Wavetable synths, there's some real monsters out there. With the inexorable rise of bass music and EDM over the last decade and a half, wavetable synthesis has become the de facto standard method of sound creation for a generation of producers seeking maximum bite, power and sonic movement. This transformation of the music technology landscape has been driven entirely by a handful of boundary-pushing virtual instruments, six of which we’re going to tell you about right here…
Native Instruments Massive X
Released in 2007, Massive still stands as unarguably the most influential soft synth (wavetable or otherwise) of all time, its floor-shaking wubs and sinuous animations being absolutely central to the development of dubstep and contemporary bass music in general. Much to the chagrin and puzzlement of many users, the 2019 sequel, Massive X, took the instrument in a very different direction, with a completely remade architecture that improved on the original in many ways but seemed to strip it back in others, and certain features obviously missing, including visual modulation feedback and any form of manual. Even so, Massive X’s 170+ wavetables (including ’remasters’ of many Massive favourites), superb filters, powerful routing and modulation systems, and stellar onboard effects made it a true sound designer’s synth, capable of more delicacy and nuance than its predecessor. Even though it still doesn’t feel totally ’finished’, a series of updates has addressed many of the main issues, and, of course, the OG Massive hasn’t lost any of its appeal for those who still prefer its edgier charms.
Xfer Records Serum
It may have been Massive that put wavetabling on the 21st century map, but the putative king of that particular hill today is without doubt the ubiquitous Serum. On its launch in 2015, Steve Duda’s all-conquering VSTi elevated expectations of what a wavetable synth could be, featuring a wicked library of wavetables made infinitely adaptable through the brilliant Warp control, more filter types than anyone could need, a bank of supremely flexible envelopes and LFOs, and one of the best effects sections to ever grace a synthesiser. Not only that, but Serum also enables boundless editing of the included wavetables, as well as the ability to create your own from scratch, and import and convert external WAVs. Indeed, the easy expandability of its wavetable library is a major selling point, with plenty of free and commercial add-on packs from a range of soundware developers further boosting the creative potential of this amazing instrument.
Pigments 2
Arturia’s kaleidoscopic super synth centres on two independent sound generation Engines, each one switchable between a three-oscillator Analog setup, a Sampler/Granular oscillator and – the main event – a high-spec Wavetable oscillator. The onboard library amounts to over 100 wavetables, and importing/converting WAVs is a snap; but it’s the immediately accessible FM, PM, Phase Distortion and Wavefolding controls, complete with dedicated modulation oscillator, that really give Pigments its sonic edge. Needless to say, everything else in the synth can be modulated, too, using a wealth of enveloping, oscillating, sequencing and randomising tools, while three FX busses (drawing on 14 modules) bring the polish, and the Arpeggiator/Sequencer provides a performance angle that few wavetable synths can match.
UVI Falcon 2
The wavetable oscillator in UVI’s under-appreciated hybrid synth is a monster, boasting hundreds of wavetables – representing everything from acoustic instruments and analogue waveform variations to fractal conjurations and complex morphing textures – and embellished with FM and (up to eight voices) Unison sections for instant toughening and thickening. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Falcon 2’s wavetable oscillator, though, is that it’s just one component in a sprawling architecture that also incorporates equally comprehensive analogue, FM, additive, sample playback, granular and other oscillator types (of which any number can be layered in a single instance!), alongside a rich array of modulation sources and almost 100 fully realised effects modules. Not only a top-notch wavetabler, then, but in every sense one of the most empowering synths money can buy.
Kilohearts Phase Plant
Another multi-discipline synth, Phase Plant allows the free mixing of an unlimited number of Analog, Noise, Sampler and Wavetable oscillators within a patch, the last accessing a vast library of prefab ’tables that can be used as is or reshaped via the pop-out editor, and added to with your own imported WAVs. What sets this semi-modular offering apart, though, are its excellent modulation scheme, which includes audio-rate Generator output among its source list, and the complete integration of Kilohearts’ Snapins effects system, which makes any owned modules/plugins from the company’s catalogue available in the three-lane effects rack. Easy and fun to program, tonally characterful, and as versatile as they come.
Synapse Audio Dune 3
One of the biggest improvements made to the third version of Synapse’s acclaimed three-oscillator hybrid synth (combining analog, FM, wavetable and noise types) was the very welcome implementation of a wavetable editor, which opened up the comparatively svelte selection of 47 onboard ’tables to manipulation, and supplementation with imported WAVs. Beyond that, while the wavetable oscillator itself is decidedly basic, with only Position and Interpolation controls to wrangle, Dune 3’s voice stacking and unison system is anything but, maxing out at a ridiculous 8320 voices if you push it to its polyphonic limit, but delivering unrivalled fatness at far lower levels than that. Add a pair of phenomenal analogue-modelling filters, three LFOs, four multi-stage envelopes, two arpeggiators and an outstanding effects rack, and you’re looking at – and listening to – an absolute beast of a soft synth.
What’s your favourite wavetable synth? Let us know in the comments.