I'd like to ask someone knowledgeable about this:
What is "Waveguide Synthesis"?
I've searched and can't find any information...
(I'm looking to learn about modular synths.)

 

A Basic Introduction to Digital Waveguide Synthesis (for the Technically Inclined) https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/swgt/

Basics of Digital Waveguide Modeling

Digital waveguide synthesis models are computational physical models for certain classes of musical instruments (string, winds, brasses, etc.) which are made up of delay lines, digital filters, and often nonlinear elements.

Digital waveguide models typically share the following characteristics:

• Sampled acoustic traveling waves
• Follow geometry and physical properties of a desired acoustic system
• Efficient for nearly lossless distributed wave media
• (strings, tubes, rods, membranes, plates, vocal tract, )
• Losses and dispersion are consolidated at sparse points along each waveguide

The Digital Waveguide
- A lossless digital waveguide is a bidirectional delay line at some wave impedance $R$.

Physical Outputs
- Traveling waves are efficient for simulation, but they cannot be measured directly in the physical world.
Physical variables (force, pressure, velocity, ...) are obtained by summing traveling-wave components.

 

These two are ideal for learning. I also created sound banks for both! http://ohlenbostelhelge.magix.net/public/misc.htm

KarmaFX - KarmaFX Synth Modular VST3 https://karmafx.net/products

Synth Modular 2 - Award-winning Synthesizer and Effect Unit (Must Try!)

TAL Software - TAL-Mod Synth (Modular) VST3 https://tal-software.com/products/tal-mod

TAL-MOD Review + Tutorial

 

Last edited: Feb 12, 2025

Advanced Programming Techniques for Modular Synthesizers
www.cim.mcgill.ca/~clark/nordmodularbook/nm_book_toc.html

Maybe this is useful for you: Wavetable Synthesis: A Complete Guide +150 Free Wavetables
https://producerhive.com/ask-the-hive/what-are-wavetables/

 

Read all about it from the man who came up with the term, Julius Smith III, at https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/wg.html

Simplest waveguides are tuned very short delay lines acting as resonators, and it has an interesting side effect of causing hair loss and endless frustration. The "easiest" way is to use something like Csound (or even C++ or something like that) to be able to describe the delay lines properly to a sub-sample resolution.

It's not for me, I've always wimped out and used something readymade.

*edit:* If you're on iOS/macOS then Drambo has got built in waveguides, and the modular synth nutters have built in all kinds of shit with it, maybe start from: https://forum.beepstreet.com/discussion/comment/23530

*edit2:* So this got me thinking "I'm sure something usable exists in VCV modular" and sure enough, there's a purpose built delay just for this: https://github.com/philippesalembier/SckitamVCV?tab=readme-ov-file#WDelay and https://library.vcvrack.com/Sckitam/WDelay

 

Last edited: Feb 12, 2025