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Tangible Waves - Wavefolder

Tangible Waves - Wavefolder

A "classic" wavefolder for the AE system

The module is based on a design used also by Ken Stone for his CGS system; the original circuit dates back to a publication from 1973.

Basically, the WAVEFOLDER clips and folds the incoming waveform; usually, waveforms with little overtones (like triangle or sinewaves) are used as input. In general, by the clipping and folding, the signal enriches the input signal with more overtones.

Inputs

  • IN - Audio or CV signal input
  • CV SHP. - Wave folding CV control through the SHAPE CV attenuator
  • CV 2 - Wave folding CV control without attenuation
  • BUS CTRL - MIDI CC20 CV from the MASTER I/O bus
  • BUS GATE - MIDI Gate CV from the MASTER I/O bus

Outputs

  • OUT - Processed input signal

Controls

  • DRIVE - Amplifies the input signal
  • SHAPE CV - Folds the top of the input signal waveform down, if the amplification is strong enough. Folding increases by turning the pot clockwise.
  • SHAPE - Clips the input signal waveform hard from the top all the way down to silence. Clipping effect increases by turning the pot counterclockwise.

Patch Suggestions

By The Tuesday Night Machines:

  • The triangle wave from the AE Modular VCO is a little quiet, so it helps to boost its amplitude with the 2SIGNALAMP module.

  • Create a dull sine wave to process with the WAVEFOLDER: Run a square wave VCO through a low pass filter with a low cutoff frequency. For pitch sequencing, you might want to add a little bit of pitch CV to the filter cutoff control too, not just the VCO. This is often called “keyboard tracking” in non-modular synths’ filter settings, which makes sure that the filter opens up a little on higher notes. Otherwise, a constant cutoff will dull the sound of higher notes more than lower notes.

  • WAVEFOLDER Feedback: Patch the input signal (e.g. a triangle wave) in a mixer and the mixer output into the WAVEFOLDER. Then patch one WAVEFOLDER output back into another mixer input and slowly turn the mix knob up. For voltage control over the feedback, patch the WAVEFOLDER output in a VCA and from there into the mixer. Modulate the VCA with an LFO, Envelope, Sample & Hold or Sequencer then. Feedback can get very crazy quickly, so start with low knob and modulation settings.

  • Since the WAVEFOLDER creates complex (harsh sounding) waveforms, you can send them through a filter to smooth them. As they are different than your standard square or sawtooth waves, they also sound different, and often more interesting, through filters.

  • Try modulating the WAVEFOLDER’s shape with its input signal, i.e. send the triangle or sine wave audio signal in the audio input and also in the SHAPE CV input.

Sound Examples

WAVEFOLDER-focused jam session with patch notes:

 

Jam session in which the main mix is sent through the WAVEFOLDER: