Additionally, wave sequences can be looped (forward or forward/backward directions) to play indefinitely or for a finite duration they may also be synchronized to the Wavestation's internal clock (at a user-adjustable tempo) or to MIDI clock signals from a sequencer. Each step in the wave sequence can have a different duration, pitch, fine tuning, level and crossfade amount. Wave sequencingĪ wave sequence is a programmed list of PCM waves playing in succession. By combining wave sequencing with vector synthesis-the process of mixing and morphing between multiple waveforms of audio samples-the Wavestation differed from other sample-based synthesizers of the digital era. Moreover, a wave sequence can be programmed to 'jump' to any PCM wave in ROM memory, whereas similar synths were designed to move sequentially through the wavetable. Wave Sequencing improved the vector synthesis on Prophet VS, by incorporating the ability to crossfade up to 255 waveforms, rather than only four.

Although the Korg Wavestation was the first keyboard that used Wave Sequencing, its roots can be traced back to the preceding variations of wavetable-lookup synthesis, including the multiple-wavetable synthesizers realized as PPG Wave that was produced by Palm Products GmbH in the early 80s, and the vector synthesis realized as Prophet VS by Sequential Circuits, Inc. The two primary synthesis concepts designed into the Wavestation were Wave Sequencing and vector synthesis, the latter Korg dubbed 'Advanced Vector Synthesis'. The Wavestation lineup consisted of four models: the Wavestation and Wavestation EX keyboards, and the Wavestation A/D and Wavestation SR rackmount sound modules. Keyboard Magazine readers gave the Wavestation its 'Hardware Innovation of the Year' award, and in 1995 Keyboard listed it as one of the '20 Instruments that Shook the World.' 8 parts (Wavestation, EX and A/D) and 16 (SR)Ĥ x 32 digital oscillators with over 200 waves eachĢ x 32 – Triangle, Square, Sawtooth, Rampĭesigned as a 'pure' synthesizer rather than a music workstation, it lacked an on-board song sequencer, yet the Wavestation, unlike any synthesizer prior to its release, was capable of generating complex, lush timbres and rhythmic sequences that sounded like a complete soundtrack by pressing only one key.

Korg wavestation sr patches