Wavelet Synthesizer 0.7.1 (beta) — no more crackle on chords

Wavelet Synthesizer 0.7.1 (beta) — the official version. It follows V0.7 and fixes the crackle of dense chords. The earlier versions stay available below.

What is new

• Chords of more than three notes no longer crackle. The output limiter worked sample by sample: when the sum of the voices went over its threshold it clipped every period of the wave, which is heard as crackle — above all on sustained, bright sounds (organs, reeds) played with 5 or 6 notes. Now, when more than three voices sound, the voices are scaled down a little (−3 dB for 6 notes), smoothly; a note fading out counts for its level, so a note played over the release of a chord is not lowered.
• Single notes and chords of up to three notes sound exactly as in V0.7, sample for sample, for all 150 presets (the 22 TOP Sounds included). No preset was changed.
• Fixed: B · Music Box could go silent after a fraction of a second: its delay line was read one sample past its end (at 48 kHz). The delay and chorus lines now handle that case.
• Everything else is V0.7: OktoPierre's 22 TOP Sounds, Source Phase last, the roomier panel, tempo sync in the plug-in, the web app's welcome window and demo.

Measured

6-note chord (C2 G2 C3 E3 G3 C4), the limiter's share of the sound: presets above 3 % (audible) 7 → 0, above 1 % 27 → 3, the worst 7.97 % → 1.99 % (B · Church Organ); the TOP Sounds at most 0.43 %.

Downloads

• Windows (VST3 / VST2, 64-bit): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.7.1-win64.zip — replaces V0.3 to V0.7; INSTALL.txt inside.
• macOS (VST3, Apple silicon and Intel, macOS 10.13+): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.7.1-mac.zip — INSTALL-mac.txt inside (the first start needs one Terminal line, as before).

SHA-256 checksums:

• WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.7.1-win64.zip: 3763cef8512292de90d6685f18b80811b70f9a8b50ec03eadf32e612c528e316
• WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.7.1-mac.zip: 8cd03691ded3b59271e576bd913d24509fc25e297944ba074b8ee38166ed2404

Tested

Windows: VST3 host 265/265, VST2 38/0, presets library and panel 65/65, web app 101 + 1 known warning, demo 74/0; the plug-in matches the web engine on every preset and on 6-note chords with their releases (within 3.4e-7). macOS: built and tested on GitHub's Macs (Apple silicon and Intel, 50/50 each). Please report problems in the Issues. The web app online is this version: https://pierrearnaudguyot.github.io/Free-Wavelet-Synthesizer-VST/

Created by Pierre Arnaud GUYOT (OktoPierre). Free software, GPL-3.0-or-later. How to cite: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23431760. Full notes: RELEASE_HISTORY.md.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Jeremi Palmigani (aka Saoul Machine) and Flo (aka Go Tiger) for testing the synth and providing valuable feedback and improvement suggestions.

Thanks to Arnaud Grignard for the technical review of the concept.

Wavelet Synthesizer V0.7 (beta) — OktoPierre's TOP Sounds, roomier panel, new demo

Wavelet Synthesizer beta 0.7 — OktoPierre's TOP Sounds, a roomier panel, a new demo. A pre-release that follows V0.6; the earlier releases are unchanged.

What is new

• TOP Sounds = OktoPierre's 22 favourites, in his order, the best first: Mirror Sub Bass, Noise Wash Pad, Siren Sweep, Theatre Organ, Space Choir, Wavelet Lead, Focus Sweep, Flute Lead, Choir Pad, Wave Brass, Wave Riser, Warm Pad, Wave Attack Lead, Dub Echo Lead, Wave Pulse Lead, Glass Choir, Cello Section, Silk Strings, Spiccato Strings, Shimmering Strings, Wave Robot, Laser Sweep. Source Phase is the last category again. The 150 presets and their sounds are unchanged.
• A roomier panel: SUB OSC's LEVEL, OCT and SHAPE one above the other, so the scope and the scalogram are wider and the scope taller; a taller keyboard and wheels; more room in VOICE; LFO 1, LFO 2 and EFFECTS a little shorter; the credit back to a small, discreet line.
• A new demo (web app): OktoPierre's choice of sounds mixed with his TOP Sounds, and a few plain sentences explaining the idea of the synth during the first presets.
• Your presets file: the lists of an OKTOWAVE presets.txt saved by V0.5 / V0.6 are rebuilt with the new TOP Sounds; your adjusted and deleted presets and your user bank are kept.

Downloads

• Windows (VST3 / VST2, 64-bit): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.7-win64.zip — replaces V0.3 to V0.6; INSTALL.txt inside.
• macOS (VST3, Apple silicon and Intel, macOS 10.13+): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.7-mac.zip — INSTALL-mac.txt inside (the first start needs one Terminal line, as before).

SHA-256 checksums:

• WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.7-win64.zip: f64a90d7c12304edb38e325eac2b480777ec5b94012e610a41576dde253417ea
• WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.7-mac.zip: d402f0c952e6ee05275c1f932b0e7f36476cea14ae71d632e2ab33baa67e4981

Tested

Same 150 presets and sounds as V0.6 (only the lists changed). Windows: VST3 host 265/265, VST2 38/0, presets library and panel 65/65 (with an old presets file whose lists are rebuilt), web app 101 + 1 known warning, demo 174/0 (the 30 presets of the tour and the six welcome sentences); macOS: built and tested on GitHub's Macs (Apple silicon and Intel). Please report problems in the Issues.

Created by Pierre Arnaud GUYOT (OktoPierre). Free software, GPL-3.0-or-later. How to cite: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23431760. Full notes: RELEASE_HISTORY.md.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Jeremi Palmigani (aka Saoul Machine) and Flo (aka Go Tiger) for testing the synth and providing valuable feedback and improvement suggestions.

Thanks to Arnaud Grignard for the technical review of the concept.

Wavelet Synthesizer V0.6 (beta) — clearer panel, tempo sync

Wavelet Synthesizer beta 0.6 — a clearer panel and tempo sync. A pre-release that follows V0.5; the earlier releases are unchanged.

What is new

• A clearer panel (plug-in and web app): SUB OSC at the top beside the wavelet oscillator; LFO 1 and LFO 2 side by side with the same controls; the chorus is now part of EFFECTS, shown in the order of the sound (SATURATION · CHORUS · PING-PONG DELAY · REVERB); VOICE, the PITCH / MOD wheels and the keyboard on the bottom row; "SCALOGRAM" written above the scalogram.
• One MANUAL button: it opens the manual of the engine you are looking at.
• Tempo SYNC (plug-in): SYNC buttons on the delay, LFO 1 and LFO 2 follow your DAW's tempo. TIME and RATE then show note values, as on commercial synths: 1/32 … 1/1 for the delay (now up to 4 s), 4/1 … 1/32 for the LFOs, with T = triplet and D = dotted. Without a tempo from the host: 120 BPM.
• Web app: a welcome window when the page opens — Run the demo, Play the synth (MIDI supported), Download the VST — and a DOWNLOAD VST link in the header.
• Your projects stay as they were: the SYNC buttons are new and off, so every Live Set, preset and presets file sounds as before.

Security review

Before this release a second, independent AI agent reviewed the plug-in (Windows and macOS) and the web page: no intentional malicious code (no network access, no hidden program or file access, nothing obfuscated) and no serious vulnerability. Its minor findings are fixed in this version (Explorer started by its full path, limits on an imported presets file, tempo and sample-rate bounds, checks of the presets kept by the browser).

Downloads

• Windows (VST3 / VST2, 64-bit): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.6-win64.zip — replaces V0.3 / V0.4 / V0.5; INSTALL.txt inside.
• macOS (VST3, Apple silicon and Intel, macOS 10.13+): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.6-mac.zip — INSTALL-mac.txt inside (the first start needs one Terminal line, as before).

SHA-256 checksums:

• WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.6-win64.zip: 056ca9f455444ba4262ac6820094c36a11f1a5c738f9391f454279ebff0fedba
• WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.6-mac.zip: bbe1c19609646f296cd08f5eeefcec182e766e342f75ba350887eedd6254f920

Tested

148 of the 150 presets render sample-identical with V0.5; two differ by less than 4e-9 (−170 dB, inaudible). The plug-in matches the web engine on every preset and on the synced delay and LFOs; the echo times were measured in a DAW-like host at several tempos. Windows: VST3 host 265/265, VST2 38/0, presets library and panel 62/62, import limits 11/11, web app 96 + 1 known warning, demo 73/0; macOS: built and tested on GitHub's Macs (Apple silicon and Intel). Not yet tried by players in every DAW: please report problems in the Issues.

Created by Pierre Arnaud GUYOT (OktoPierre). Free software, GPL-3.0-or-later. How to cite: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23431760. Full notes: RELEASE_HISTORY.md.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Jeremi Palmigani (aka Saoul Machine) and Flo (aka Go Tiger) for testing the synth and providing valuable feedback and improvement suggestions.

Thanks to Arnaud Grignard for the technical review of the concept.

Wavelet Synthesizer V0.5 (beta) — OktoPierre's sort

Wavelet Synthesizer beta 0.5 — OktoPierre's sort. A pre-release from the branch source-phase: it follows V0.4 (Source Phase), and the V0.3 releases are unchanged.

What is new

• 150 presets, sorted by OktoPierre. He went through the 253 presets of V0.4 in the plug-in and kept 150, with six of his adjustments (Focus Sweep, Laser Sweep, Acid Sub, Wave Pulse Lead, Wavelet Lead Shift, Focus Sweep Shift). The 103 others are left out.
• TOP Sounds: his 37 best sounds — his TOP list and the first 15 Source Phase sounds, one in two, the best first. Each category lists its sounds in his order.
• Source Phase is the second section, right after TOP Sounds.
• Move a preset to another category (plug-in): drag it in the preset browser onto a category (onto TOP Sounds it is added there), or right-click it: Move to ▸, Back to its own category, Add to / Remove from TOP Sounds. In the USER BANK tab a sound dragged onto a section moves there. It is kept in OKTOWAVE presets.txt and travels with EXPORT / IMPORT.
• Arrow keys: click in the preset browser, then ↑ ↓ play the sound above / below and ← → show the category above / below (with the browser hidden: previous / next preset). In the web app too.
• Your projects stay as they were: a Live Set keeps its sound; one saved with a preset that is left out shows its name. Your presets file keeps your adjusted and deleted presets and your user bank (the list order of V0.3 / V0.4 files is not read: the lists were rebuilt).

Downloads

• Windows (VST3 / VST2, 64-bit): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.5-win64.zip — replaces V0.3 / V0.4; INSTALL.txt inside.
• macOS (VST3, Apple silicon and Intel, macOS 10.13+): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.5-mac.zip — INSTALL-mac.txt inside (the first start needs one Terminal line, as for V0.3 for Mac).

Tested

Every preset kept unchanged renders sample-identical with V0.4, the six adjusted ones differ only in OktoPierre's values; the plug-in matches the web engine on all 150 presets and 14 phase / LFO 2 variants. Windows: VST3 host 258/258, VST2 38/0, presets library and browser 58/58 (moves, TOP Sounds, arrow keys), web app 67 + 1 known warning, demo 69/0; macOS: built and tested on GitHub's Macs (Apple silicon and Intel). Not yet tried by players in every DAW — the arrow keys also depend on the host letting the plug-in have the keyboard: please report problems in the Issues.

Created by Pierre Arnaud GUYOT (OktoPierre). Free software, GPL-3.0-or-later. How to cite: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23431760. Full notes, with the list of the presets left out: RELEASE_HISTORY.md.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Jeremi Palmigani (aka Saoul Machine) and Flo (aka Go Tiger) for testing the synth and providing valuable feedback and improvement suggestions.

Thanks to Arnaud Grignard for the technical review of the concept.

Wavelet Synthesizer V0.4 (beta) — Source Phase

Wavelet Synthesizer beta 0.4 — Source Phase. A pre-release from the branch source-phase (the V0.3 releases are unchanged).

What is new

• SOURCE PHASE — the new PHASE knob of engine A moves the source wave inside the cycle before the wavelet transform. The discrete wavelet transform is not shift-invariant: the moved wave is built from other atoms, so the scale filter, the sparsity and the position window act on it differently and the timbre changes — strongly with Haar and Daubechies 2/4, weakly with Daubechies 20. A Fourier filter cannot tell two phases of a wave apart; this control is only possible because the instrument filters scales, not frequencies. At 0° (the default) the sound is exactly the one of V0.3.
• LFO 2 can move it — choose PHASE in the LFO 2 TARGET menu: the tables are also built at 11 more phases (30° apart) and each voice crossfades between the two nearest, a scan through the timbres of the cycle.
• 100 new presets in a new last section, Source Phase: 50 phased versions of OktoPierre's 15 favourites and 35 best-voted sounds ("… Shift"), 50 new sounds of every type, two pairs to compare (0° and shifted), and "A · Phase Is The Sound", which is silent at 0° and exists only through its phase. Every phase changes the timbre measurably (6 dB or more on some harmonic, median 23 dB). 253 presets in all; the older ones keep their sound, place and number.

From the testers' reports (updated build, same beta 0.4)

• Fixed: a note that never stopped. A key held while a preset with another VOICES setting (mono ↔ poly) was loaded could keep sounding until the plug-in was removed and reloaded. A note off now always releases its note; mono legato plays as before.
• IMPORT… in the preset browser (in place of FILE): another presets file — an EXPORT copy, a friend's OKTOWAVE presets.txt — replaces your adjusted and deleted presets, list order and user bank, after a question. Your previous file is kept next to it as OKTOWAVE presets (backup <date> <time>).txt. "Show the presets file" (the former FILE) is in the right-click menu of the preset name.
• A wide scroll bar for the long lists of the preset browser: drag it or click it, no mouse wheel needed (trackpad). The web app's list has it too.

Downloads

• Windows (VST3 / VST2, 64-bit): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.4-win64.zip — replaces V0.3; INSTALL.txt inside.
• macOS (VST3, Apple silicon and Intel, macOS 10.13+): WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.4-mac.zip — INSTALL-mac.txt inside (the first start needs one Terminal line, as for V0.3 for Mac).

Tested

All 153 older presets render sample-identical with the V0.3 engine; the plug-in matches the web engine on all 253 presets and 14 phase / LFO 2 variants; Windows: VST3 host 254/254, VST2 38/0, presets library 45/45 (scroll bar and IMPORT included), web app 67 + 1 known warning, demo 69/0; macOS: built and tested on GitHub's Macs (Apple silicon and Intel). Not yet tried by players in every DAW — please report problems in the Issues.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Jeremi Palmigani (aka Saoul Machine) and Flo (aka Go Tiger) for testing the synth and providing valuable feedback and improvement suggestions.

Thanks to Arnaud Grignard for the technical review of the concept.

Created by Pierre Arnaud GUYOT (OktoPierre). Free software, GPL-3.0-or-later. How to cite: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23431760. Full notes: RELEASE_HISTORY.md.

Wavelet Synthesizer V0.3 for Mac (beta)

The first Mac version of Wavelet Synthesizer: the beta 0.3 plug-in as a VST3 for macOS 10.13 or later, one universal plug-in for Apple silicon and Intel Macs.

It is the same instrument as the Windows V0.3 release: same sound, same panel, the 153 presets, the preset browser, SAVE PRESET / DELETE / user bank (all kept in the text file OKTOWAVE presets.txt). It works in Ableton Live, Cubase, Bitwig Studio, Reaper, Studio One… (Logic Pro and GarageBand load only Audio Units, not VST3).

Download

WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.3-mac.zip below. (Windows: see the Wavelet Synthesizer V0.3 (beta) release.)

Install

1. Double-click the zip, then copy WaveletSynthesizer.vst3 into your own plug-in folder ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 (Finder: Go → Go to Folder…, Shift-Cmd-G). The presets file is written next to the plug-in.
2. First start. The plug-in is free and not signed with a paid Apple developer certificate, so macOS blocks it once (it may say that it "cannot be opened" or "is damaged"). In Terminal, paste and press Return:

   xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/WaveletSynthesizer.vst3
   

   (or, after macOS has blocked it: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway).
3. In Ableton Live: Settings → Plug-ins → Use VST3 Plug-in System Folders → Rescan, then Plug-ins → OktoPierre → Wavelet Synthesizer.

On a Mac, Cmd-click (or double-click) resets a knob and Control-click on the preset name opens the preset menu. Everything is in INSTALL-mac.txt inside the zip.

Tested

Built and tested automatically on Apple's Macs (Apple silicon, and Intel through Rosetta): the sound is identical to the web engine for all 153 presets, and a test host plays notes, opens the editor and clicks through it (preset browser, menus, knobs, window sizes), then saves and deletes presets. It has not yet been tried by players in every DAW: please report any problem in the Issues.

Created by Pierre Arnaud GUYOT (OktoPierre). Free software, GPL-3.0-or-later. How to cite: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23431760.

Wavelet Synthesizer V0.3 (beta)

In short

• Presets: 153 factory presets (46 new) — the best sounds of OktoPierre's listening test of 150 new presets (rated 7 to 10 out of 10, with his adjustments), first in each category, the best rated first. TOP Sounds gathers his 15 favourites and the sounds rated 8 to 10.
• Sound engine: WAVELET MORPH (a second wavelet, crossfaded with the first by a knob, the LFO or the envelope) and a second LFO, LFO 2, on any parameter of the scale filter or the position window.
• Plug-in: a preset browser at the right of the panel (sound types, one click loads a sound, can be hidden), SAVE PRESET to adjust (and rename) a factory preset, DELETE to clear out the presets you do not want, ▲ ▼ to reorder the lists, and a user bank — all kept in one readable text file, OKTOWAVE presets.txt, next to the plug-in.
• Web app: the same engine, presets, LFO 2 and morph: https://pierrearnaudguyot.github.io/Free-Wavelet-Synthesizer-VST/

Details

• WAVELET MORPH: WAVELET 2, MORPH and ENV>WAV in the engine A panel, LFO→WAVELET in the LFO section; heard where the wavelet shapes the sound (filter, sparsity, position window, engine B).
• LFO 2: card next to CHORUS — SHAPE, RATE, AMOUNT, and the target menu next to its title (CUTOFF, SLOPE, RESO, KEY TRK, ENV AMT, VEL AMT, POSITION, WIDTH, DEPTH).
• Knobs with few positions (SUB OCT, shapes): a click goes to the next value.
• Preset browser: FACTORY / USER BANK tabs, TOP Sounds and the categories with their counts, ★ favourites and the votes, TO BANK… · RESTORE · DELETE · EXPORT… · FILE; HIDE folds it away (a click on the preset name brings it back, a right-click opens the classic menu).
• The presets file lists every factory preset (adjusted / deleted), the order of every list and the user bank; it is kept when you install a new version (it sits next to the WaveletSynthesizer.vst3 folder, which must allow writing — the VST3 system folder needs administrator rights).
• Compatibility: Live Sets and presets made with beta 0.2 open and sound the same (new parameters appended, off by default).
• The panel's name reads OKTOWAVE · Wavelet Synthesizer.

Install (Windows 64-bit): unzip, close Ableton Live, copy the whole WaveletSynthesizer.vst3 folder into your VST3 folder or your VST2 custom folder (replace an older one), rescan — see INSTALL.txt.

Licence: free software under the GNU GPL v3 or later (GPL-3.0-or-later), Copyright (C) 2026 Pierre Arnaud GUYOT (OktoPierre).
How to cite: Guyot, P. A. (2026). Wavelet Synthesizer [Computer software]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23431760 — Zenodo record.

Full history: RELEASE_HISTORY.md.

Wavelet Synthesizer V0.2 (beta)

Wavelet Synthesizer V0.2 (beta): a free instrument based on a new kind of synthesis, wavelet synthesis (VST3 / VST2 for Windows 64-bit, plus a web app).

What's new

Sound engine

• Mix the two engines: the new A/B MIX knob plays engine A (subtractive), engine B (additive) or both together, so one sound can combine a filtered wave with additive wavelet atoms.
• Triple chorus: a new CHORUS section (amount, rate, depth) gives the wide, lush ensemble sound of 1970s string machines, for pads, strings and organs.
• The A / B tabs now only choose the panel shown. Sounds saved with beta 0.1 play exactly as before.

Presets

• 107 factory presets instead of 32 (75 new), organised by type like a hardware synthesizer: Bass, Lead, Keys, Organ, Pad, Strings, Brass & Wind, Pluck, Bells & Mallets, FX, Drums & Perc.
• OktoPierre's 15 favourite sounds stay at the top of the list.
• New sounds include electric pianos, clavinet, jazz / gospel / church organs, analog pads and string machines, brass, clarinet, harp, koto, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, bells, sound effects and pitched drums. Many use the chorus, the sub oscillator or both engines together (the "AB · …" presets).
• The preset menu is grouped by category (folding groups in the web app, one submenu per category in the plugin).

Demo (web app): starts straight on the music's first fast phrase, opening on the Clarinet, then a new preset about every 4 seconds.

Full details: RELEASE_HISTORY.md.

Download

WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.2-win64.zip (in Assets below) contains the plugin and an INSTALL.txt.

Install in Ableton Live

1. Unzip, then copy the whole WaveletSynthesizer.vst3 folder into your VST3 folder (C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3) or into your VST2 plug-in folder.
2. In Live: Preferences → Plug-ins → switch on Use VST3 Plug-in System Folders (VST3) or Use VST2 Plug-in Custom Folder (VST2) → Rescan.
3. In Live's browser: Plug-ins → OktoPierre → Wavelet Synthesizer, then drag it onto a MIDI track.

Web app

Play it online: https://pierrearnaudguyot.github.io/Free-Wavelet-Synthesizer-VST/ (Chrome or Edge; works with a MIDI keyboard, no DAW needed). Or download Source code (zip), unzip it and open web/index.html.

Created by Pierre Arnaud GUYOT (OktoPierre). Free software under the GNU GPL v3 or later.

Wavelet Synthesizer beta 0.1

Wavelet Synthesizer beta 0.1: a free instrument based on a new kind of synthesis, wavelet synthesis (VST3 / VST2 for Windows 64-bit, plus a web app).

Download

WaveletSynthesizer-beta0.1-win64.zip (in Assets below) contains the plugin and an INSTALL.txt.

Install in Ableton Live

1. Unzip, then copy the whole WaveletSynthesizer.vst3 folder into your VST3 folder (C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3) or into your VST2 plug-in folder.
2. In Live: Preferences → Plug-ins → switch on Use VST3 Plug-in System Folders (VST3) or Use VST2 Plug-in Custom Folder (VST2) → Rescan.
3. In Live's browser: Plug-ins → OktoPierre → Wavelet Synthesizer, then drag it onto a MIDI track.

Web app

Download Source code (zip), unzip it and open web/index.html in Chrome or Edge. Nothing needs to be installed.

Created by Pierre Arnaud GUYOT (OktoPierre). Free software under the GNU GPL v3 or later.