Korg wavestate (2020)

Name: Korg wavestate
Brand: Korg

A digital wave-sequencing synthesizer with 37 full-size synth-action keys and intelligent sound randomization

Overview

The Korg wavestate is a digital wave-sequencing synth released in 2020. KORG R&D in California designed it. It has 37 full-size synth-action keys and 64-voice polyphony in stereo, and it builds on the Wave Sequencing Korg first introduced with the WAVESTATION. It is not a nostalgic reissue. Korg developed it from the ground up for modern musicians. Real-time control comes from a vector joystick, eight programmable mod knobs and a "dice" button that randomizes sounds intelligently. It supports piano and real-world sampled sounds, and all of them are editable. The sample content comes from the WAVESTATION, NAUTILUS, KRONOS and KROME, plus new KORG and Plugin Guru libraries.

Specifications

Number of Keys	37
Key Weight	Synth action
Key Size	Full-size
Touch Sensitive	yes
Aftertouch	no
Number of Voices	64
Polyphony	64 voices (stereo)
Sound Generation	Wave Sequencing 2.0
Piano Sounds	yes
Real World Sounds	yes
Sounds Editable	yes
Accompaniments	no
Recorder/Sequencer	no
Tutorials	no
MIDI	yes
USB	yes
Tablet Connectivity	no
AC Power	yes
Batteries	no
Speakers	no
Audio Out	yes
Audio In	no
Sustain Pedal	yes
Soft Pedal	no
Expression Pedal	no (optional via assignable jack)
RRP	$799.99 USD
4 Layers with Vector control	yes
14 simultaneous effects	yes
Dimensions (w × d × h)	565 × 338 × 92 mm / 22.24" × 13.31" × 3.62"
Weight	2.9 kg / 6.93 lbs
Included items	ac adapter, precautions, quick start guide

Design

The wavestate runs Wave Sequencing 2.0, which splits timing, sample sequence and melody into independent "Lanes." The controls are a vector joystick, pitch bend and modulation wheels, and eight programmable mod knobs. Mod processors can quantize, smooth and change the curvature of modulation signals. Each layer has three dedicated effects, and there is a master reverb and parametric EQ for the overall performance. The filters include MS-20 and Polysix emulations and a multi-mode filter for blended, modulatable tones. The front-panel "dice" button randomizes sounds intelligently. The sample library totals in the gigabytes and includes content from the WAVESTATION, NAUTILUS, KRONOS, KROME, Plugin Guru and new KORG samples.

Context

Wave sequencing first appeared in the 1990 WAVESTATION and was developed further in the OASYS and KRONOS. The wavestate, released in 2020, carries it on in a compact, modern format. It is fully compatible with sounds and samples from the wavestate SE and wavestate native software, and updates are ongoing for all versions.