Wavetable

Ableton’s modern wavetable synthesiser

Wavetable is Ableton’s flagship modern synthesiser, introduced in Live 10. Each of its two main oscillators reads through a wavetable: a series of single-cycle waveforms that you can scan through smoothly. Moving that position over time is what gives Wavetable its constantly shifting, animated character. Each oscillator can be pushed further with FM, pulse width, sync, warp or wavefolding. A sub oscillator adds weight underneath. Two filters can run in series, in parallel or split, with circuit types modelled on classic hardware. Everything connects through a clear modulation matrix: three envelopes and two LFOs, plus MIDI and MPE sources, can be dragged onto almost any parameter. You can also drop in your own audio to create custom wavetables. It’s especially good for evolving pads, modern basses and wide supersaw leads. Wavetable is included in Live Suite and isn’t included in Intro or Standard.

Features

  • Two wavetable oscillators with a large library of wavetables, organised by category

  • Wavetable position that can be modulated to scan smoothly through each table

  • Oscillator effects in three modes: FM, Classic (pulse width and sync) and Modern (warp and fold)

  • Sub oscillator with tone and octave controls

  • Two filters with low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, notch and morph modes, and analogue-modelled circuit types

  • Filter routing in serial, parallel or split configurations

  • Modulation matrix with three envelopes, two LFOs and MIDI sources

  • MPE tab for pressure, slide and per-note pitch bend

  • Six unison modes, including Classic, Shimmer and Position Spread

  • User wavetables created by dropping in your own audio

  • Mono or poly operation with glide

Great for

  • Evolving pads

  • Modern basses

  • Supersaw and detuned leads

  • Moving textures

  • Expressive MPE patches

Related articles

Operator · Analog · Drift · Sampler · Chorus-Ensemble · Echo

Next
Next

Tension