Groove Synthesis3rd Wave Polyphonic Wavetable Keyboard Synthesizer

Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave

3rd Wave from Groove Synthesis delivers a premium wavetable experience in a modern package, with 24 voices of polyphony, versatile 4-part multitimbrality, and onboard custom wavetable creation. Like classic wavetable synthesizers such as the PPG Wave, 3rd Wave is a hybrid design centered around digital oscillators with analog filtering and offers immense flexibility in how your sounds are crafted and controlled.

Across 24 voices, 3rd Wave offers three wavetable oscillators in each, capable of running one of 64 different wavetables or seven modeled analog waveforms. Of the wavetables, 32 are original PPG wavetables, and 16 additional slots are available for custom 8-bit tables. Wavetables themselves contain up to 64 waveforms each, so there's no shortage of sonic possibilities. As for the modeled waveforms, you'll find dependable classics like sine, saw, pulse, and triangle, but also supersaw and white or pink noise. All VCOs are capable of sync relationships and linear FM for more variety.

3rd Wave boasts not one, but two filters for shaping your sounds. First is the 2140-based lowpass filter, an update to the iconic SSM2040 design from Dave Rossum that graced instruments like the Prophet-5. Additionally, a digital, SEM-style state-variable filter rounds out the filtering options with continuously variable responses, morphing from lowpass through notch to highpass, with an optional bandpass mode.

Wavetable synthesizers are known for their generous modulation sources, and 3rd Wave is no exception. Four extended ADSR envelopes are available, with two offering pre-routing to the filters and VCA, but all of them are assignable to a multitude of destinations. Additionally, each oscillator contains its own six-stage wave envelope for scanning and scrubbing through the wavetables. For cyclical shapes, four LFOs offer a variety of waveforms and may be optionally synchronized with clock tempos for musically relevant movements.

3rd Wave's Sequencer is closely tied to its multi-timbrality and modulation capabilities. Across four parts, sequences allow for control of not only note pitches, but the real-time recording of parameter changes as well. Considering that each part also provides its own arpeggiator and modulation matrix, there are so many ways to craft complete compositions on 3rd Wave.

You can easily customize 3rd Wave by making use of its built-in Wavemaker Tool. Simply connect a sound source to the audio input, and 3rd Wave can automatically generate wavetables from the input signal. If you'd rather work with pre-made files, you can work with samples imported over USB or bring in your favorite Serum wavetables. Plus, as of OS 1.8, samples can be captured, imported, and layered with wavetables for hybrid textures combining synthesis with real-world sounds.

Regardless of how you might choose to use it, 3rd Wave is truly a wavetable synthesizer that you can make your own.

3rd Wave Features

• 24-voice, four-part wavetable synthesizer
• 3 digital oscillators per voice
• 64 user wavetable positions
• Includes 32 8-bit waveforms from PPG synths
• 7 modeled analog waveforms: sine, saw, triangle, supersaw, pulse, white noise, pink noise
• Sync and Linear FM per oscillator
• Multi-sampling engine added in OS 1.8
• Sample up to 30 seconds of audio via external inputs, or import via USB
• 6-stage wave envelope per oscillator
• Unison and chord modes
• SSI2140 resonant lowpass filter (24dB/Octave)
• Saturation/drive and optional resonance compensation
• SEM-style state-variable filter
• Morph between lowpass, notch, and highpass
• Optional bandpass mode
• 4 extended ADSR envelopes assignable to many destinations
• 4 LFOs with delay, note reset, and optional sync to BPM
• LFO waveshapes: triangle, sawtooth, reverse sawtooth, square, pulse 1, pulse 2, pulse 3, and random/S&H
• Dual digital effects engine includes delays, reverbs, rotary speaker, chorus, phasers, and more
• Custom onboard wavetable creator samples from audio input
• Import samples through USB
• Serum wavetable compatible
• 4-part sequencer
• 24 sequences available per preset, 32 measures per sequence
• Parameter recording in all sequences
• Arpeggiator per part
• 16 slot mod matrix per part: 27 sources, 114 destinations
• 500 factory programs
• 4 pairs of stereo audio outputs
• MIDI I/O + Thru
• USB MIDI
• Sustain, Volume, and Expression pedal inputs