Korg Wavestation
The Korg Wavestation is a vector synthesis synthesizer first produced in the early 1990s and later re-released as a software synthesizer in 2004. Its primary innovation was Wave Sequencing, a method of multi-timbral sound generation in which different PCM waveform data are played successively, resulting in continuously evolving sounds.[1] The Wavestation's "Advanced Vector Synthesis" sound architecture resembled early vector synths such as the Sequential Circuits Prophet VS.
Wavestation
1990–1994
$2195
£1575
32
8 parts (Wavestation, EX and A/D) and 16 (SR)
4 x 32 digital oscillators with over 200 waves each
2 x 32 – Triangle, Square, Sawtooth, Ramp
Digital vector synthesis with Wave Sequencing
32 low-pass
32 ADSR envelope generators
Yes – Channel (mono) — Wavestation A/D capable of receiving polyphonic aftertouch
Yes
2×47 or 55
61-keys
Pitch and Modulation Wheels, Joystick
MIDI
Designed 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.[2][3] Keyboard Magazine readers gave the Wavestation its "Hardware Innovation of the Year" award,[4] and in 1995 Keyboard listed it as one of the "20 Instruments that Shook the World."[5]
The Wavestation lineup consisted of four models: the Wavestation and Wavestation EX keyboards, and the Wavestation A/D and Wavestation SR rackmount sound modules.
In 2020, Korg released a new hardware 3-octaves-full-of-knobs keyboard version called Korg Wavestate, which integrate a much more powerful version of the original Wavestation, called "wave sequencing V2".
Design history[edit]
The Wavestation was designed by a team which included Dave Smith, who designed the Prophet-5 and, along with Roland, helped to invent the MIDI protocol in the early 1980s. His synthesizer company, Sequential Circuits, was purchased by Yamaha in 1988. The division was renamed DSD (intended by Yamaha to stand for Dave Smith Designs).[24][25] The team, ex-SCI engineers Dave Smith, John Bowen, Scott Peterson, and Stanley Jungleib, then went on to Korg in May 1989 and designed the Wavestation, refining many Prophet VS concepts.[26]
The Wavestation A/D was the brainchild of Joe Bryan, then Senior Design Engineer at Korg R&D.[27] A guitar player, he wanted "something that worked with a simple MIDI guitar that would merge the guitar, synth and effects, and could be controlled from one or two buttons on the guitar." The idea was of little interest to his colleagues at first. Nevertheless, he found a prototype of a Sequential Circuits Prophet 2000 sampler and literally hacksawed the analog-to-digital converter circuitry from it, soldered that and a digital interface to the Wavestation's ROM bus to create the first prototype of the Wavestation A/D. The prototype convinced Bryan's colleagues of his idea.
Musical impact[edit]
The Wavestation is known as one of the best synth pad generators, and has been used by many musicians to explore uncommon synthesis textures. A few notable mainstream artists that used Wavestations in the early 1990s were Joe Zawinul, Jan Hammer, Phil Collins, Michael Cretu (used KORG WAVESTATION on the first five albums of his famous project "Enigma (German band)" (the factory preset "Deep Atmosphere" was most often used), as well as in many of his projects from 1990 to 2003)), Gary Numan, Keith Emerson, and Tony Banks of Genesis (who also used them on the band's 2007 European Tour) Depeche Mode, Steve Hillier of Dubstar, Michael Jackson, Ed Wynne of Ozric Tentacles, Ulf Langheinrich and Alan Clark and Guy Fletcher of Dire Straits. Soundtrack composer Mark Snow also used a Wavestation SR when scoring episodes of the X-Files.[28]
The sound of the Wavestation is familiar to users of the Apple Macintosh, since the startup chime that has featured on every Mac from the Quadra 700 to the Quadra 800 was created by Jim Reekes on a Korg Wavestation.[29] Reekes said, "The startup sound was done in my home studio on a Korg Wavestation. It's a C Major chord, played with both hands stretched out as wide as possible (with 3rd at the top, if I recall)." The sound in question is a slightly modified "Sandman" factory preset.[22]
Software emulations[edit]
Korg now produces a collection of software-based versions of its classic synthesizers, called the Korg Legacy Collection. With the Wavestation it incorporates the entire library of the original Wavestation's samples, wave sequences and presets making the vector synthesis concept more affordable and known to a wider audience. A native version for iOS, named iWavestation, has also been released.[31]
Bibliography