waldorf microwave controller aka wave 2

[lilakmonoke]

hi all ... im an experimental musician and midibox newbie, so bear with my ramblings ;-)

 

the mighty waldorf wave and its baby brother, the microwave are my favourite wavetable synths. the wave had a huge and very expensive interface while the microwave has basically the same engine but only one big red button.

 

whats special about these synths is that the engine is brilliantly controlled by simple numbers and that it can all be editied in real time via sysex. the wave is around 15tsd $$ at the moment so i always had this dream of turning my microwave into a wave with a no holds barred diy controller. im sure there is lots of interest for this so maybe we can buld more than one and start a team?

 

there are 174 parameters and my idea is to show them ALL in bright LED numbers on the controller. i built a patch editor with the ctrlr.org kit once and understanding the number relationships behind the synth is what its all about. im posting a list of all the parameters below, as you can see they are either 0-127 or -64-+63 or 0-7 so i would use red, green and blue 7digit led displays for the different resolutions. all the editing can be done with encoders and buttons like on the wave.

 

- 174 x 7seg led displays, red, green and blue, 3 digits + 1 digit.

- around 50 encoders (or pots?)

-  around 10 buttons

 

so here are a few questions:

 

- which modules would i need?

- do it all on veroboard?

- obviously i need to find cheap led displays. any ideas? alternatives? big backlit leds?

- ive read though most of the posts, is there a description of a finished controller somewhere?

 

thanks and all the best from berlin!

 

florian

 

detailed description of the wave universe: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan03/articles/microwavetips.asp

 

microwave sweep: http://tindeck.com/listen/grgz

 

 

Edited May 30, 2015 by lilakmonoke

[lilakmonoke]

here is a list of the sysex data in case you want to roll your own ;-)

 

-----------------------------

 

Sys-Ex dumps and requests will always be in the following format:

F0h IDW DEV IDM

data

CHKSUM F7h

where

F0h : Status for System Exclusive
IDW : Waldorf MIDI ID = 3Eh
IDE : Equipment ID = 00h for MicroWave
DEV : Device number, 00h to 7Eh, 7Fh = global
IDM : Message ID
data : whatever data bytes, 00h to 7Fh
CHKSUM : Sum of all data bytes truncated to 7 bits. The addition is done
in 8 bit format, the result is masked to 7 bits (00h to 7Fh).
IMPORTANT: The MIDI status bytes as well as the ID’s are not
used for computing the checksum.
If there are no data bytes in the message (simple
request), the checksum will always be 00h.
F7h : End of System Exclusive transmission

Byte # Value

0 F0h (EXC)
1 IDW
2 IDE
3 DEV
4 IDM

 

----------------------------------------------

Data:

5 00 00 Osc 1 Octave (0=-2, 10h=-1, 20h=0, 30h=+1, 40h=+2)
6 00 01 Osc 1 Semitone (0…120, 1 Semitone equals a valueof 8
7 00 02 Osc 1 Detune (0…127, equals Detune -64…+63 )
8 Osc 1 Bend Range (0…12 Semitones)
9 Osc 1 Pitch Mode (0=normal, 1=fixed)
+ 10 00 05 Osc 1 Modifier 1 Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
+ 11 00 06 Osc 1 Modifier 1 Control (0…23, " " " )
12 00 07 Osc 1 Modifier 1 Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
13 Osc 1 Modifier 2 Source (0…15, see Modifier Table)
14 Osc 1 Modifier 2 Amount (0…127, equals 64…+63)
15 Osc 1 Modifier 2 Quantize (0…7)
16 00 0B Osc 2 Octave
17 00 0C Osc 2 Semitone
18 00 0D Osc 2 Detune
19 Osc 2 Bend Range
20 Osc 2 Pitch Mode
+ 21 01 00 Osc 2 Modifier 1 Source
+ 22 01 01 Osc 2 Modifier 1 Control
23 01 02 Osc 2 Modifier 1 Amount
+ 24 Osc 2 Modifier 2 Source
25 Osc 2 Modifier 2 Amount
26 Osc 2 Modifier 2 Quantize
27 Osc 2 Link Mode (0 = off, 1 = on, ON takes over all Modifier values of OSC 1)
+ 28 01 07 Wave 1 & 2 Wavetable (0…80)
29 01 08 Wave 1 Startwave (0…63)
30 Wave 1 Startsample (0…127, 0 equals free running)
31 01 0A Wave 1 Envelope Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
32 01 0B Wave 1 Envelope Velocity (0…127, equals -64…+63)
33 01 0C Wave 1 Keytrack Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 34 01 0D Wave 1 Modifier 1 Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
+ 35 01 0E Wave 1 Modifier 1 Control (0…23, " " " )
36 01 0F Wave 1 Modifier 1 Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 37 Wave 1 Modifier 2 Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
38 Wave 1 Modifier 2 Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
39 Wave 1 Mode (0=stepped, 1=smooth)
40

unused

41 02 04 Wave 2 Startwave
42 Wave 2 Startsample
43 02 06 Wave 2 Envelope Amount
44 02 07 Wave 2 Envelope Velocity
45 02 08 Wave 2 Keytrack Amount
+ 46 02 09 Wave 2 Modifier 1 Source
+ 47 02 0A Wave 2 Modifier 1 Control
48 02 0B Wave 2 Modifier 1 Amount
+ 49 02 0C Wave 2 Modifier 2 Source
50 Wave 2 Modifier 2 Amount
51 Wave 2 Mode
52 Wave 2 Link Mode (0 = off, 1 = on, ON takes over all
Modifier values of Wave 1)
53 03 00 Wave 1 Volume (0…112, in steps of 16, => 0…7)
54 03 01 Wave 2 Volume (0…112), see above
55 03 02 Noise Volume (0…112), see above
56 03 03 Sound Volume (0…127)
57 03 04 Volume Envelope Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
58 03 05 Volume Envelope Velocity (0…127, equals -64…+63)
59 03 06 Volume Keytrack Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 60 Volume Modifier 1 Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
+ 61 Volume Modifier 1 Control (0…23, " " " )
62 Volume Modifier 1 Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 63 Volume Modifier 2 Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
64 Volume Modifier 2 Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
65 03 0C Filter Cutoff Frequency (0…127)
66 03 0D Filter Resonance (Q) (0…127)
67 03 0E Cutoff Envelope Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
68 03 0F Cutoff Envelope Velocity (0…127, equals -64…+63)
69 04 01 Cutoff Keytrack Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 70 04 02 Cutoff Modifier 1 Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
+ 71 04 03 Cutoff Modifier 1 Control (0…23, " " " )
72 04 04 Cutoff Modifier 1 Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 73 Cutoff Modifier 2 Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
74 Cutoff Modifier 2 Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 75 Reson. Modifier 1 Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
76 Reson. Modifier 1 Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
77 04 08 Vol Envel Attack Time (0…127)
78 04 09 Vol Envel Decay Time (0…127)
79 04 0A Vol Envel Sustain Level (0…127)
80 04 0B Vol Envel Release Time (0…127)
+ 81 Vol Envel Attack Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
82 Vol Envel Attack Modifier Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 83 Vol Envel Decay Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
84 Vol Envel Decay Modifier Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 85 Vol Envel Sustain Modif. Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
86 Vol Envel Sustain Modif. Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 87 Vol Envel Release Modif. Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
88 Vol Envel Release Modif. Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
89

unused

90 Fltr Envel Delay Time (0…127)
91 05 06 Fltr Envel Attack Time (0…127)
92 05 07 Fltr Envel Decay Time (0…127)
93 05 08 Fltr Envel Sustain Level (0…127)
94 05 09 Fltr Envel Release Time (0…127)
+ 95 Fltr Envel Delay Modif. Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
96 Fltr Envel Delay Modif. Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 97 Fltr Envel Attack Modif. Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
98 Fltr Envel Attack Modif. Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 99 Fltr Envel Decay Modif. Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
100 Fltr Envel Decay Modif. Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 101 Fltr Envel Sustain Modif. Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
102 Fltr Envel Sustain Modif. Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 103 Fltr Envel Release Modif. Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
104 Fltr Envel Release Modif. Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
105

unused

106 06 05 Wav Envel Time 1 (0…127)
107 06 06 Wav Envel Level 1 (0…127)
108 06 07 Wav Envel Time 2 (0…127)
109 06 08 Wav Envel Level 2 (0…127)
110 06 09 Wav Envel Time 3 (0…127)
111 06 0A Wav Envel Level 3 (0…127)
112 06 0B Wav Envel Time 4 (0…127)
113 06 0C Wav Envel Level 4 (0…127)
114 06 0D Wav Envel Time 5 (0…127)
115 06 0E Wav Envel Level 5 (0…127)
116 06 0F Wav Envel Time 6 (0…127)
117 07 00 Wav Envel Level 6 (0…127)
118 07 01 Wav Envel Time 7 (0…127)
119 07 02 Wav Envel Level 7 (0…127)
120 07 03 Wav Envel Time 8 (0…127)
121 07 04 Wav Envel Level 8 (0…127)
+ 122 Wav Envel Time Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier table)
123 Wav Envel Time Modifier Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 124 Wav Envel Level Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier Table)
125 Wav Envel Level Modifier Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
126 Wav Envel Key Off Point (0…7)
127 Wav Envel Loop Start Point (0…7)
128 Wav Envel Loop Mode (0 = off, 1 = on)
129 07 0C LFO 1 Rate (0…127)
+ 130 07 0D LFO 1 Shape (0=sin, 1=saw, 2=pulse, 3=random, 4=sample&hold)
131 LFO 1 Symmetry (0…127, equals -64…+63)
132 LFO 1 Humanize (0…4, 0 = off)
+ 133 08 00 LFO 1 Rate Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier table)
134 08 01 LFO 1 Rate Modifier Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 135 LFO 1 Level Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier table)
136 08 03 LFO 1 Sync (0 = off, 1 = on)
137 08 04 LFO 1 Delay (0…127, 0=off, 1=retrigger, 2…127=delay&retrig)
138 LFO 1 Attack (0…127)
139 LFO 1 Decay (0…127, 0=uses Vol Env., 1…126=Decay Time,
127=infinite)
140 08 07 LFO 2 Rate (0…127)
+ 141 08 08 LFO 2 Shape (0=sin, 1=saw, 2=pulse, 3=random, 4=sample&hold)
142 LFO 2 Symmetry (0…127, equals -64…+63)
143 LFO 2 Humanize (0…4, 0=off)
* 144 LFO 2 Phase Shift (0=independent, 1…90 equals 2…180 degree)
145

unused

146 08 0D Panning (0…127, equals L64…M00…R63)
+ 147 08 0E Pan Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier table)
148 08 0F Pan Modifier Amount (0…127, equals -64…+63)
+ 149 09 00 Glide (0…6, 0=off, 1=Glissando, 2=Portamento,
3=MIDI Glissando, 4=MIDI Portamento,
5=Fingered Glissano, 6=F. Portamento)
150 08 01 Glide Rate (0…127)
151 08 02 Glide Mode (0 = equal Time, 1= equal Distance)
152 Tuning Table (0…7, 0=pos, 1=neg, 2=slight detune,
3=honky tonk, 4…7 = User Tables 1…4)
153-168 Sound Name (16 Digits ASCII from 20h to 7fh,
7bit, no terminator)
* 169 Wave 1 Level Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier table)
* 170 Wave 1 Level Modifier Amount (8…120 equals -7…+7)
* 171 Wave 2 Level Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier table)
* 172 Wave 2 Level Modifier Amount (8…120 equals -7…+7)
* 173 Noise Level Modifier Source (0…23, see Modifier table)
* 174 Noise Level Modifier Amount (8…120 equals -7…+7)
175-183

unused

184 Valid Flag (always 55h, otherwise the sound is invalid)
185 CHKSUM over Bytes 5…184
186 F7h (EOX)

Modifier Table: 0= LFO 1
1= LFO 2
2= Vol. Envelope
3= Fltr Envelope
4= Wave Envelope
5= LFO1 Envelope
6= Keytrack
7= Velocity
8= Release Velocity
9= Aftertouch
10= Poly Pressure
11= Pitch Bender
12= Modulation Wheel
13= Sustain Pedal
14= Volume Controller
15= Panning Controller
16= Breath Controller
17= Controller W
18= Controller X
19= Controller Y
20= Controller Z
21= Maximum(fixed)
22= Minimum(fixed)
* 23= MIDI Clock Rate

Edited May 30, 2015 by lilakmonoke