SocaLabs has released Wavetable, a new free wavetable/virtual analog Synthesizer plugin for macOS, Linux, and Windows.
Wavetable synthesis, is a topic that has been very popular in recent years. Plugin developers have released new synth plugins with this synthesis almost every month. Pigments, Massive X, and Phase Plant, to name a few. The free plugin market wasn’t quiet either.
For example, Vital from developer Matt Tytel shows that you can also publish a wavetable synth plugin at the level of Serum, etc. for free with the help of the community. SocaLabs, a developer of many free chiptune plugins, is now taking a similar step with its new plugin Wavetable.
SocaLabs Wavetable
The developer forgoes a crazy, flashy name for its new synth plugin. It’s simply called Wavetable, just like the synthesis. It’s 100% free and open-source. The developer has built in an impressive feature set that rivals our favorite commercial synth plugins.
WT’s core consists of two wavetable oscillators, a noise generator, and a sub-oscillator. The oscillators have classic features that we know from many other wavetable synths. Including position, tune, and fine-tuning but also more advanced ones like up to 8x unison, spread, formant, and bend.
For instant fun, it ships with 100 wavetables which are beautifully visualized in each oscillator block. I haven’t found out yet whether you can import custom wavetables. I’ll add it when I know more about it.
From here, the oscillator mix runs into a multimode filter with 12dB or 24dB/oct lowpass, highpass, bandpass, and notch. In the filter, there is also a handy option to switch individual inputs (osc1, osc2, noise, sub) on and off, which allows you to work flexibly.
Then at the end of the signal chain, it hosts a multi-FX processor with five effects, including gate, chorus, distortion, delay, and reverb. Each effect also has a good set of parameters. Just as impressive if not more is the modulation engine.
Wavetable features five ADSR envelopes, two fixed to the filter and amp, and three freely routable. Besides this, you get three multi-wave monophonic LFOs and three polyphonic LFOs with 17 different shapes. Also here you find advanced functions like offset, phase, delay, and more. Plus, it hosts a drawable modulation sequencer (stepper) with up to 32 steps.
A small but fine modulation matrix manages the modulators, and they can be easily mapped using drag-and-drop. SocaLabs ships the plugin with 100 presets.
Here is a the news in video form and with a sound demo.
First Impression
An exciting new free wavetable Synthesizer plugin. The user interface is very clean and well-structured. It’s very classic but also has advanced features that make deeper sound design tasks possible. In terms of depth, it can’t get close to Vital yet, but let’s see how the project develops further in the future.
SocaLabs Wavetable is available now as a free download. It runs as a VST3, AU, and LV plugin on macOS (Intel + native Apple Silicon), Linux, and Windows. The source code is on GitHub.
More information here: SocaLabs
Yes, you can import Serum format wavetables. Just drag & drop the wave file onto the oscillator.
I wish it would have ring modulation and/or filter fm. Otherwise, it’s very cool and surprisingly light-moderate on the cpu.
nice
muy interesante