4ms SWN Spherical Wavetable Navigator (26HP)

Full Description

A unique method for deeper sound design

Instead of being presented in a linear fashion the wavetables generated by the SWN are presented as a sphere. This means you can explore up and down and even control how deep within the sphere you are. This represents a new approach to sound design by controlling 25 wavetables across a unique method. With six oscillators each providing a voice, the SWN allows you to create amazing textures, beautiful melodic choruses, and vibrant chords.

Through this new approach to wavetable synthesis, an infinite combination of sound is available for you to navigate. If sound design is an integral part of your compositional workflow then the SWN is a must have.

Total control

Each of the six oscillators has its own 1V/Oct input - this means that it can be controlled independently from the others. This allows you to detune, spread, and add significant variation to your chords and textures. SWN can quantise too - major, minor, chromatic - making sure everything stays musically coherent.

Inspiration whenever you need it

If you've found a wavetable combination that sounds great but doesn't really fit what you're doing at the moment - Don't worry. There are 108 spaces for presets to be saved for use later. This is also extremely handy for performing as you'll always have the means to access the sounds you love for your live sets.

You can import your own spheres from your computer. Using complex audio recordings from live sources or .wav files. Getting new material into your SWN is totally easy through the SphereEdit software - available free from the 4ms website.

Features

• Pitch controls
• All pitch features can be controlled globally or per-channel.
• Octave: shifts pitch of channel(s) up or down by octaves
• Transpose: shifts pitch of channel(s) up or down by semitones
• Fine+Transpose: shifts pitch of channel(s) up or down by micro-tonal amounts
• Scale: selects quantization: major, minor, semitones, or no quantization
• Spread: Creates chords by spreading channel pitches apart
• Fine+Spread: Detunes each channel a different amount for phasing effects
• 1V/oct jacks: pitch control jack for each channel
• Transpose jack: global 1V/oct pitch
• Spread CV jack: global chord selection
• LFO/envelope controls
• All LFO features can be controlled globally or per-channel.
• LFO Output jacks: each channel has a dedicated LFO/envelope output jack
• LFO Speed: Rate/tempo of each LFO. Divides/Multiplies main clock by integer amounts unless Fine button is pressed. In audio range, adjusts by semitones
• LFO Shape: Selects from 25 LFO waveshapes (ramps, saw, sine, complex shapes, etc)
• LFO Gain: Control amplitude of LFO on LFO output jacks. Useful for self-patching LFOs to other SWN jacks
• LFO Phase: Adjusts when each LFO fires relative to the "down-beat". Example: 60 degrees of phase shift per channel creates a 6-step sequence
• LFO Type button: toggles between trigger, gate, and waveshape
• LFO CV jack: adjust LFO Speed
• Ext Clock jack: sync to external equipment
• Amplitude controls
• Sliders: each channel has a dedicated level (volume) slider
• Mute button: each channel has a mute/unmute button
• Key button: in Keyboard or Note mode, mute button will fire the channel's envelope to play a note
• VCA input jacks: switch re-purposes 1V/oct jacks to control level of each channel with CV
• LFO->VCA button: Internally uses each channel's LFO to control its level to create sequences and/or dynamic motion. (global or per-channel)
• Wavetable controls
• All wavetable features can be controlled globally or per-channel.
• Browse: morphs between all waveforms in the Spherical Wavetable (Sphere) by navigating in zigzag (snake) pattern
• Depth: morphs between waveforms in the Sphere by navigating only in the Depth dimension
• Latitude: morphs between waveforms in the Sphere by navigating in the Latitude dimension
• Longitude: morphs between waveforms in the Sphere by navigating in the Longitude dimension
• Sphere: selects a Spherical Wavetable from the 12 factory spheres and up to 108 user-created custom spheres
• Dispersion: Pushes each channel to a different position within the Sphere
• Dispersion Pattern: Selects the pattern that channels are dispersed
• WT Spread: Pushes each channel into a different Sphere
• Presets
• All settings (except level sliders and 1Voct/VCA switch) can be saved for later use.
• Save Preset: Save the state of the SWN so you can come back to it later.
• Load Preset: Select one of 108 user preset slots to load
• Clear Preset: Delete a preset that you previously saved.
• Undo Preset: Undo your last preset action (example: accidentally cleared the wrong preset, or saved over a preset). Can be used to A/B between a preset the current sound.
• Sphere Recording
• Special mode to record your own Spherical Wavetables where some controls have a new purpose. See Cheat Sheet PDF page 3.
• Waveform In jack: input an audio signal here (gain is automatically adjusted, even for line level signals)
• Record: start recording from Waveform In jack (2.5 second buffer)
• Monitor: monitor the audio signal by sending it to the output jacks
• Test-tone: produce a test tone for tuning your audio source (optional)
• Wavefolding FX: wavefolds the waveform(s)
• Bit Decimation FX: adds bit decimation to waveform(s)
• Metalizer FX: adds a metalizer effect to waveform(s)
• Low-pass filter FX: low-pass filters the waveform(s)
• Gain/normalization FX: controls normalization or attenuation of waveform(s)
• Seam smoothing FX: smooths the seam of recorded waveform(s)
• Waveform Shift: scrubs through recorded audio to select which waveforms will be saved into the Sphere
• Waveform Spread: Adjusts the pattern of waveform selection from the recorded audio
• Waveform Stretch: Stretches waveforms, which shifts pitch up and down by octaves
• LFO sync pulses and ramps: when recording, LFO jacks output timed pulses and ramps useful for synchronizing the audio source (example: playing a different sample for each waveform recorded)

Specifications

• 26HP Eurorack format module
• 0.98” (25mm) maximum depth (includes power cable)
• 16-pin Eurorack power header
• Power consumption
• +12V: 185mA with LED PWR jumper set to 12V; 107mA with LED PWR jumper set to 5V
• -12V: -30mA
• +5V: not used with LED PWR jumper set to 12V; 60mA with LED PWR jumper set to 5V
• Audio outputs
• Frequency range: 0Hz (DC) - 22kHz
• Maximum Amplitude: 19Vpp