Korg Announces the Wavestate, a Wave-Sequencing Synth Available this Month

More than a quarter-century after Korg discontinued the Wavestation, its 21st century successor debuts.

Korg is proud to announce the next step in digital synthesis with the Wavestate. Featuring a dramatically expanded Wave Sequencing engine, the Wavestate delivers astonishing, ever-changing sounds with extensive hands-on control.

In the early 1990s, Korg’s legendary Wavestation introduced the world to Wave Sequencing, transforming raw samples into patterns and sounds that no one had ever heard before. The accompanying Vector Synthesis also gave musicians a new level of control allowing for four-way crossfading of sounds and parameters.

Far from a nostalgic reissue, the Wavestate is designed from the ground up for a new generation of musicians, producers, and composers; taking cues from sources as diverse as modular synths, groove boxes, and algorithmic composition. Bursting with knobs and controllers, the Wavestate invites users to explore all the basics: filter, envelopes, LFOs, and effects at their fingertips with dedicated front-panel controls. A front-panel button, marked by a “dice” icon, generates new sounds via intelligent randomization.

The Wavestate combines Korg’s proprietary Wavesequencing 2.0, deep modulation capabilities, plenty of polyphony (64 notes), and up to four parts and 14 effects simultaneously—the most in this category. The compact form-factor, with 37 full-size keys transports easily and fits neatly into any stage, studio, or desktop setup. Six GB of PCM delivers over 700 sounds and 240 performances. It also delivers 1,000 Wavesequences to explore and storage for over 10,000 performances.

To help users get the most out of the Wavestate, eight hardware Mod Knobs provide musicians with instant access to the most effective sound parameters for any sound or performance, inviting customization and exploration of the sonic possibilities.

“Wavestate’s capabilities and resulting sounds are nothing short of jaw-dropping,” says James Sajeva, Director of Music Technology for Korg. “Its depth is truly unmatched, yet it’s designed to be incredibly hands-on and instantaneous, allowing everyone to explore its abilities.”

The Wavestate was designed by Korg’s R&D department in San Diego, California, the same team that created the original Wavestation, co-created the OASYS and Kronos, and has developed fundamental technologies behind many other Korg instruments. The Wavestate reflects their unique aesthetic, delivering stunning sound and deep flexibility via cutting-edge technologies.