VECTOR SYNTHESIS

>Another synthesis type synonymous with Korg’s Wavestation (and Wavestate), although Vector synthesis was first created by Sequential Circuits for the Prophet VS. The concept is fairly simple – four sounds can be assigned to the opposing points of an X/Y axis, and users crossfade between these by selecting any position on the ‘vector plane’ between them. Typically, this is done by using a hardware joystick, but in many cases LFOs or envelopes can also be used. How each of the four sounds themselves is created differs per instrument – the Prophet VS used four wavetable sources, Yamaha’s SY synths offered a choice of sample and FM sounds, while the Wavestation (and Wavestate) allow full wave sequences to be assigned to each point.