In Native Instruments’ Absynth, there are a wealth of preset waveforms that include such standards as sine, square and sawtooth. However, one of Absynth’s greatest strengths is its ability to let the user create a brand new waveform and then use that as a sound source, as well as a controller for modulations. To create a new waveform from scratch, you must click on the Waves tab of the Absynth Navigation Bar to take you to the Wave Window. Here you can select one of the graphic tools and draw the waveform using your computer’s mouse. Another source of waveforms is via the Fractalize tool. As well as changing the curve progression (and thus the temporal component) of an oscillator in use as a Waveform, you can also edit the fractal (harmonic) sounds using the tools in the bottom-view Spectrum, where you may draw your own amplitude and phase components of the sound. While this may sound a bit confusing, once you’ve begun using Absynth, these controls quickly become familiar, since the application is based on a number of user friendly windows. When you hear something interesting, simply save and store your own waveforms in your own library.
