What is it?
The Waveboy Transwave Sound Library is a collection of new sounds for the Ensoniq EPS-16 PLUS, TS-10, or ASR-10. The sounds are built from Transwaves. The ability to play Transwaves is a feature unique to Ensoniq instruments. Waveboy has created a collection of Transwaves, and programmed a positively shocking set of sounds. Sounds so new and so responsive that they literally can't be reproduced by any other instrument.
So what is a Transwave again?
While normal samples can only be a "still photo" of a sound, each Transwave is a series of 128 "frames" that go together like a movie, to create motion. That motion is under your control. As you move the wheel, the filter sweeps, as you bang the keys harder, the FM barks, when you change the envelope decay time, the morph happens faster.
And what do they sound like?
The raw material is drawn from different analog and digital synthesis techniques, including:
- Pulse-width modulation (PWM SYNTH)
- Resonant filters (FAT SQR REZ, 303 SAW, CLASSIC PAD, RUDE REZ, SWEEPING SAW...)
- Frequency modulation (FM-XMITTER, BELL BIP FM)
- Hard-sync (XSTINCT)
- Vocal formant extraction (JULIA-VOX)
- Additive synthesis (CYBORG, LIGHTYEARS, HARMONICON, CORONA...)
But remember, these are not just samples. The Transwave gives the player the ability to modulate the filter frequency, the pulse-width, the FM index, and the harmonic content in response to velocity, the wheel, or any modulation source. So these sounds feel alive; they respond to your playing and to parameter tweaks. Essentially, each different Transwave can be a different synthesis technique.
Why don't they click?
Homemade Transwaves sound ratty and buzzy. It turns out that for a Transwave to be clean and have a smooth travel, it has to be processed in a digital phase-o-tronic wave-smashing machine, of which there are very few. Waveboy has one.
Can I use this on my Kurzweil? It loads Ensoniq sounds.
No way.
Is this an effect?
This is Waveboy's first product that is not an effect. These are sounds, and so they can be processed through any effect algorithm, included the Waveboy effects like the Voder. Fully polyphonic.
What's in the box?
The Transwave Sound Library is a five disk set. All the Transwaves are extensively multi-sampled, and the sounds all have patch select programs. All Sounds have effects compatible with both the ASR-10 and EPS 16 PLUS. A demo sequence is included. Also, there is an instruction manual that describes the sounds and shows how to use these Transwaves to program your own sounds.
