Waverley Tables [iPad]

Please note: Waverley Tables has been designed as an AUv3 (Audio Unit v3) instrument and does not run as a standalone app. It needs to be used inside an AUv3 compatible host such as Apple’s GarageBand or AUM shown in the screenshots.

What is Waverley Tables?

Waverley Tables is a sample-based instrument, or “ROMPLER”. It is not a synthesiser that allows you to create your own instruments. Instead, the instruments have already been created. You also have some additional sound-shaping options accessible via 10 parameters.

Where did the sounds come from?

The instruments have been created using my favourite wavetable hardware synthesiser with additional processing using its own effects engine. I designed all the patches from scratch, specifically for Waverley Tables.

Is this the same as MU Waverley in moodunits?

Not exactly. Waverley Tables uses similar sampling technology under the hood but has been developed in response to requests and suggestions from moodunits customers. The main difference is really the instruments themselves. Instruments for moodunits are designed to take up as little space and memory as possible and be relatively light on CPU. Waverley Tables has been developed without these constraints as a top priority. While this means Waverley Tables takes up considerably more storage space, it also means that instruments can be more complex, evolving and also more interesting to play.

A big design goal for Waverley Tables was that the playing experience should “feel” and sound more like real instruments when played with a velocity sensitive keyboard and sustain pedal.

What about Waverley XL?

Waverley XL was sampled from virtual analog hardware, whereas Waverley Tables is from a wavetable synthesiser. So while they might have similar sound design aesthetics they do have different characteristics. Waverley Tables could be considered brighter, bolder and more complex so the two might complement one another in the same project.

Instruments

There are currently 50 different instruments, each with 4 sets of parameter presets giving 200 patches in total. Instruments are categorised as “sustained”, “keyed” or “departures” and this is shown in the central display panel. Sustained instruments will sustain until you release a key, whereas keyed instruments have a natural, more piano-like decay. Departures are no holds barred sound design extravaganzas designed to take you on an atmospheric sonic journey!

There are also a selection of 50 “components” taken from 25 of the main instruments for your own sound design experiments (*)

Parameters

Waverley Tables has ten parameters that can be used for additional sound-shaping. The AMP envelope and FILTER in particular can be used to significantly change the character of an instrument. If you’re familiar with traditional synthesisers, these parameters should be immediately recognisable.

Technical specifications

• 50 individual high quality multi-sampled instruments designed specifically for Waverley Tables
• 50 additional "components" from the main instruments for sound design experiments (*)
• 16 note polyphony
• Note range C0 - C6 (Apple standard C3 = middle C)
• Velocity-sensitive timbre changes with 30dB dynamic range
• Pitch bend range +/- two semitones (a whole note)
• Modulation wheel is mapped to filter cut-off (note this will override filter envelope and vice versa)

(*) Please note to mix and match components, you need to create multiple instances of Waverley Tables in your AU host. This is described in more detail in the user guide accessible from the main Waverley Tables app.