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Wavetable synthesis: Difference between revisions
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Starting around 1993, with the introduction of Creative Labs' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_Blaster_AWE32 Sound Blaster AWE32] and Gravis' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravis_Ultrasound Ultrasound] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_cards sound cards], the term "wavetable" started to be applied as a marketing term to any sound card that used [[pulse-code modulation|PCM]] samples as the basis of sound creation. However, these sound cards did not employ any form of wavetable synthesis, but rather a [[sampler (musical instrument)|sampler]] and [[subtractive synthesis]] system based on technology from the [[E-mu Emulator]] series of digital sampling keyboards.
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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 satisfyingly musical results. Most wavetable synthesizers also employ other synthesis methods to further shape the output waveform, such as [[
==DIY wavetable synths==
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