wavestate native

Legendary Synthesis, Radically Re-Imagined. Organic, Inspirational, and Mind-Blowingly Powerful.

KORG’s legendary Wavestation introduced the world to Wave Sequencing, transforming raw samples into sounds that no-one had ever heard before. The flagship OASYS and KRONOS keyboards developed Wave Sequencing even further, expanding on its unique palette of lush, evolving pads and driving rhythms.

In 2020, the acclaimed wavestate brought Wave Sequencing to the next level. Featuring the radically re-imagined Wave Sequencing 2.0, the wavestate delivers astonishing, ever-changing sounds with extensive hands-on control. Far from a nostalgic reissue, the wavestate is designed from the ground up for a new generation of musicians, producers, and composers, taking cues from sources as diverse as modular synths, groove boxes, and algorithmic composition.

Now, Korg is proud to present wavestate native, the fully-compatible software counterpart to the hardware wavestate synthesizer. wavestate native is available in VST3, AAX, and standalone formats on both macOS and Windows, as well as AU on macOS. You can seamlessly exchange sounds between hardware and software. Produce in your DAW with wavestate native, and then play the same sounds onstage using the wavestate hardware. Create sounds with the hardware’s hands-on interface, and then share them with a computer-based collaborator. Plus, you can use any of the many third-party sound and sample libraries available for the hardware wavestate.

Wave Sequencing 2.0

With the Wavestation, each step of a Wave Sequence had a duration, a sample, and a pitch. This created ear-catching patterns–but the patterns repeated the same way, over and over. What if they could evolve in organic, unexpected ways, instead of just repeating?

Wave Sequencing 2.0 splits apart the timing, the sequence of samples, and the melody, so that each can be manipulated independently. Also added are new characteristics including shapes, gate times, and step sequencer values. Each of these is a “Lane,” and each Lane can have a different number of steps and its own start, end, and loop points.

Every time the sequence moves forward, the individual Lanes are combined to create the output. For instance, a sample may be matched with a different duration, pitch, shape, gate length, and step sequence value every time that it plays. You can modulate each Lane’s start, end, and loop points separately for every note, using velocity, LFOs, envelopes, Mod Knobs, or other controllers. Each note in a chord can be playing something different!

Lanes can also randomize the step order every time they play, with realtime control over the range of included steps. Finally, individual steps can be randomly skipped, with a modulatable probability from 0 to 100%. The result is organic, ever-changing sounds that respond to your control. The four built-in arpeggiators can interact with Wave Sequences for even more possibilities.

Easily Expressive. Exceptionally Deep.

Bursting with modulation sources and destinations, the wavestate invites you to explore. Most parameters can be modulated, with up to 4,000 modulation destinations per Performance, and no fixed limit on the total number of modulation routings. You can even modulate settings for individual Wave Sequence Steps! Each modulation routing includes a primary modulation source, an intensity, and a secondary modulation source; the three are multiplied together to create the modulation amount. A single destination, such as Filter Cutoff, can have up to 31 incoming modulation routings.

Mod Knobs put macro transformations under your fingertips, making it easy to explore the sonic worlds inside each Performance. Tweaking an existing sound? Quickly identify modulation sources using real-time displays of all envelopes, LFOs, and other primary modulation sources. Easily create modulation routings using drag-and-drop, and get an overview of all routings via the Mod List. Mod Processors let you transform modulation signals using quantization, smoothing, curvature, and more.

Randomization That Inspires.

Looking for even more inspiration? The “dice” icon at the top of the window generates new sounds via intelligent randomization. Randomize the entire sound or just a part of it, such as the filter, the Sample Lane, or the effects. Use the results directly, or as a jumping-off point for your own creations.

An Arsenal of Effects.

The wavestate’s superb effects deliver production-ready sounds. Each Layer has three dedicated effects; additionally, the Performance has a master reverb and parametric EQ. Along with standards such as compressors, EQs, choruses, flangers, phasers, and stereo delays, you’ll find distinctive processors such as the Wave Shaper, Talking Modulator, Reverse Delay, Multiband Mod Delay, and Overb (from the OASYS), plus modeled effects including VOX guitar amps, VOX wah, multi-head tape echo, and a collection of classic guitar pedals.

Choose Your Filter.

Add vintage character to your sounds with the aggressive MS-20 Lowpass or Highpass filters, or the strong, sweet Polysix Lowpass. Shape and refine with a full collection of resonant 2-pole and 4-pole Lowpass, Highpass, Bandpass, and Band Reject filters. Or, step outside the box with Korg’s unique Multi Filter, which creates modulatable blends of multiple modes simultaneously.

Ample Samples. 64 Stereo Voices.

Totaling in the gigabytes, the wavestate’s sample library is more than a thousand times larger than that of the original Wavestation. That’s a lot of great-sounding raw material for Wave Sequences. There’s a bank of samples from Plugin Guru, new samples from KORG, and a selection from the Kronos and Krome libraries. Of course, KORG also provides all of the Wavestation’s samples (including all options), plus a huge library of Wavestation Wave Sequences. Naturally, you can also load your own samples using Korg's Sample Builder - the same format as the hardware wavestate and modwave. Play up to 64 stereo voices with pristine clarity, using KORG’s proprietary anti-aliasing sample playback technology.

Multiply by Four.

For even more rich and complex results, layer up to four Programs together in a Performance–each with their own effects and arpeggiator. The Vector Envelope and Joystick mix the individual voices of the four Layers, and can also modulate any other parameters.

Set Lists and Smooth Sound Transitions.

Set Lists offer effortless organization of your wavestate Performances, and deliver instant access at the gig or in rehearsal. Smooth Sound Transitions allow previously-played voices and effects to continue to ring out naturally, even once a new sound has been selected.

Designed by KORG R&D in California.

KORG R&D created the original Wavestation, co-created the OASYS and Kronos, and has developed fundamental technologies behind many other KORG instruments. wavestate native reflects their unique aesthetic, delivering stunning sound and deep flexibility via cutting-edge technologies.

Three of the key sound designers from the original Wavestation, John Bowen, John “Skippy” Lehmkuhl (Plugin Guru), and Peter “Ski” Schwartz, joined Belgian artist Airwave and the renowned KORG voicing team to create the incredible wavestate sound library.

Patch Exchange Between Wavestate and Wavestate Native.

Sounds created with wavestate or wavestate native can be used in common with each other, transcending hardware and software boundaries and allowing the sounds to be enjoyed in a variety of environments.

Sound exchange is done via the wavestate Sound Editor/Librarian. For detailed instructions on how to use the wavestate Sound Editor/Librarian, please refer to the user's manual that comes with the wavestate Sound Editor/Librarian.

Features

• Wave Sequencing 2.0
• Extensive modulation
• Gigabytes of samples
• Modeled filters, including MS-20 and Polysix
• 64 stereo voices
• 4 Layers with Vector control
• 14 simultaneous effects
• Set Lists and Smooth Sound Transitions
• Randomization
• Designed by Korg R&D in California
• Patch exchange between wavestate and wavestate native

System Requirements

Mac

• Mac OS X 10.14 Mojave or higher (latest update)
• Intel Core i5 or better (Core i7 or better recommended) (Apple Silicon Native supported)
• 8 GB RAM (16 GB or more recommended)
• 8 GB free disk space (SSD recommended)
• AU, VST, VST3, AAX (Supported 64bit plug-ins only)
• An internet connection is required

PC

• Windows 10 64bit or higher (latest update)
• Intel Core i5 or better (Core i7 or better recommended)
• 8 GB RAM (16 GB or more recommended)
• 8 GB free disk space (SSD recommended)
• VST, VST3, AAX (Supported 64bit plug-ins only)
• An internet connection is required