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Chapter 22 ES2 233
Classic synthesizer literature indicates the use of the sawtooth wave to create a sound
similar to that of a violin. The rich and full sound of the sawtooth wave is the most
popular synthesizer waveform, and serves as a basis for synthetic string and brass
sounds. It is also handy for synthesized bass sounds.
Screenshot of the ES2’s rectangular wave. The 50% rectangular wave contains all odd
harmonics, the amplitudes of which decrease proportionately with their number. The
pulse width can be set to any value and serves as a modulation address.
Classic synthesizer literature likens the rectangular wave to the sound of a clarinet, as
the clarinet doesn’t feature any even harmonics in a certain frequency range either. The
typical hollow sound of the rectangular wave is achieved with its pulse width value set
to 50%. Heavily lowpass-filtered rectangular waves are popular as techno bass sounds.
Changing the pulse width to something around 75% results in quite a nasal sound,
resembling an oboe.
Digiwaves
The ES2, as we’ve mentioned, not only features the most popular synthesizer
waveforms, but also a selection of 100 additional waveforms, called Digiwaves.
Note: You can select the Digiwave by touching its name and moving the mouse
vertically. You can select it numerically when you hold Shift.
The number of the Digiwave is a parameter that can be modulated. By modulating the
OscWave target, you can scroll through the list of Digiwaves. Choose a sufficiently low
modulation intensity and speed to hear the single Digiwaves being crossfaded. The
Digiwaves of the three oscillators can be modulated individually or together. The
modulation targets are discussed in “OscWaves”, on page 255, through to “OscWaveB”,
on page 256.
Given the ability to modulate Digiwaves, the ES2 can produce sounds resembling those
of the famous wavetable synthesizers from PPG and Waldorf (and also the Korg
Wavestation).