NAMM is off to a great start.Wave Sequencing is back - and this time it's got knobs on!įrom the WS‑1 keyboard in 1990 to the SR rack released in 1992, the Wavestation family remained in production for only five years or so before being discontinued. Other differences include a balanced stereo output (thanks Korg!) and at a price point of £699, it looks like Korg are on to another winner. While the Wavestate has a form-factor familiar to those who've used the minilogue or monologue, the sound couldn't be different with a purely digital and morphing wavetable-style approach, where evolving and other-worldy sounds replace the familiar subtractive synthesis tones of the previous synths. Of course, it's not obligatory to program an ever-evolving patch – there's gigabytes of samples like bells, pianos, guitars and synths which can be used in a traditional way too. On top there are manual modulation controls for Pitch, Sample, Timing etc.

Elsewhere there's the usual features you'd expect from a synth of this type like envelopes, LFOs and a filter that can be switched into MS-20, PolySix, and a few other options through the menu. The synth features an epic 64-voice polyphony – over four layers – with the familiar joystick from the Wavestation letting you morph between layers – up to 14 FX can also be applied at once.

Unlike the classic Korg Wavestation the synth is based on where each parameter looped at the same rate, Wave Sequencing 2.0 allows you to assign independent loop lengths to parameters like Pitch, Sample, Timing, Shape, Gate etc, meaning you avoid that 'looping' feel, for more organic and polyrhythmic modulations. The 37-key synth features a new Wave Sequencing 2.0 technology that allows users to morph and shape parameters using the 16-step sequencer. Korg have announced a new synth called Wavestate.

Wave sequencing synthesizer