Description | The PPG Wave Synthesizer, is no doubt considered one of the most respected high-end synthesizers of the 1980s. developed by Wolfgang Palm. Its featured on countless records, and it inspired a whole generation of producers, composers and listeners.
The PPG Wave 2 was the very first digital Wavetable synthesizer with analog filters that allowed completely new worlds of sound and endless sonic possibilities. Shortly afterwards, the successor PPG Wave 2.2 came out and was born to make history. With a gigantic arsenal of waveshapes, it could not only reproduce known analog sounds, but also brilliant choirs, bells and whistles. The digital sounds of wavetables had been unheard until then and offered sensational sonic evolutions by smoothly going through 64 waves back and forth. A characteristic anomaly of the Wave's sound was harsh artifacts and aliasing. At the time of it's release it was considered a caveat by critics of the instrument, however now it is a desired aspect of it.
The combination of digital waveshapes and analog filters of the PPG was responsible for an unparalleled fat and thrust boosting character.
The original PPG featured a unique user-interface, the "Analog Control Panel" offered direct access to many parameters, while digital menus were edited with somewhat cryptic acronyms that you had to look up in the manual in your lap. |
| Brand | PPG |
| Model | Wave 2 |
| Device | Synth |
| Type | Keys |
| Engine Type | Digital |
| Engine | WT |
| Voices (max) | 8 |
| Multitimbral | 1 |
| Oscillators | 1 |
| LFO | 1 Saw Up, Saw Down, Square, Triangle |
| Engine Detailed | 1 WT OSC, 30 Wavetables with 64 waves per table. 8-bit |
| Filter (VCF) | 1 24dB Slope (4-pole), Low Pass (CEM3320) |
| Envelope (VCA) | 2 ADSR, 1 AR |
| Memory | 100 |
| Arpeggiator | Yes |
| Recording | 8 track, 1000 note, 10 sequences. |
| Keys | 61 |
| Key type | Keys |
| Velocity | Y |
| Aftertouch | N |
|
Produced: | 1981 - 1982 |
| Legend: |
Obvious |
Y: Yes, N: No, N/A: Not Applicable |
| VCO |
Voltage Controlled Oscillator |
DCO |
Digital Controlled Oscillator |
| LFO |
Low Frequency Oscillator |
Sub |
Sub Oscillator |
| VCF |
Voltage Controlled Filter |
VCA |
Voltage Controlled Amplifier |
| Velocity |
As with a piano, the harder you hit a key, the louder the sound, unlike most organs which always produce the same loudness no matter how hard you hit a key. |
Aftertouch |
Pressing a key after you activated it. Channel Aftertouch, no matter which key, it will send a Channel message. Poly Aftertouch, sends the pressure per key instead of the whole channel. |
| Values for OSC, LFO, Filter, Envelope are per voice unless stated otherwise. |
