Groove Synthesis, a pioneering electronic music instrument startup spearheaded by industry veterans formerly of Sequential and Oberheim, has unveiled an innovative desktop iteration of their acclaimed 3rd Wave wavetable synthesizer. Devoid of a keyboard, this compact version faithfully encompasses all the robust capabilities, connectivity options, and user-friendly attributes of its full-sized counterpart, retaining its hallmark knob-per-function interface for seamless programming and operation.
The 3rd Wave desktop module packs a sonic punch with three oscillators per voice, boasting a combination of analog low-pass filters and a digital state-variable filter, alongside six-stage wave envelopes per oscillator. What truly sets it apart is the groundbreaking Wave Maker™ tool, which streamlines wavetable creation via a one-step proprietary sample-to-wave technology. Each of its oscillators offers the flexibility to generate classic PPG-era wavetables, modern high-resolution counterparts, or analog modeled waveforms.
This synthesizer’s roots may be traced to the classic digital wavetable synthesis of yesteryears, but it firmly catapults this concept into the 21st century. Its rich, warm sound is distinguished by expansive wavetables and analog filters. The inclusion of a Dave Rossum-designed 2140 analog low-pass filter with variable saturation and resonance compensation, in addition to a SEM-style state-variable filter, provides extensive tone-shaping capabilities. Furthermore, these filters can be used in tandem, facilitating the creation of harmonically intricate textures.
With a robust 24-voice architecture, the 3rd Wave can effortlessly handle intricate performances, layering up to four parts or establishing four distinct split zones, each endowed with unique soundscapes and pattern-based sequences. Each part features independent panning, volume, dual effects, and a dedicated stereo output. Additionally, each of the three wavetable oscillators per part boasts its own versatile 6-stage wave envelope, enabling the creation of complex evolving soundscapes.
The synthesizer is further augmented by a suite of sound-shaping tools, including four ADSR envelopes (filter, amp, and two auxiliary) per part, four LFOs per part, and a versatile 28-slot modulation matrix per part.
Anticipated for a November 2023 release, the 3rd Wave Desktop Module will be available at a US MAP price of $3495 USD through Groove Synthesis’s network of domestic and international dealers. This remarkable offering cements Groove Synthesis’s status as a trailblazer in the electronic music instrument landscape, pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration.