Tips: Using Kronos as a Wavestation

[postman]

Can you use the Kronos as a Wavestation? To answer this question I tried to recreate some of the Wavestation sounds. There are several issues to solve. This post is to share what I have found out so far. By the way, I never had a Wavestation, but I have the Legacy software. So everything I share is based on the Legacy version (I hope it applies to the real Wavestations as well).

Scales: 0-99 or 0-127 or 0-63
Kronos uses sometimes 0-99 scales where Wavestation uses 0-127 scales and vice versa, or 0-63 instead. So you have to recalculate. Examples:
- Wavestation seq level: 0-99, Kronos: 0-127
- Wavestation Modulation amount: -127 to +127, Kronos: -63 to +63
- Wavestation keyboard trc: -127 to +127, Kronos: -99 to +99
Luckily there are also places where the scale is the same:
- Envelope levels
- Envelop times
For my programming I created tables for the conversions.

Wave banks
Most waves are there:
- Wavestation ROM 32-515 = Kronos Wavestation bank 488-971
- Wavestation CARD2 32-79 = Kronos Wavestation bank 972-1019
- Wavestation CARD3 32-97 = Kronos Wavestation bank 1020-1085
- Other CARDS: some have the same sounds as the CARDS mentioned above, but there are also some sounds I was not able to find. So I think there are some sounds missing.

Timing Wave Sequences
Wavestation uses a 0-499 scale, where Kronos uses ms (time mode).
[after the discusion about timing below I have edited this post here]
According to the manual of the Wavestation each step is about 24 ms. Problem is that the Kronos lets you only set in steps of 10 ms, and above 500 ms only in steps of 100 ms. So you will never get the exact same timing in time mode.
Take for example the Partial sequence (RAM1 000). In the Wavestation the steps are 3 long. That is about 72 ms. So on the Kronos I used 70 ms. This is a bit faster, which you will notice when you run them at the same time. However 80 ms would be too slow. I managed to get the same timing when using for each fith step 80 ms on the Kronos (in five steps you are otherwise exactly 10 ms ahead).
For rhythmic sequences you can probably better use tempo mode. You will have to calculate the tempo on the Wavestation. If you use a tempo of 104.17 BPM then 24 on the Wavestation is exactly the same as a quarter note.

One other thing with Wave Sequences: check the Key Sync box to get the same behaviour as the Wavestation.

Next Post will be about 4 Oscillator Vector synthesis. This seems impossible on the Kronos, but I think I found a way to solve the problem.

[Bertotti]

Thanks for the post I am just getting into this! Currently it seems very completed! Thanks for all the info!

[jurason]

good post - I have legacy too - I was wondering why there is no Wavestation Sound Library on board of the Kronos - looking forward to your insights.
It must be a challenge to replicate the WS sounds one on one.
Thank you for bringing it up.

[postman]

Thanks for the replies. Now about 4 Oscillator Vector synthesis, as promised. The first option is fairly simple, the second one is a bit more tedious, but gives you the freedom to create performances as on the Wavestation.

You can compare patches on the Wavestation to HD-1 Programs on the Kronos. However, on the Wavestation you can create four oscillator patches with vector synthesis where Kronos has a maximum of two oscillators per program. The first and most easy solution is to use a combination on the Kronos instead.

4OSC Vector Synthesis in a combination using 4 programs
- Create four HD-1 programs: one program for each oscillator
- Use the four programs in a combination. In comparison to the Wavestation: A = channel 1, B= channel 2, C= channel 3 and D= channel 4 on the Kronos.
- Go to the Vector Volume tab. Enable Volume control and Equal amount
- Set channel 1: -X, 2: +Y, 3: +X and 4: -Y on the Kronos.
- Disable vector volume for the programs
- Go to the Vector Envelope page to create the envelope.

This is a good solution when you do not need any other patches with 4OSC vector synthesis in the performance. However, in the Wavestation you can have several patches with vector synthesis in one performance (for example RAM2 039: Ivesian Split). With the simple solution as described above, this would not be possible. But there is another solution possible. You can use the AMS mixer to create morphing in a similar way as above, but now using two HD-1 programs with Vector synthesis programmed in the HD-1 programs.

Multiple 4Osc Vector Synthesis using two HD-1 programs per "patch"
For each patch on the Wavestation you use two HD-1 programs on the Kronos with double oscillator mode together:
- First HD-1 program: OSC1 corresponds with OSC A on the Wavestation,
OSC2 corresponds with OSC C on the Wavestation.
- Disable Vector Volume.
- Enable CC control: set VJS X mode: XFade and VJS Y mode: Split.
- OSC1 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 1: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS +X: +74, AMS B: AMS Mixer 2: +74
- OSC1 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 2: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS +Y: +49, AMS B: VJS -Y: +49
- OSC2 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 1: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS -X: +74, AMS B: AMS Mixer 2: +74
- OSC2 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 2: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS +Y: +49, AMS B: VJS -Y: +49
- Filter 1, Output level: 74, AMS: AMS Mixer 1, Intensity: -99
- Filter 2, Output level: 74, AMS: AMS Mixer 1, Intensity: -99
- Create the Vector Envelope.

The second HD-1 program:
- Copy the first HD-1 program. This way you will have the same vector envelope and many settings are already right. Modify it:
- OSC1 corresponds with OSC B on the Wavestation,
OSC2 corresponds with OSC D on the Wavestation.
- Vector control: set VJS X mode: Split and VJS Y mode: Xfade.
- OSC1 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 1: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS -Y: +74, AMS B: AMS Mixer 2: +74
- OSC1 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 2: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS +X: +49, AMS B: VJS +X: +49
- OSC2 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 1: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS -Y: +74, AMS B: AMS Mixer 2: +74
- OSC2 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 2: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS +X: +49, AMS B: VJS -X: +49

Add both programs to the combination:
- Enable CC control for both channels.
- Create other 4OSC patches the same way and add them to the performance as well.

[Bertotti]

Thanks! I will give this a shot this weekend!

[danatkorg]

So you will never get the exact same timing in time mode.
Take for example the Ski Jam sequence.

Sure. But, Ski Jam was a rhythmic Wave Sequence - so, use Tempo mode instead.

[SanderXpander]

Makes sense. Based on the supplied values that would be sixteenths at about 79.5bpm? Or, assuming the values are esimates, more likely 79 or 80 bpm.

[danatkorg]

Makes sense. Based on the supplied values that would be sixteenths at about 79.5bpm? Or, assuming the values are esimates, more likely 79 or 80 bpm.

MIDI sync was added to the Wavestation very late in the game (Wave Sequences were originally intended to be smooth, evolving sounds, as opposed to rhythms). Without using MIDI sync, a Duration value of 24 was a quarter-note at approximately 105 bpm. (That would mean that each Duration unit was just under 24 ms, a little different from the estimate above; I have not measured them however.) I think that would mean that Ski Jam's tempo was just about 70 bpm.

[postman]

Danatkorg is right. I made a mistake.

As mentioned above I am using the KLC version. In the Global page you can set the Wavesequence to sync. Setting this on with a tempo at 120 bpm gives you about 20-21 ms instead of the 24 ms at 105 bpm. Sorry for this mistake.

Using Tempo mode makes indeed more sense for rhythmic sequences like Ski Jam. However, as you pointed out, this was not the case on the Wavestation. That is why I was using time mode instead.

I have edited my original post accordingly.

[postman]

With the Wavesequence there is another issue using Backwards/Forwards loops.

The Wavestation repeats the first and the last step at the turn arounds. However the Kronos doesn't repeat the first and last step. For instance take a 4 step loop with pattern 1 2 3 4 , you will get:

Wavestation B/F: 1 2 3 4 - 4 3 2 1 - 1 2 3 4 etc.
Kronos B/F: 1 2 3 4 - 3 2 1 - 2 3 4 etc.

Solution:
To get the same result as the Wavestation on the Kronos use Forwards instead and create a 8 step loop, like:
1 2 3 4 4 3 2 1

[SanderXpander]

I forgot to say this before, but super cool that you're documenting all this, thanks a bunch!

[danatkorg]

With the Wavesequence there is another issue using Backwards/Forwards loops.

The Wavestation repeats the first and the last step at the turn arounds. However the Kronos doesn't repeat the first and last step. For instance take a 4 step loop with pattern 1 2 3 4 , you will get:

Wavestation B/F: 1 2 3 4 - 4 3 2 1 - 1 2 3 4 etc.
Kronos B/F: 1 2 3 4 - 3 2 1 - 2 3 4 etc.

Solution:
To get the same result as the Wavestation on the Kronos use Forwards instead and create a 8 step loop, like:
1 2 3 4 4 3 2 1

Yes, my guess is that we figured the steps repeating in Fwd-Bkwd was undesirable, and did not duplicate it for the Kronos. I'd have to look through old notes to make sure.

[danatkorg]

- OSC1 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 1: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS +X: +74, AMS B: AMS Mixer 2: +74
- OSC1 AMS Mix, AMS Mixer 2: Type A+B, AMS A: VJS +Y: +49, AMS B: VJS +Y: +49

Is the description of AMS Mixer 2, above, really as you intended (just adding VJS + Y to itself)? If so, what is the intended purpose?

[postman]

Hi Dan, you are right: the second one should be VJS-Y (also for the second HD-1 program it should be VJS -X). I have corrected it in the original post. The purpose is to let volume not just respond to the X-axis, but also to the Y-axis in both directions.

[postman]

There is one issue I am not able to solve. Instead of looping through a sequence you can use a modulation source to loop thru the sequence (for instance the modulation wheel). The Wavestation will interpolate based on the Xfades, but the Kronos will not. So where you get smooth transitions from one step to another on the Wavestation, you will get hard steps on the Kronos.

For example I recreated RAM1 009:*WhSweep, where the modulation wheel is used to sweep thru the sequence. However on the Kronos you will get 16 separate steps with no blending in between at all.