Editing Wavetable synthesis (section)

== User wavetables ==

The creation of new wavetables was previously a difficult process unless supported by specialized editing facilities and (near) real-time playback of edited wavetables on the synthesizer.  Such editors often required the use of extra hardware devices like the [[Palm Products GmbH|PPG]] Waveterm or were only present in expensive models like the [[Waldorf Music|Waldorf]] WAVE.  More commonly, pre-computed wavetables could be added via memory cards or sent to the synthesizer via MIDI.  Today, wavetables can be created more easily by software and auditioned directly on a computer.  Since all waveforms used in wavetable synthesis are periodic, the [[time-domain]] and [[frequency-domain]] representation are exact equivalents of each other and both can be used simultaneously to define waveforms and wavetables.

=== Practical use ===

During playback, the sound produced can be harmonically changed by moving to another point in the wavetable, usually under the control of an [[envelope generator]] or [[low frequency oscillator]] but frequently by any number of modulators (matrix modulation). Doing this modifies the harmonic content of the output wave in real time, producing sounds that can imitate acoustic instruments or be totally abstract, which is where this method of sound creation excels. The technique is especially useful for evolving [[synth pad]]s, where the sound changes slowly over time.

It is often necessary to 'audition' each position in a wavetable and to scan through it, forwards and backwards, in order to make good use of it, though selecting random wavetables, start positions, end positions and directions of scan can also produce satisfying musical results.  It is worth noting that most wavetable synthesizers also employ other synthesis methods to further shape the output waveform, such as [[subtractive synthesis]] (filters), [[phase modulation]], [[frequency modulation]] and [[Ring modulation|AM (ring) modulation]].