration:

[El°HYM]

First review of Kontrast (Beta) with a short video walkthrough.

https://visualsproducer.wordpress.com/2 ... y-dawesome

Kontrast does have a user interface that looks different from the other Dawesome synths, yet is made up of the same recognisable elements as Myth and, up to a point, Kult. It allows you to start using it with practically zero learning curve.