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
 • MounttheWavedrumsecurelytoanystandardsnaredrumstand,orsetonanylevelsurface.
 • MakesurethePOWERbuttonisturnedoff,andconnecttheincludedpowersupply.
 • Connect¼”cable(s)totheWavedrum’soutputs,orconnectheadphonestotheheadphonejack.
 • PressthePOWERbutton,andtheWavedrumwillloadthesoundsselectedforLiveMode.
 • Hitit!!
Adjusting the Wavedrum
YourWavedrumhasareplaceable10-inchdrumhead,whosetightnesswillaffectitsresponse,justlikeanacousticdrum.
Here’s how to set up the Wavedrum for the best playing experience:
Usingtheincludeddrumkey(oranyotherstandarddrumkey),adjustthe5pointsontherimtotighten/loosenthe 
headtoyourliking.
 • Ifreplacingthehead,becarefulwhileseparatingthetopandbottomsectionsoftheWavedrum,whichare
connected and cannot be completely separated.
 • Forstability,andtoextendthelifeofyourdrumhead,followastar-shapedadjustmentpattern,ratherthanjust
  movingclockwisefrompointtopoint.
 • Testthehead(includingthecenterpressuresensor)withvarioussoundstoensureoptimalplayability.
 • Iftheheadpressureneedsadjustment,turnthecenterscrewonthebottomoftheWavedrum,and/orcalibrate
  theheadandpressuresensorsasdescribedintheOwner’sManual.

 • Don’tstoreanythingheavyontopoftheWavedrum,orletitrestupside-downforlongperiodsoftime.Thiscan 
affect the Wavedrum’s playability.
 • RememberthatWavedrumusesinternaltransducers,whichcanbesensitiveenoughtocausefeedbackwhen 
  placednearloudmonitorsorPAspeakers.
Note:Formoreinformationonreplacingandadjustingthedrumhead,pleaseseetheWavedrumOwner’sManual.
Use Live Mode to explore sounds
WhenyouturntheWavedrumon,itwillenterLiveModeandloadtwelvesoundsatonce,toallowinstantswitching
between those sounds, without having to search for them or wait for the DSP algorithms to load. Here’s how to get around
inLiveMode.
 • PresstheBANK/MODEbuttontoswitchbetweenthethreebanks,A,B,andC.
 • Usethe1,2,3,and4buttonstoselectdifferentsoundswithineachbank.
 • Atanytime,youcanturntheVALUEknobtoselectanewsound.
Let’sexplorethetwelvesoundsthatarepresetinLiveMode!Foreachofthesesounds,makesureyoutryEVERYTHING…
Useyourhands,usesticks,mallets,brushes,orwhateverotherplayingtoolsyouwant.Thetexturedridgesalongtherim
aretheretobeplayedaswell…There’saworldofpossibilitiesineachsound.
Live
Preset
Program
Number
Program
Name
Description
A-1 98 TheForestDrum Trydifferentvelocitiesfordifferentsounds,onboththeheadandtherim.
A-2 61 D&BSynth
Theheadhasbothkickandsnaresounds,dependingonhowhardyoustrikeit.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
nuancesofarealdjembe.
A-4 49 Steel Drum Usedifferentvelocitiestochoosenotes(F,A,Bat,C,andhighF).
B-1 35 TablaDrone
Asyouplay(useyourhandshere),trypressureinthemiddleforbayansounds.
Striketherimhardforabell/drone,whichyoucanmodifyusingpressureonthe
head!
B-2 75 Dance Hit Drone Bendthepitchofthedronedownusingheadpressure,andaddsynthchords
using the rim.
B-3 00 Snare 1 Sure,itsoundsamazingwhenplayedsticks,reactingjustlikeanaturalsnare…but
try it with brushes.
B-4 50 BrokenKalimba Striketheheadwithdifferentvelocities,thenhittherimtondthatbrokentine!
C-1 59 Snare/Kick2 Strikedeadcenterforakickdrum,andmoveoutwardsforsnares.Pressureonthe
head will dramatically alter the snare sound.
C-2 67 KenyaStreetRap Presstheheaddownforsomeambient,rhythmictextures.TryaddingaLoop
pattern to this!
C-3 19 Conga Mutes,slaps,pitchmodulationviaheadpressure,it’sallthere…andsomuch
easier to carry around.
C-4 82 DDLMysticJam Drum along with a heavy delay, with swirling chimes adding an ethereal touch.

Whileyou’reinLivemode,youcanalwaysturntheVALUEdialtoselectspecicsoundsfromthe100preset/100user
locations.Theadvantagesofstoringthesounds,however,arethatyoucangettothemquicklyandpredictably,and
withoutanyloadingtime.Here’showtostoreyourownsoundsinLivemode:
 • GototheLivemodelocationwhereyouwanttosave(e.g.A-1,C-2,etc.)
 • TurntheVALUEdialtoselectthesoundyouwanttosave.
 • PresstheWRITEbuttontwice.
Jam Along
Your Wavedrum comes with 100 rhythm loops for instant accompaniment, covering a wide variety of styles.
 • HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressbutton4toenterGlobalmode.
 • Pressbutton3,thenusetheVALUEknobtoselectaloop,from0to100.
 • Pressbutton4tostartandstoptheselectedloop.
TheWavedrumalsohasanAUXINconnection,whichallowsyoutoconnectanymusicplayer,oranyotherline-level
audiosource(suchasanotherWavedrum).Youcanadjustandsavetheinputlevel.
 • HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressbutton4toenterGlobalmode.
 • PresstheBANK/MODEbuttonseveraltimesuntilthedisplayreads“Com”(Commonsettings).
 • Pressbutton2.Thedisplaywillbrieyshow“A.In”(AUXIN),andthentheinputlevel.
 • TurntheVALUEknobtoadjusttheWavedrum’smixlevel.
Note:PresstheWRITEbuttontwicetosavetheGlobalsettings.
Editing Sounds
YoucanmodifytheWavedrum’ssoundinverysophisticatedways.Thesimplecontrolsallowyoutoexplore,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.
 • HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressbutton2.Thedisplaywillshow“Ed1”forasecond,before
  showing“tun.”
 • Now,buttons1-4willallowyoutosetwhichpartoftheprogramyouwanttotune.Followthistableforthe 
  functionsyouneed:
Pressthisbutton: Displayreads: Thismeans:
1 hd.A TunethealgorithmontheWavedrum’shead.
2hd.P TunethePCMsampleontheWavedrum’shead.
3rm.A TunethealgorithmontheWavedrum’srim.
4m.P TunethePCMsampleontheWavedrum’srim.
 • Onceyou’veselectedwhichpartoftheWavedrum’ssoundyouwanttotune,justturntheVALUEdial
  tomakethechange.

Now that we know how to tune the Wavedrum, let’s try some other editing parameters.
PresstheBANK/MODEbuttonafewmoretimes,andyou’llcyclethroughallthesepages:
 • dcy: Decay
 • LEV:Level
 • Pan:Left/rightpanning
 • ALG:selectoneofthe32availablesynthesisalgorithms
 • V.Cr:VelocityCurve-iftheprogramusesPCMsamples,youcanselectfrom9differentvelocitycurves.
 • P.Cr:PressureCurve-AdjusthowtheWavedrumreactstopressure.
 • P.Tn:PressureTune-IftheprogramusesPCMsamples,youcanadjusthowpressureaffectsthetuningofthe
  samples,12semitonesineitherdirection.
 • P.dc: Pressure Decay- Affects how long head pressure will affect the sound.
Foreachoftheaboveeditingparameters,justpressoneofthe1-4buttonstoselectwhichpartoftheWavedrumyouwant
tomodify,andthenusetheVALUEknobtoadjust.TherearealsotwomoreoptionsthataffectallpartsoftheWavedrum’s
soundatonce:
 • rEb:Reverb-The1-4buttonswillallowyoutorespectivelyeditthereverbtype,balance,depth,
  andhigh-frequencydamping.
 • dLY:Delay-The1-4buttonsgiveyoucontroloverdelaytime,balance,feedback,andhigh-frequencydamping.
Onceyou’recomfortableediting,you’llndatreasuretroveofotherparametersinEDIT2!
 HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressthe3button.Thedisplaywillshow“Ed2”forasecond,
 andthenshow“tYP.”
 AsyoupresstheBANK/MODEbuttonafewmoretimes,you’llcyclethroughthesepages:
 • Eq-PreEQ.Thisletsyouspecifywhetheryou’reusinghandsorstickstoplaytheheadortherim,withve 
different combinations.
 • H.14-Editparameters1-4oftheheadalgorithm.
 • H.58-Editparameters5-8oftheheadalgorithm.
 • R.14-Editparameters1-4oftherimalgorithm.
 • R.58-Editparameters5-8oftherimalgorithm.
Note:Allofthesealgorithmparameterswillchangedependingonwhichofthe32algorithm(s)youselectedinEDIT1.
PleaseseetheOwner’sManualfordetails.

Save your creation
Onceyou’vecustomizedaprogram,you’llwanttosaveit!Here’show:
 • WhileineitherEDIT1orEDIT2mode,presstheWRITEbutton.
 • TurntheVALUEknobtoselectaprogramnumber(youcan’tsavethepresetlocations,P00-P99)
 • PresstheWRITEbuttonagain.
Theprogramwillbesaved,andyou’llbereturnedtoLivemode.
Note:TorestoretheWavedrum’sfactoryprograms,holddowntheWRITEbuttonwhileturningtheWavedrumon.The
displaywillblink“Pld.”PressandholdtheWRITEbuttonforonemoresecond,andthefactoryprogramswillberestored.
Whenthedisplayshows“End,”turntheWavedrumoffandthenbackonagain.
Calibrate the Wavedrum
Wavedrumoffersmultiplecalibrationstosuityourplayingrequirements.
 HolddowntheBANK/MODEbutton,andpressbutton4toenterGlobalmode.
 PresstheBANK/MODEbuttontocyclethroughthesepages:
 • Com-Commonsettings,includingpanning,AUXINmixlevel,andloopplayback.
 • H.ca-Headcalibration-
   -Button1(Lo)modieslowattenuationthreshold.
   -Button2(SEn)modiessensitivity.
 • R.ca-Rimcalibration
   -Button1(Lo)modieslowattenuationthreshold.
   -Button2(SEn)modiessensitivity.
 • P.ca-Pressurecalibration
   -Button1(VaL)showsthepressurevalue.
   -Button2(P.Lo)speciestheminimumdetectedpressure.
   -Button3(P.Hi)speciesthemaximumdetectedpressure.
 Onceyouselecttheparameteryouwanttochange,
 turntheVALUEknobtomodifyit.
 Afteryou’renishedmakingchanges,presstheWRITEbutton
 tosavetheGlobalsettings.
Formoreinformation,pleasevisithttp://www.korg.com/wavedrum