Brimming with innovation and power, the WTWSG 1.0 is an inventive marvel conceptualized and developed by weightausend, promising a dynamic and multilayered exploration into the realm of generative waveshaping. This Max4Live device skillfully uses the blending forces of Jitter and Gen~ to generate waveshaping wavetables that create a continuously evolving terrain of distortion.
The device comes equipped with dual oscillators. The first is vested with the power to generate waveshaping functions from procedural noise and fractal functions. Controls for X-axis and R-seed (Relative seed) further enhance the expansive possibilities provided by this oscillator. The second oscillator tends to your individualistic creative needs – it gives you the opportunity to load your own 4096-sized (or smaller) wavetables, presenting an additional level of customization.
A key feature here is the mix control that governs the two oscillators. Along with phase controls, this allows you to combine and manipulate the oscillators for a richer auditory experience. This is where the heart of WTWSG 1.0 lies, in the meeting of these distinct layers to birth one harmonious sound.
It is the device’s FM-modulating jitter functions that set it apart. Providing two distinct modulation varieties – rhythmic and phase-related – the device exudes a sonic panorama that morphs and evolves in response to rhythm and phase events. This creates an intriguing dance of controlled distortion, enticing electronic musicians to delve into its depths and uncover a multiverse of exceptional soundscapes.
Enhancing the device's appeal are the frequency controls and an elegantly designed, simple low-pass resonant filter. These features allow users to fine-tune distortions and overlay their creations with intricate explorations in harmonic richness. This speaks to the device’s commitment to offer a myriad of avenues for the user to play around with and discover their unique sound.
A folder of standout distortion functions provides an exceptional starting point for shaping and manipulating sounds. Users can quickly understand the potential of this device and experiment with creative changes informed by these initial offerings. The immense possibilities offered by these presets could provide the breakthrough you’ve been in search for, or even an unexpected detour that could lead you to uncharted sonic territories.
The WTWSG 1.0 is validated for its use in Live 10.1.18 and Max 8.1.5, ensuring compatibility and seamless integration within your setup. Keeping in sync with its commitment to accessibility, the device is available as a free download at maxforlive website.
The WTWSG 1.0 is a brilliant embodiment of controlled sonic chaos, and an essential tool for every electronic musician aiming to push boundaries in their sound design process. Its intuitive, empowering technology and ostensibly boundless potential invite you to dance freely with distortion and discover new spaces of creativity. Begin your journey into this harmony of rhythmic complexity and harmonic richness, and let the WTWSG 1.0 wield its magic today.
Example Usage
Imagine you want to infuse a simple drum loop in your Ableton Live session with a dynamic and edgy character. Let's embark on a journey to explore the WTWSG 1.0 Max4Live device to accomplish this task.
- Start with a basic drum loop. You can use one from Ableton's library or import your own.
- Drag and drop the WTWSG 1.0 onto the track with your drum loop.
- Begin by adjusting the mix control to blend between the two oscillators. Start at 50% to hear both equally.
- Now, experiment with the X-axis control under Oscillator 1 to modulate the procedural noise. Notice how the texture of your drum loop changes.
- Add some variability with the R-seed (Relative seed) control, impacting the noise pattern and introducing subtle or drastic timbral shifts.
- Load your custom 4096-sample-sized wavetable into Oscillator 2 for personal flair, or experiment with the included distortion functions provided by WTWSG 1.0.
- Use the phase controls to fine-tune how the waveshaping affects different parts of your loop.
- Time to play with the FM-modulating jitter functions. Start by tweaking the rhythmic engine to add syncopated distortions to your drum loop.
- Switch to the phase-related jitter function and observe the phase interactions morphing your sound further.
- Finally, if you feel the need to tame high frequencies or add some warmth, engage the lowpass resonant filter and find a sweet spot with the frequency controls.
As your drum loop loops, listen to how WTWSG 1.0 transforms it into a lively, complex, and ever-evolving rhythmic element. Experimentation is key—each small adjustment can lead to new and exciting aural landscapes. Enjoy the ride through this generative waveshaping journey!
Let’s explore the possibilities of the WTWSG 1.0 by weightausend, combining it with Ableton Live’s MIDI capabilities to create an evolving backdrop for an intermediate level techno track. This walkthrough will help you to not only understand how WTWSG can be used for generative waveshaping but also how it interacts with other elements of a mix.
Firstly, let’s start with setting up a simple drum pattern to give us a rhythmic foundation. Create a new MIDI track and input a standard 4/4 kick pattern. Now, let's enrich our drum mix with a layer of percussive elements. As these additional beats lay down the groove, we'll introduce WTWSG to start shaping a haunting, textured bassline.
Drag the WTWSG 1.0 onto a new MIDI track with a basic analog saw wave bass patch from Ableton's Operator synth. Begin by dialing in some procedural noise using the oscillator specific to generative waveshaping functions. Adjust the X-axis to modulate the tone width and the R-seed for slight variations on every bar.
Next, on the second oscillator, load one of the provided custom wavetables or your own 4096-sample-sized wavetable to bring in a contrasting texture. Blending this with the procedural noise using the mix control can introduce complex harmonic content.
Now let's dive into the FM-modulating jitter engines. These will be the heart of our generative chaos. Automate the frequency modulation in the rhythmic jitter engine to correspond with our drum pattern. Time the peaks of this modulation with your kick drum for a pulsating distortion effect that breathes with the beat.
Further, by tweaking the phase-related jitter, we can create a sense of movement within the sound that isn’t tied to the tempo, giving our bassline an evolving, organic quality. Playing with the phase control of this jitter engine, you can sculpt the onset and offset of distortion, providing a sense of unpredictability within a controlled spectrum.
Link the lowpass filter frequency to an LFO and set it to a slow rate to give your evolving waveshaped bass a sweeping motion throughout the track. Ensure the resonance is kept in check to avoid overpowering the mix but set just high enough to accentuate the sweeping effect.
Remember, always keep your ears on the mix and utilize WTWSG’s capabilities to serve the track. Since WTWSG can produce dramatic results, it's essential to automate its parameters subtly to fit with the other track elements.
Lastly, capture a few bars of this generative waveshaping in action and resample. You can chop these capture moments and sprinkle them throughout the arrangement for added texture and sonic interest.
By now, you should have a pulsating, dynamic bassline that captures the essence of WTWSG 1.0 while showcasing how Max4Live devices can transform the routine into the extraordinary within Ableton Live. As always in electronic music, experimentation is key, so tweak, listen, and let WTWSG's controlled chaos breathe life into your music.
Further Thoughts
Imagine you're constructing an ambient techno track, emphasizing texture and evolving soundscapes. You aim to take the listener on a journey through a dense sonic forest where the trees are made of twisting frequencies shaped by WTWSG 1.0's powerful waveshaping capabilities.
Start by creating a simple melodic pad sound in Ableton Live using your favorite soft synth. Once you have a pleasant, long-sustaining note or chord progression, insert WTWSG 1.0 onto the track.
Begin by dialing in the procedural noise oscillator, slowly bringing it into the mix. Listen as the sound's harmonic content begins to morph in real-time, introducing a gentle grit into your once-pristine pad. Adjust the X-axis and R-seed controls to navigate through an unpredictable terrain of timbral variations, creating unpredictability in your sound without losing its fundamental character.
Next, incorporate a custom wavetable you've prepared beforehand – perhaps the recording of a bowed cymbal or a field recording processed through granular synthesis, cropped to the 4096-sample size. Load it into the designated oscillator within WTWSG 1.0 and blend it with the procedural noise to expand the harmonic complexity further. The mix control becomes a playground for balancing chaos and order, as the juxtaposition of organic and synthetic elements breathes life into your track.
Now it's time to infuse rhythm into the waveshaping. Utilize the rhythmic jitter engine to modulate the frequency of your wave shape, syncing it to the tempo of your project. As the waveshaping undulates with the beat of your track, every kick drum hit, snare, or hi-hat triggers a new iteration of distortion, forging a compelling interplay between your rhythmic elements and the distortion engine.
Explore the phase-related jitter function to add an extra dimension of movement. By carefully manipulating this parameter, your waveshapes can now evolve not just in time with the rhythm but also in response to the phase of incoming audio signals. This means that your sound will continuously shift in tone and character with each cycle of phase, creating an organic and immersive listening experience.
Finally, harness the simple lowpass resonant filter to tame the high-end frequencies when needed and to bring forth the warmth of the mid-range harmonics. Automate the frequency control to clean up your sound for calm sections or sweep it to build tension, leading your audience through peaks and valleys in your auditory narrative.
Through these techniques, you've transformed your pad into a morphing entity, pulsating with life, and constantly evolving – all thanks to the generative might of WTWSG 1.0. Each listener's experience becomes unique, as no two moments pass with the same sonic signature, offering a true journey through chaos controlled by the hand of the artist.