Retro Synth Table oscillator in MainStage
The synthesizer oscillators are used to generate one or more waveforms. You set the basic tonal color with the chosen waveform or waveforms, adjust the pitch of the basic sound, and set the level relationships between oscillators. The signal of one or both oscillators is then sent to other parts of the synthesizer engine for shaping, processing, or manipulation. See filter controls, amp and effect controls, modulation, and global and controller settings.
Wavetable synthesis is useful for creating evolving textures and more clinical sounds. It is well-suited for pad creation, basses, and sound effects. Despite the clean tone, wavetable synthesis can also sound warm when combined with the right filter type.
Retro Synth also allows you to create your own custom wavetables.
Table oscillator parameters
Shape 1 and Shape 2 knobs: Rotate to choose from 100 waveforms, known as Digiwaves. Digiwaves are very short samples of the attack transients of various sounds and instruments. You can also choose the waves in custom wavetables.
Wavetable pop-up menu: Choose a wavetable, reverse the loaded wavetable, or create, save, and delete custom wavetables. See Use the Retro Synth Wavetable menu in MainStage.
Shape/Formant button: Switch between shape and formant modes.
Shape mode: Choose waveforms from default or custom wavetables with the Shape knobs.
Formant mode: Use the Shape Modulation knob to stretch or compress the formant spectrum—a series of fixed frequency peaks—in the active waveform (chosen with the Shape knobs). This is similar to grain compression in a granular synth.
Shape Modulation knob: In shape mode, choose a modulation source and set the modulation intensity. In formant mode, stretch or compress the formant spectrum of the active wave. The centered (off) position disables all waveform shape modulation with the LFO or filter envelope.
This parameter is also available as the Wave Variation (Formant) real-time modulation target. See Retro Synth global and controller settings.
Vibrato knob: Rotate to set the amount of vibrato (pitch modulation).
Semitones knob: Rotate to set the pitch of oscillator 2—in semitone steps, over a range of ±2 octaves.
Cents knob: Rotate to precisely adjust the frequency of oscillator 2 in cents (1 cent = 1/100 semitone).
Mix slider: Move to crossfade (set the level relationships) between the oscillators (Shape 1 and Shape 2).