Korg Wavedrum Product information sheet
Korg’s Wavedrum Dynamic Percussion Synthesizer has returned! With a combination of powerful
synthesis and deep expressiveness, the Wavedrum is an instrument that can open new doors for your
playing. Here’s how to get started!
Connect and power up
• MounttheWavedrumsecurelytoanystandardsnaredrumstand,orsetonanylevelsurface.
• MakesurethePOWERbuttonisturnedoff,andconnecttheincludedpowersupply.
• Connect¼”cable(s)totheWavedrum’soutputs,orconnectheadphonestotheheadphonejack.
• PressthePOWERbutton,andtheWavedrumwillloadthesoundsselectedforLiveMode.
• Hitit!!
Adjusting the Wavedrum
YourWavedrumhasareplaceable10-inchdrumhead,whosetightnesswillaffectitsresponse,justlikeanacousticdrum.
Here’s how to set up the Wavedrum for the best playing experience:
Usingtheincludeddrumkey(oranyotherstandarddrumkey),adjustthe5pointsontherimtotighten/loosenthe
headtoyourliking.
• Ifreplacingthehead,becarefulwhileseparatingthetopandbottomsectionsoftheWavedrum,whichare
connected and cannot be completely separated.
• Forstability,andtoextendthelifeofyourdrumhead,followastar-shapedadjustmentpattern,ratherthanjust
movingclockwisefrompointtopoint.
• Testthehead(includingthecenterpressuresensor)withvarioussoundstoensureoptimalplayability.
• Iftheheadpressureneedsadjustment,turnthecenterscrewonthebottomoftheWavedrum,and/orcalibrate
theheadandpressuresensorsasdescribedintheOwner’sManual.
• Don’tstoreanythingheavyontopoftheWavedrum,orletitrestupside-downforlongperiodsoftime.Thiscan
affect the Wavedrum’s playability.
• RememberthatWavedrumusesinternaltransducers,whichcanbesensitiveenoughtocausefeedbackwhen
placednearloudmonitorsorPAspeakers.
Note:Formoreinformationonreplacingandadjustingthedrumhead,pleaseseetheWavedrumOwner’sManual.
Use Live Mode to explore sounds
WhenyouturntheWavedrumon,itwillenterLiveModeandloadtwelvesoundsatonce,toallowinstantswitching
between those sounds, without having to search for them or wait for the DSP algorithms to load. Here’s how to get around
inLiveMode.
• PresstheBANK/MODEbuttontoswitchbetweenthethreebanks,A,B,andC.
• Usethe1,2,3,and4buttonstoselectdifferentsoundswithineachbank.
• Atanytime,youcanturntheVALUEknobtoselectanewsound.
Let’sexplorethetwelvesoundsthatarepresetinLiveMode!Foreachofthesesounds,makesureyoutryEVERYTHING…
Useyourhands,usesticks,mallets,brushes,orwhateverotherplayingtoolsyouwant.Thetexturedridgesalongtherim
aretheretobeplayedaswell…There’saworldofpossibilitiesineachsound.
Live
Preset
Program
Number
Program
Name
Description
A-1 98 TheForestDrum Trydifferentvelocitiesfordifferentsounds,onboththeheadandtherim.
A-2 61 D&BSynth
Theheadhasbothkickandsnaresounds,dependingonhowhardyoustrikeit.The
rim has velocity-sensitive synth sounds, and putting pressure on the head adds a
sweeping steam sound!
A-3 15 Djembe When played with hands, this algorithm reacts to pressure, mutes, slaps, and other
nuancesofarealdjembe.
A-4 49 Steel Drum Usedifferentvelocitiestochoosenotes(F,A,Bat,C,andhighF).
B-1 35 TablaDrone
Asyouplay(useyourhandshere),trypressureinthemiddleforbayansounds.
Striketherimhardforabell/drone,whichyoucanmodifyusingpressureonthe
head!
B-2 75 Dance Hit Drone Bendthepitchofthedronedownusingheadpressure,andaddsynthchords
using the rim.
B-3 00 Snare 1 Sure,itsoundsamazingwhenplayedsticks,reactingjustlikeanaturalsnare…but
try it with brushes.
B-4 50 BrokenKalimba Striketheheadwithdifferentvelocities,thenhittherimtondthatbrokentine!
C-1 59 Snare/Kick2 Strikedeadcenterforakickdrum,andmoveoutwardsforsnares.Pressureonthe
head will dramatically alter the snare sound.
C-2 67 KenyaStreetRap Presstheheaddownforsomeambient,rhythmictextures.TryaddingaLoop
pattern to this!
C-3 19 Conga Mutes,slaps,pitchmodulationviaheadpressure,it’sallthere…andsomuch
easier to carry around.
C-4 82 DDLMysticJam Drum along with a heavy delay, with swirling chimes adding an ethereal touch.
Whileyou’reinLivemode,youcanalwaysturntheVALUEdialtoselectspecicsoundsfromthe100preset/100user
locations.Theadvantagesofstoringthesounds,however,arethatyoucangettothemquicklyandpredictably,and
withoutanyloadingtime.Here’showtostoreyourownsoundsinLivemode:
• GototheLivemodelocationwhereyouwanttosave(e.g.A-1,C-2,etc.)
• TurntheVALUEdialtoselectthesoundyouwanttosave.
• PresstheWRITEbuttontwice.
Jam Along
Your Wavedrum comes with 100 rhythm loops for instant accompaniment, covering a wide variety of styles.
• HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressbutton4toenterGlobalmode.
• Pressbutton3,thenusetheVALUEknobtoselectaloop,from0to100.
• Pressbutton4tostartandstoptheselectedloop.
TheWavedrumalsohasanAUXINconnection,whichallowsyoutoconnectanymusicplayer,oranyotherline-level
audiosource(suchasanotherWavedrum).Youcanadjustandsavetheinputlevel.
• HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressbutton4toenterGlobalmode.
• PresstheBANK/MODEbuttonseveraltimesuntilthedisplayreads“Com”(Commonsettings).
• Pressbutton2.Thedisplaywillbrieyshow“A.In”(AUXIN),andthentheinputlevel.
• TurntheVALUEknobtoadjusttheWavedrum’smixlevel.
Note:PresstheWRITEbuttontwicetosavetheGlobalsettings.
Editing Sounds
YoucanmodifytheWavedrum’ssoundinverysophisticatedways.Thesimplecontrolsallowyoutoexplore,sculpt,and
experiment with every aspect of the Wavedrum’s synthesis engine.
There are two main editing areas, EDIT 1 and EDIT 2. Let’s explore EDIT 1 first.
• HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressbutton2.Thedisplaywillshow“Ed1”forasecond,before
showing“tun.”
• Now,buttons1-4willallowyoutosetwhichpartoftheprogramyouwanttotune.Followthistableforthe
functionsyouneed:
Pressthisbutton: Displayreads: Thismeans:
1 hd.A TunethealgorithmontheWavedrum’shead.
2hd.P TunethePCMsampleontheWavedrum’shead.
3rm.A TunethealgorithmontheWavedrum’srim.
4m.P TunethePCMsampleontheWavedrum’srim.
• Onceyou’veselectedwhichpartoftheWavedrum’ssoundyouwanttotune,justturntheVALUEdial
tomakethechange.
Now that we know how to tune the Wavedrum, let’s try some other editing parameters.
PresstheBANK/MODEbuttonafewmoretimes,andyou’llcyclethroughallthesepages:
• dcy: Decay
• LEV:Level
• Pan:Left/rightpanning
• ALG:selectoneofthe32availablesynthesisalgorithms
• V.Cr:VelocityCurve-iftheprogramusesPCMsamples,youcanselectfrom9differentvelocitycurves.
• P.Cr:PressureCurve-AdjusthowtheWavedrumreactstopressure.
• P.Tn:PressureTune-IftheprogramusesPCMsamples,youcanadjusthowpressureaffectsthetuningofthe
samples,12semitonesineitherdirection.
• P.dc: Pressure Decay- Affects how long head pressure will affect the sound.
Foreachoftheaboveeditingparameters,justpressoneofthe1-4buttonstoselectwhichpartoftheWavedrumyouwant
tomodify,andthenusetheVALUEknobtoadjust.TherearealsotwomoreoptionsthataffectallpartsoftheWavedrum’s
soundatonce:
• rEb:Reverb-The1-4buttonswillallowyoutorespectivelyeditthereverbtype,balance,depth,
andhigh-frequencydamping.
• dLY:Delay-The1-4buttonsgiveyoucontroloverdelaytime,balance,feedback,andhigh-frequencydamping.
Onceyou’recomfortableediting,you’llndatreasuretroveofotherparametersinEDIT2!
HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressthe3button.Thedisplaywillshow“Ed2”forasecond,
andthenshow“tYP.”
AsyoupresstheBANK/MODEbuttonafewmoretimes,you’llcyclethroughthesepages:
• Eq-PreEQ.Thisletsyouspecifywhetheryou’reusinghandsorstickstoplaytheheadortherim,withve
different combinations.
• H.14-Editparameters1-4oftheheadalgorithm.
• H.58-Editparameters5-8oftheheadalgorithm.
• R.14-Editparameters1-4oftherimalgorithm.
• R.58-Editparameters5-8oftherimalgorithm.
Note:Allofthesealgorithmparameterswillchangedependingonwhichofthe32algorithm(s)youselectedinEDIT1.
PleaseseetheOwner’sManualfordetails.
Save your creation
Onceyou’vecustomizedaprogram,you’llwanttosaveit!Here’show:
• WhileineitherEDIT1orEDIT2mode,presstheWRITEbutton.
• TurntheVALUEknobtoselectaprogramnumber(youcan’tsavethepresetlocations,P00-P99)
• PresstheWRITEbuttonagain.
Theprogramwillbesaved,andyou’llbereturnedtoLivemode.
Note:TorestoretheWavedrum’sfactoryprograms,holddowntheWRITEbuttonwhileturningtheWavedrumon.The
displaywillblink“Pld.”PressandholdtheWRITEbuttonforonemoresecond,andthefactoryprogramswillberestored.
Whenthedisplayshows“End,”turntheWavedrumoffandthenbackonagain.
Calibrate the Wavedrum
Wavedrumoffersmultiplecalibrationstosuityourplayingrequirements.
HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressbutton4toenterGlobalmode.
PresstheBANK/MODEbuttontocyclethroughthesepages:
• Com-Commonsettings,includingpanning,AUXINmixlevel,andloopplayback.
• H.ca-Headcalibration-
-Button1(Lo)modieslowattenuationthreshold.
-Button2(SEn)modiessensitivity.
• R.ca-Rimcalibration
-Button1(Lo)modieslowattenuationthreshold.
-Button2(SEn)modiessensitivity.
• P.ca-Pressurecalibration
-Button1(VaL)showsthepressurevalue.
-Button2(P.Lo)speciestheminimumdetectedpressure.
-Button3(P.Hi)speciesthemaximumdetectedpressure.
Onceyouselecttheparameteryouwanttochange,
turntheVALUEknobtomodifyit.
Afteryou’renishedmakingchanges,presstheWRITEbutton
tosavetheGlobalsettings.
Formoreinformation,pleasevisithttp://www.korg.com/wavedrum
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