diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index a31e2c4..4ca4331 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: hrep
 Title: Harmony Representations
-Version: 0.11.1
+Version: 0.12.1
 Authors@R: person("Peter", "Harrison", email = "pmc.harrison@gmail.com", role = c("aut", "cre"))
 Description: This package provides utilities for representing and manipulating 
     chord sequences for perceptually informed harmony modelling.
diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index f8861eb..d615c05 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ S3method(represent,default)
 S3method(represent,list)
 S3method(represent,vec)
 S3method(sample_rate,numeric)
+S3method(save_wav,default)
 S3method(save_wav_sox,coded_vec)
 S3method(save_wav_sox,default)
 S3method(save_wav_sox,fr_chord)
@@ -299,9 +300,11 @@ export(pi_chord_type)
 export(pi_to_pc)
 export(pitch)
 export(play_sox)
+export(play_wav)
 export(register_chord_quality)
 export(represent)
 export(sample_rate)
+export(save_wav)
 export(save_wav_sox)
 export(smooth_pc_spectrum)
 export(smooth_pi_spectrum)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index f62ebda..b061d72 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+# hrep 0.12.1
+
+- Exported `play_wav`.
+
+# hrep 0.12.0
+
+- Implemented `save_wav` and `play_wav`, a more streamlined and faster alternative to `save_wav_sox` and `play_wav_sox`.
+
 # hrep 0.11.1
 
 - Improved documentation for sparse_pi_spectrum, sparse_pc_spectrum, and sparse_fr_spectrum.
diff --git a/R/play-sox.R b/R/play-sox.R
index 7b6a956..73d4449 100644
--- a/R/play-sox.R
+++ b/R/play-sox.R
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #'
 #' The sound is synthesised using \code{\link{save_wav_sox}}
 #' and saved to a temporary file, which is then played from the R session.
+#' This method is generally slower than \code{\link{play_wav}}
+#' but it provides more features.
 #'
 #' @note
 #' The command-line sound-processing program sox
@@ -14,6 +16,8 @@
 #' @param x Object to play (see \code{\link{save_wav_sox}} for valid options).
 #' @param ... Further parameters to pass to \code{\link{save_wav_sox}}.
 #'
+#' @seealso \code{\link{play_wav}}
+#'
 #' @export
 play_sox <- function(x, ...) {
   UseMethod("play_sox")
diff --git a/R/save-wav-sox.R b/R/save-wav-sox.R
index 89730cb..662ee31 100644
--- a/R/save-wav-sox.R
+++ b/R/save-wav-sox.R
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 #' Saves object to a wav file using sox
 #' (\url{http://sox.sourceforge.net/}).
 #'
+#' This method is generally slower than \code{\link{save_wav}}
+#' but it provides more features.
+#'
 #' @note
 #' The command-line sound-processing program sox
 #' (\url{http://sox.sourceforge.net/})
@@ -17,6 +20,8 @@
 #'
 #' @param ... Parameters passed to methods.
 #'
+#' @seealso \code{\link{save_wav}}
+#'
 #' @rdname save_wav_sox
 #' @export
 save_wav_sox <- function(x, file, ...) {
diff --git a/R/sparse-fr-spectrum.R b/R/sparse-fr-spectrum.R
index e3ff769..03a49cb 100644
--- a/R/sparse-fr-spectrum.R
+++ b/R/sparse-fr-spectrum.R
@@ -48,8 +48,7 @@ is.sparse_fr_spectrum <- function(x) {
 #' the second element should be labelled "amplitude",
 #' and correspond to a numeric vector of amplitudes.
 #'
-#' @param ... Further arguments passed to \code{\link{expand_harmonics}()},
-#' depending on the method invoked.
+#' @inheritDotParams expand_harmonics
 #'
 #' @return An object of class \code{sparse_fr_spectrum}.
 #'
diff --git a/R/sparse-pc-spectrum.R b/R/sparse-pc-spectrum.R
index 7091210..613926b 100644
--- a/R/sparse-pc-spectrum.R
+++ b/R/sparse-pc-spectrum.R
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ is.sparse_pc_spectrum <- function(x) {
 #'
 #' @param x Input sonority.
 #'
-#' @param ... Further arguments passed to \code{\link{expand_harmonics}()},
-#' depending on the method invoked.
+#' @inheritDotParams expand_harmonics
 #'
 #' @return An object of class \code{sparse_pc_spectrum}.
 #'
diff --git a/R/sparse-pi-spectrum.R b/R/sparse-pi-spectrum.R
index a8ff6d5..8ad5a51 100644
--- a/R/sparse-pi-spectrum.R
+++ b/R/sparse-pi-spectrum.R
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ is.sparse_pi_spectrum <- function(x) {
 #'
 #' @param x Input sonority.
 #'
-#' @param ... Further arguments passed to \code{\link{expand_harmonics}()},
-#' depending on the method invoked.
+#' @inheritDotParams expand_harmonics
 #'
 #' @return An object of class \code{sparse_pi_spectrum}.
 #'
diff --git a/R/wave.R b/R/wave.R
index c593023..4a08539 100644
--- a/R/wave.R
+++ b/R/wave.R
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ print.wave <- function(x, ...) {
 #' The sample rate can be accessed using the \code{\link{sample_rate}} accessor.
 #'
 #' @param x Input object.
-#' @param ... Arguments to be passed to \code{\link{sparse_fr_spectrum}}, as appropriate.
+#'
+#' @inheritDotParams expand_harmonics
 #'
 #' @rdname wave
 #' @export
@@ -43,13 +44,31 @@ wave <- function(x, ...) {
 }
 
 #' @param length_sec (Numeric scalar) Length of the output wave, in seconds.
+#'
 #' @param sample_rate (Integerish scalar) The desired sample rate.
 #'
+#' @param rise_length
+#' (Numeric scalar)
+#' Chord fade-in time (seconds).
+#'
+#' @param fade_length
+#' (Numeric scalar)
+#' Chord fade-out time (seconds).
+#'
 #' @rdname wave
 #' @export
-wave.default <- function(x, length_sec = 1, sample_rate = 44100, ...) {
+wave.default <- function(x,
+                         length_sec = 1,
+                         sample_rate = 44100,
+                         rise_length = 0,
+                         fade_length = 0,
+                         ...) {
   x <- sparse_fr_spectrum(x, ...)
-  wave(x, length_sec = length_sec, sample_rate = sample_rate)
+  wave(x,
+       length_sec = length_sec,
+       rise_length = rise_length,
+       fade_length = fade_length,
+       sample_rate = sample_rate)
 }
 
 #' @export
@@ -57,22 +76,52 @@ wave.wave <- function(x, ...) x
 
 #' @rdname wave
 #' @export
-wave.sparse_fr_spectrum <- function(x, length_sec = 1, sample_rate = 44100, ...) {
+wave.sparse_fr_spectrum <- function(
+  x,
+  length_sec = 1,
+  sample_rate = 44100,
+  rise_length = 0,
+  fade_length = 0,
+  ...
+) {
   checkmate::qtest(length_sec, "N1[0)")
   checkmate::qtest(sample_rate, "X1[1)")
+  stopifnot(rise_length <= length_sec,
+            fade_length <= length_sec)
   frequency <- freq(x)
   amplitude <- amp(x)
   num_samples <- sample_rate * length_sec
   time <- seq(from = 0,
               to = length_sec,
               length.out = num_samples + 1)[- (num_samples + 1)]
-  mapply(
+  wave <- mapply(
     function(frequency, amplitude) {
       amplitude * sin(2 * pi * frequency * time)
     }, frequency, amplitude
   ) %>%
-    rowMeans() %>%
-    .wave(sample_rate)
+    rowSums() %>%
+    .wave(sample_rate) %>%
+    add_fades(rise_length, fade_length, sample_rate, num_samples)
+}
+
+add_fades <- function(wave, rise_length, fade_length, sample_rate, num_samples) {
+  if (rise_length != 0) {
+    rise_n_samples <- round(rise_length * sample_rate)
+    stopifnot(rise_n_samples <= num_samples)
+    if (rise_n_samples > 0) {
+      ind <- 1:rise_n_samples
+      wave[ind] <- wave[ind] * seq(from = 0, to = 1, length.out = rise_n_samples)
+    }
+  }
+  if (fade_length != 0) {
+    fade_n_samples <- round(fade_length * sample_rate)
+    stopifnot(fade_n_samples <= num_samples)
+    if (fade_n_samples > 0) {
+      ind <- seq(to = num_samples, length.out = fade_n_samples)
+      wave[ind] <- wave[ind] * seq(from = 1, to = 0, length.out = fade_n_samples)
+    }
+  }
+  wave
 }
 
 #' @export
@@ -90,3 +139,104 @@ plot.wave <- function(x, ggplot = FALSE, xlab = "Time (seconds)", ylab = "Displa
     plot(time, x, xlab = xlab, ylab = ylab, type = "l", ylim = ylim)
   }
 }
+
+#' Save wav file
+#'
+#' Saves object to a wav file by converting to the \code{\link{wave}} representation
+#' and then writing to a wav file.
+#'
+#' @param x Object to save; currently only individual chords are supported.
+#' Chords are coerced to a \code{\link{wave}} representation.
+#'
+#' @param file (Character scalar) Output file.
+#'
+#' @param amplitude
+#' (Numeric scalar)
+#' The wave is multiplied by this number before exporting.
+#' The resulting wave should fall completely within the range [-1, 1].
+#'
+#' @param bit_depth
+#' (Integer scalar)
+#' The bit depth of the exported audio.
+#'
+#' @param end_pad
+#' (Numeric scalar)
+#' Duration of silence (seconds) appended to the end of the audio file,
+#' used to avoid clicks and other artifacts.
+#'
+#' @inheritParams wave
+#' @inheritDotParams expand_harmonics
+#'
+#' @seealso \code{\link{save_wav_sox}}
+#'
+#' @rdname save_wav
+#' @export
+save_wav <- function(
+  x,
+  file,
+  amplitude = 0.1,
+  bit_depth = 16L,
+  length_sec = 1,
+  fade_length = 0.1,
+  rise_length = 0.1,
+  end_pad = 0.05,
+  ...
+) {
+  UseMethod("save_wav")
+}
+
+#' @export
+save_wav.default <- function(
+  x,
+  file,
+  amplitude = 0.1,
+  bit_depth = 16,
+  length_sec = 1,
+  fade_length = 0.1,
+  rise_length = 0.1,
+  end_pad = 0.05,
+  ...
+) {
+  wave <- wave(
+    x,
+    length_sec = length_sec,
+    fade_length = fade_length,
+    rise_length = rise_length,
+    ...
+  )
+  scale <- 2 ^ (bit_depth - 1)
+  vector <- round(as.numeric(wave) * amplitude * scale)
+  if (any(vector < - scale | vector >= scale)) {
+    stop(sprintf("the wave's maximum value was approximately %.2f times too big for exporting, ",
+                 max(abs(vector / scale))),
+         "consider reducing amplitude by at least this value")
+  }
+  vector <- c(vector, rep(0, times = round(end_pad * sample_rate(wave))))
+  wave_2 <- tuneR::Wave(
+    left = vector,
+    right = vector,
+    samp.rate = sample_rate(wave),
+    bit = bit_depth
+  )
+  tuneR::writeWave(wave_2, file)
+}
+
+#' Play wav
+#'
+#' Plays a chord as a wave file.
+#'
+#' @param x Chord to save.
+#'
+#' @inheritParams tuneR::play
+#' @inheritDotParams save_wav
+#' @inheritDotParams expand_harmonics
+#'
+#' @seealso \code{\link{play_sox}}
+#'
+#' @export
+play_wav <- function(x, player = "play", ...) {
+  file <- tempfile(fileext = ".wav")
+  save_wav(x, file, ...)
+  tuneR::play(file, player = player)
+  invisible(file.remove(file))
+}
diff --git a/man/play_sox.Rd b/man/play_sox.Rd
index ab83af7..5269c97 100644
--- a/man/play_sox.Rd
+++ b/man/play_sox.Rd
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ Plays a sound using the command-line tool sox.
 \details{
 The sound is synthesised using \code{\link{save_wav_sox}}
 and saved to a temporary file, which is then played from the R session.
+This method is generally slower than \code{\link{play_wav}}
+but it provides more features.
 }
 \note{
 The command-line sound-processing program sox
@@ -24,3 +26,6 @@ The command-line sound-processing program sox
 must be installed and available on the command line,
 making available the commands \code{sox} and \code{play}.
 }
+\seealso{
+\code{\link{play_wav}}
+}
diff --git a/man/play_wav.Rd b/man/play_wav.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f97341
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/play_wav.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/wave.R
+\name{play_wav}
+\alias{play_wav}
+\title{Play wav}
+\usage{
+play_wav(x, player = "play", ...)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{x}{Chord to save.}
+
+\item{player}{(Path to) a program capable of playing a wave file by invocation from the command line.
+        If under Windows and no player is given, \dQuote{mplay32.exe} or \dQuote{wmplayer.exe} 
+        (if the former does not exists as under Windows 7) will be chosen as the default.}
+
+\item{...}{
+  Arguments passed on to \code{\link[=save_wav]{save_wav}}, \code{\link[=expand_harmonics]{expand_harmonics}}
+  \describe{
+    \item{\code{file}}{(Character scalar) Output file.}
+    \item{\code{amplitude}}{(Numeric scalar)
+The wave is multiplied by this number before exporting.
+The resulting wave should fall completely within the range [-1, 1].}
+    \item{\code{bit_depth}}{(Integer scalar)
+The bit depth of the exported audio.}
+    \item{\code{end_pad}}{(Numeric scalar)
+Duration of silence (seconds) appended to the end of the audio file,
+used to avoid clicks and other artifacts.}
+    \item{\code{length_sec}}{(Numeric scalar) Length of the output wave, in seconds.}
+    \item{\code{fade_length}}{(Numeric scalar)
+Chord fade-out time (seconds).}
+    \item{\code{rise_length}}{(Numeric scalar)
+Chord fade-in time (seconds).}
+    \item{\code{num_harmonics}}{(Integerish scalar)
+Number of harmonics (including the fundamental) to which
+each tone should be expanded.}
+    \item{\code{roll_off}}{(Numeric scalar) Parametrises the amount of amplitude roll-off
+in the harmonics, with greater values corresponding to higher roll-off.}
+    \item{\code{digits}}{Number of digits to which each partial's MIDI pitch should be rounded.}
+  }}
+}
+\description{
+Plays a chord as a wave file.
+}
+\seealso{
+\code{\link{play_sox}}
+}
diff --git a/man/save_wav.Rd b/man/save_wav.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd41640
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/save_wav.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/wave.R
+\name{save_wav}
+\alias{save_wav}
+\title{Save wav file}
+\usage{
+save_wav(
+  x,
+  file,
+  amplitude = 0.1,
+  bit_depth = 16L,
+  length_sec = 1,
+  fade_length = 0.1,
+  rise_length = 0.1,
+  end_pad = 0.05,
+  ...
+)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{x}{Object to save; currently only individual chords are supported.
+Chords are coerced to a \code{\link{wave}} representation.}
+
+\item{file}{(Character scalar) Output file.}
+
+\item{amplitude}{(Numeric scalar)
+The wave is multiplied by this number before exporting.
+The resulting wave should fall completely within the range [-1, 1].}
+
+\item{bit_depth}{(Integer scalar)
+The bit depth of the exported audio.}
+
+\item{length_sec}{(Numeric scalar) Length of the output wave, in seconds.}
+
+\item{fade_length}{(Numeric scalar)
+Chord fade-out time (seconds).}
+
+\item{rise_length}{(Numeric scalar)
+Chord fade-in time (seconds).}
+
+\item{end_pad}{(Numeric scalar)
+Duration of silence (seconds) appended to the end of the audio file,
+used to avoid clicks and other artifacts.}
+
+\item{...}{
+  Arguments passed on to \code{\link[=expand_harmonics]{expand_harmonics}}
+  \describe{
+    \item{\code{num_harmonics}}{(Integerish scalar)
+Number of harmonics (including the fundamental) to which
+each tone should be expanded.}
+    \item{\code{roll_off}}{(Numeric scalar) Parametrises the amount of amplitude roll-off
+in the harmonics, with greater values corresponding to higher roll-off.}
+    \item{\code{digits}}{Number of digits to which each partial's MIDI pitch should be rounded.}
+  }}
+}
+\description{
+Saves object to a wav file by converting to the \code{\link{wave}} representation
+and then writing to a wav file.
+}
+\seealso{
+\code{\link{save_wav_sox}}
+}
diff --git a/man/save_wav_sox.Rd b/man/save_wav_sox.Rd
index 421686b..8c62994 100644
--- a/man/save_wav_sox.Rd
+++ b/man/save_wav_sox.Rd
@@ -79,9 +79,16 @@ Only relevant when \code{spectrum_gain} is not \code{auto}.}
 Saves object to a wav file using sox
 (\url{http://sox.sourceforge.net/}).
 }
+\details{
+This method is generally slower than \code{\link{save_wav}}
+but it provides more features.
+}
 \note{
 The command-line sound-processing program sox
 (\url{http://sox.sourceforge.net/})
 must be installed and available on the command line
 under the command \code{sox}.
 }
+\seealso{
+\code{\link{save_wav}}
+}
diff --git a/man/sparse_fr_spectrum.Rd b/man/sparse_fr_spectrum.Rd
index 11b3cee..9495320 100644
--- a/man/sparse_fr_spectrum.Rd
+++ b/man/sparse_fr_spectrum.Rd
@@ -33,8 +33,16 @@ the second element should be labelled "amplitude",
 and correspond to a numeric vector of amplitudes.
 }}
 
-\item{...}{Further arguments passed to \code{\link{expand_harmonics}()},
-depending on the method invoked.}
+\item{...}{
+  Arguments passed on to \code{\link[=expand_harmonics]{expand_harmonics}}
+  \describe{
+    \item{\code{num_harmonics}}{(Integerish scalar)
+Number of harmonics (including the fundamental) to which
+each tone should be expanded.}
+    \item{\code{roll_off}}{(Numeric scalar) Parametrises the amount of amplitude roll-off
+in the harmonics, with greater values corresponding to higher roll-off.}
+    \item{\code{digits}}{Number of digits to which each partial's MIDI pitch should be rounded.}
+  }}
 }
 \value{
 An object of class \code{sparse_fr_spectrum}.
diff --git a/man/sparse_pc_spectrum.Rd b/man/sparse_pc_spectrum.Rd
index 006af00..a30e623 100644
--- a/man/sparse_pc_spectrum.Rd
+++ b/man/sparse_pc_spectrum.Rd
@@ -21,8 +21,16 @@ sparse_pc_spectrum(x, ...)
 \arguments{
 \item{x}{Input sonority.}
 
-\item{...}{Further arguments passed to \code{\link{expand_harmonics}()},
-depending on the method invoked.}
+\item{...}{
+  Arguments passed on to \code{\link[=expand_harmonics]{expand_harmonics}}
+  \describe{
+    \item{\code{num_harmonics}}{(Integerish scalar)
+Number of harmonics (including the fundamental) to which
+each tone should be expanded.}
+    \item{\code{roll_off}}{(Numeric scalar) Parametrises the amount of amplitude roll-off
+in the harmonics, with greater values corresponding to higher roll-off.}
+    \item{\code{digits}}{Number of digits to which each partial's MIDI pitch should be rounded.}
+  }}
 
 \item{amplitude}{(Numeric vector)
 Vector of amplitudes to assign to each pitch.
diff --git a/man/sparse_pi_spectrum.Rd b/man/sparse_pi_spectrum.Rd
index b4660ea..c460155 100644
--- a/man/sparse_pi_spectrum.Rd
+++ b/man/sparse_pi_spectrum.Rd
@@ -24,8 +24,16 @@ sparse_pi_spectrum(x, ...)
 \arguments{
 \item{x}{Input sonority.}
 
-\item{...}{Further arguments passed to \code{\link{expand_harmonics}()},
-depending on the method invoked.}
+\item{...}{
+  Arguments passed on to \code{\link[=expand_harmonics]{expand_harmonics}}
+  \describe{
+    \item{\code{num_harmonics}}{(Integerish scalar)
+Number of harmonics (including the fundamental) to which
+each tone should be expanded.}
+    \item{\code{roll_off}}{(Numeric scalar) Parametrises the amount of amplitude roll-off
+in the harmonics, with greater values corresponding to higher roll-off.}
+    \item{\code{digits}}{Number of digits to which each partial's MIDI pitch should be rounded.}
+  }}
 
 \item{amplitude}{(Numeric vector)
 Vector of amplitudes to assign to each pitch.
diff --git a/man/wave.Rd b/man/wave.Rd
index 23ca3b7..f02b8a0 100644
--- a/man/wave.Rd
+++ b/man/wave.Rd
@@ -8,18 +8,47 @@
 \usage{
 wave(x, ...)
 
-\method{wave}{default}(x, length_sec = 1, sample_rate = 44100, ...)
+\method{wave}{default}(
+  x,
+  length_sec = 1,
+  sample_rate = 44100,
+  rise_length = 0,
+  fade_length = 0,
+  ...
+)
 
-\method{wave}{sparse_fr_spectrum}(x, length_sec = 1, sample_rate = 44100, ...)
+\method{wave}{sparse_fr_spectrum}(
+  x,
+  length_sec = 1,
+  sample_rate = 44100,
+  rise_length = 0,
+  fade_length = 0,
+  ...
+)
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{x}{Input object.}
 
-\item{...}{Arguments to be passed to \code{\link{sparse_fr_spectrum}}, as appropriate.}
+\item{...}{
+  Arguments passed on to \code{\link[=expand_harmonics]{expand_harmonics}}
+  \describe{
+    \item{\code{num_harmonics}}{(Integerish scalar)
+Number of harmonics (including the fundamental) to which
+each tone should be expanded.}
+    \item{\code{roll_off}}{(Numeric scalar) Parametrises the amount of amplitude roll-off
+in the harmonics, with greater values corresponding to higher roll-off.}
+    \item{\code{digits}}{Number of digits to which each partial's MIDI pitch should be rounded.}
+  }}
 
 \item{length_sec}{(Numeric scalar) Length of the output wave, in seconds.}
 
 \item{sample_rate}{(Integerish scalar) The desired sample rate.}
+
+\item{rise_length}{(Numeric scalar)
+Chord fade-in time (seconds).}
+
+\item{fade_length}{(Numeric scalar)
+Chord fade-out time (seconds).}
 }
 \description{
 This function represents an object as class "wave".