GrainWave has an open synthesis architecture, based upon units called operators.  An operator can generate a signal or transform one.  Operators are collected into regions which represent individual instruments.  One or more regions are contained in a patch.  Only one patch at a time is available to be played.  GrainWave may be played by using the mouse, the keyboard, and/or MIDI.

GrainWave was designed to be flexible, with high-quality audio output, while still maintaining real-time performance.  GrainWave 3 has an output latency of 11.6 ms on any Mac running OS 8.1 or higher.  GrainWave can also manipulate an audio stream coming into your computer, with a throughput latency of 23 ms.  GrainWave has sophisticated MIDI timing system to ensure a less than 1 ms. of jitter with incoming MIDI events.

GrainWave is completely backgroundable.  It can run below other applications while continuing to output an uninterrupted stream of sound.  Furthermore, it can accept MIDI information from other, OMS-capable applications running on the same computer.  A sequencer or control application can use GrainWave as a virtual synthesizer without a significant impact on its own performance.  Because of this capability, GrainWave does not have a sophisticated interface to control its playback from the screen.  You can easily design your own interface using Max, HMSL, or a sequencing program.

GrainWave contains a wide variety of operators with which you can create synthesis or processing algorithms.  Each operator completely encapsulates its own output.  Any operator can be used as the input to another operator.

GrainWave uses a graphical design interface.  Each operator is positioned in a region window and connected to other operators.  A network of operators makes up a region, which is similar to an instrument or voice in a hardware synthesizer.

GrainWave makes extensive use of function tables and soundfiles.  A graphical and mathematical editor is provided for use in editing table and soundfiles.
 
 

Differences from GrainWave 2.x

GrainWave 3 has a completely redesigned synthesis engine, which is considerably more flexible than the GW2 engine.  The user interface for patch design has been overhauled.  The engine now allows region design while the patch is playing.  Operators can be linked into feedback paths.
 

Known Bugs

Registration

You can also reach me by email at mikeb@nmol.com. There is a GrainWave email list for discussions between users. To subscribe, send email to listproc@eartha.mills.edu with the following message in the body: