Wavestation A/D
Advanced Vector Synthesis / Wave Sequencing synthesizer


The Korg Wavestation A/D was an improved version of the classic Wavestation and Wavestation EX.  It features XLR inputs and it's possible to run external signals through the synth fx engine.

The Wavestation is perfect for sound design: it is capable of producing absolutely gorgeous digital and analog sounds.  Korg's "Advanced Vector Synthesis" is itself an improvement on the classic Sequential Circuits Prophet VS: you assign up to four waveforms and using the joystick it's possible to combine the resulting patches in every way imaginable.

"Wave Sequencing" allows the user to combine up to 256 waveforms, and change the harmonic structure continuously -


Add to this a modulation matrix, LFOs, aftertouch, and high-quality effects - and many more among the numerous features of this machine, and the result is a very expressive, characteristic synthesizer.

The Wavestation is typically used for lush pads and sound fx, but it's really a versatile module - and the SR, the last hardware incarnation of this synth, features a large amount of sound banks that show off this versatility.

Here below are all factory examples from the ROM, RAM1, 2 and 3 of this fantastic synthesizer module.

 

Korg Wavestation Performance audio demos

Stream all demos below

 

RAM1  
Performance name with audio demo My comments
00 Ski Jam Quintessential Wave Sequencing, with a soaring synth lead on the right hand
01 Entropy Beautiful voxy pad, breathy and mysterious.
02 Pinger Classic vector action string pad.
03 Reswacker Nice percussive digital synth
04 LeadRockGuitar '80s heavy metal guitar
05 Softwaves Superb wave sequenced fluffy mallet
06 Cascade Falls Beautiful vectoring, evolving combi
07 Blow The Bottle '80s style comp synth
08 Magic Guitar Delicate steel guitar with background syn vox pad.
09 Will I Dream Gorgeous fx noisepad, dramatic and mysterious.
10 Fire Dance Jumpy wave sequences and plucky synth
11 AnalogLoveThang The ubiquitous Oberheim OB-Xa inspired synth brass from Van Halen' "Jump".
12 Panned Waves Different
13 Super Res Nice Clavinet through envelope filter/ wha-wha.
14 Ballerina Bells Beautiful, hypnotic bell combi - especially with the modulation wheel engaged
15 Soft Analog Classic analog brass, soft.
16 Mod Wheel Air Vaguely Asian
17 Bowed Strings Solid orchestral ensemble strings.
18 Pluckrimba Cute and useful
19 Vector Guitar Nice Stratocaster + vectored string pad
20 Midnight Run Incredible rhythmic pattern and analog synth
21 African Sunset Ok
22 Harmonic Motion Catchy wave sequences and warm, resonant pad
23 Air Chorus&Bell Beautiful bell + vox pad
24 SunGlasses Kid Classic '80s FM split
25 Stabby Horns Nice analog stab brass
26 Soft EP w-Tine Perfect ballad material
27 Artificial Strg Enchanting, delicate analog strings
28 The Pied Piper Happy flutists
29 Vox Concrete Outstanding soft evolving pad
30 Snake Charmer Great Middle-Eastern wave sequence + violin performance
31 Rock Tine Piano Perfect for MOR rock
32 Pressure Glass Nice evolving "gassy" pad
33 Vox Arpeggios Nice programming.
34 Struck Bell Crystal bells.
35 Upright & Oboe Yep
36 Refinery Mallet on metal and synth pad
37 Kick up da Bass Fat synth bass
38 Syn Vox Beautiful hollow pad
39 Kingdom Come Full of motion
40 Cat's Eye Plucky
41 Jazz Mutes Respectable jazzy horns
42 VS Bell Pad Beautiful, classic VS sounds
43 Spectra Full, digital
44 New Sparkle More bells
45 Vektor Organ Awesome Hammond organ with Leslie speaker fast/slow via modulation wheel.
46 Alien Dreams Spectacular science fiction sound effects
47 End Of Voltare Nice, evolving
48 Kilimanjaro Nice
49 DebussyOnWheels Ravishing vector pad - lots of independent sonic entities coming in and out

 

Stream all demos below

RAM2  
Performance name with audio demo My comments
00 Pharoah's Jig Great setup
01 CityOfTomorrow Beautiful vector synthesis patch, the perfect moving pad.
02 Spectrumize Digi
03 Fuzzy Pop Clav '80s style
04 ZZ Lead ZZ Top style overdriven electric guitar
05 Wack Flute Yep
06 Glitter Vox Enchanting soft pad
07 Bee Hive Ok
08 Waves On Wheels Different.
09 21st Century Phenomenal vector pad, ever-evolving
10 SustainPedalJam F U N  :-)
11 Nasty Harmonics More '80s goodness
12 Glider Very, very nice raising synth fx pad
13 Mr.Wave Table Vibrant
14 Alpine Bells Stupendous, hypnotic fluffy syn-bell pad
15 The Big Brass Different brass sounds acting on the joystick.
16 Gentle Winds Ok
17 String&Woodwind Realistic enough.
18 Rain Chiffs Cool.
19 Guitar Rez Nice electric guitar, very '80s sounding.
20 ScrittiFunk Cool!  Perhaps inspired by the band Scritti Politti?
21 SonarBellString Beautiful bell pad
22 NewZealand Vice Cinematic sound
23 Sunday Morning Nice organ + choir
24 Split on Sunset More "Miami Vice" '80s style FM split
25 Brass Orchestra Tuba action
26 Digipno&Breath Classic '80s pop/rock ballad sound
27 LassieComeHome Very nice soft pad
28 MellowSquarePad Nice square waveforms
29 Antarctica Cool evolving sound
30 Echo Hunters Quintessential Korg patch with echoed percussion release
31 Organomics Super cool 1960s lounge organ
32 Trans Atlantic Ok
33 The Wave Guitar Digital guitar sound
34 Bell Tree Spooky bell pad
35 Palo Alto Pad Nice alto saxophone with pad
36 Thick Pick Fat picked bass
37 Skip's BoomBass Funky digisound
38 Folk Guitar Transparent guitar
39 Ivesian Split Fantastic synth + flute split - great for writing soundtrack music
40 Saturn Rings Superb vectoring and fx
41 Rotary Organ Amazing Leslie emulation - speed controllable by mod wheel
43 Pop Box The power of the box
43 Star Bell Sweep Lovely bells on a fire bed
44 Xnaos Split Melancholic split patch - breathy pad and bell synth
45 Rock Steady Superb reggae organ!
46 20Sec. Invasion Awesome sound design - sci fi
47 Chronos Great ambient noise patch
48 Mambo Marimba! Exquisite marimba patch!
49 The Big Pad Contemporary moving pad, warm and interesting

Stream all demos below

 

RAM3  
Performance name with audio demo My comments
00 Grand Piano 16' Well sampled grand piano
01 Cello Ensemble For film
02 Alto Sax Realistic and expressive
03 Acoustic Guitar Warm acoustic
04 Dyno Slap Bass Nice chorused bass
05 Mono Synth Lead Screaming digi lead
06 African Kalimba Excellent version
07 Drum Kit Well produced drum kit - includes percussion and cool vocal noises!
08 Snap Synth F o n k
09 The Wave Police Miami Vice in a box!
10 Piano Layers Ballad material
11 Harp & Strings Pensive and sweet combo
12 CuCu Flute Curious world flute
13 Nylon Guitar Realistic
14 Sweet Fretless Elegant fretless bass
15 Synth Stabs Classic '80s syn-brass
16 Attack Bell Glassy perfection :-)
17 Dream of Java Nice percussion
18 Funkanette Yep
19 A Touch of Rain Quintessential Wavestation feel
20 Grand Piano 8' Optimal for classical
21 Analog Strings Ravishing, melancholic string ensemble - very cinematic
22 Breath Horns Cool!
23 12-StringGuitar ;-)
24 SynthBass Split Typical 1980s analog bass + synth brass split
25 Accordion Realistic!
26 Soft Kalimba Yes
27 Vel.DrumVocoder Excellent vocoded beat
28 Fire & Ice More '80s influence
29 Dr Uber cool beat and slap bass!!!
30 The Piano Pad Other classic mix sound - piano plus pad.
31 Fr.Horn&Strings Excellent, cinematic and realistic mix!
32 Pan Flute Dry version
33 Solo Harp Gorgeous harp
34 Maxi Synth Bass Massive synth bass
35 Wide Open Synth Cutting!
36 Flash Pad Classic '90s synth type
37 Tropical Forest Good recreation of the rain forest
38 Brass Stabs Nice
39 Rain Dance Incredibly good and inspiring patch!!!  Superb loop, pad and soaring synth
40 Bass&PianoSplit Classic split, always useful for gigs and recording
41 Piano&Strings8' Useful combination - every keyboard player knows this
42 OrchestralSplit Delicate, charming classical setup
43 Catalina Island Excellent South-American/Caribbean atmospheres
44 Resonant Waves Digi wave
Audio input patches (I used a Roland V-Synth to provide raw waves fed into the Wavestation A/D) - The signal is first shown unprocessed, then processed throught the Wavestation A/D's inputs.
45 PITCHSHIFT DOWN Funky transposition + efx
46 STACCATO GATE Excellent use of gating, internally using a drum loop's transients to shape the rhythm
47 STEREO VOCODER classic, warm vocoder sound
48 VOCODER&FLANGER crazy vocoder + flanger
49 INPUTS->JOYSTIK High quality effects on the Wavestation A/D

Stream all demos below

 

ROM  
Performance name with audio demo My comments
00 The Wave Song Another great sound
01 Deep Atmosphere Magnificent, stupendous, ever-evolving soundtrack pad
02 Sting Waves Digi voxy
03 Metropolitan Cool synth
04 Mini Lead Classic Korg emulation of a Minimoog lead
05 Tack Horns Funny
06 Guardians Alien watchers
07 DigitalResWave Nice
08 Sandman Inspired by the movie "Logan's Run" perhaps?
09 Time Traveler Perfect for soundtrack work.
10 Song Bells Beautiful and delicate bells
11 Analog Punch Analog brass
12 Cosmic Zone Curiously FM digital
13 Super Clav Wide Clav
14 Toy Box Beautiful carillon
15 Analog Brass Classic '80s syn-brass
16 Modernesque Classical feel
17 Octave Strings Realistic and majestic
18 Glass Tambu Cool children sound
19 Vektar Cyclical
20 Whisper Voices Beautiful hollow voice pad
21 Vulcan Harp Nice effects
22 Quarks Ominous
23 Vocalise Beautiful syn vox patch
24 Gig Split Classic bass + el. piano split
25 Touch Brass Analog '80s
26 Tine Piano Soft and delicate FM piano
27 Warm Strings Warm analog string ensemble
28 Chiffy Kalimba Cool
29 Northern Lights Beautiful evolving synth pad
30 Bottled Air Typical Korg breathy sound
31 Rock Stack Great for '80s pop/rock
32 Excalibur In a forest...
33 Wave Tables Crazy sounds
34 Bells Clean bells
35 Prophet Horn Inspired by one of the Sequential Circuits Prophets perhaps?
36 Mahogany Another good soft pad
37 Round Wound Excellent Jaco Pastorius style fusion bass, clean sound and round-wound strings.
38 Digi Harp Ok
39 Motion Mix Supremely pop sound
40 Stereo Waves Moving
41 Screamer Huge analog mono
42 Paradise Classic Wavestation patch - lots of moving parts
43 Digital Touch Digi lead
44 Voice & Bell Yep
45 Resonant Synth Korg at the max
46 RhythmOfTheWave Classic Korg percussion effect
47 Introspective A mind full of thoughts...
48 Wave Mallet Playful
49 StationPlatform Excellent sci-fi sound

 

Features at a glance
Year of release: 199_
Polyphony: 32
Presets: 3 banks of 50 performances
Rhythms: loops in ROM
Keyboard: n/a
Responds to velocity: yes
Responds to aftertouch: yes
Sound generation method: Advanced Vectory synthesis (AV)
MIDI: in, out, thru
Sound expansion capabilities: PCM and Data cards
Effects: yes
Controls: buttons, joystick
Outputs:  
Display: backlit
Misc:  

 

Korg Wavestation A/D pictures (click on thumbnails to enlarge)

 

Korg Wavestation A/D manual

 

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Korg Wavestation A/D review with audio demo