Tags: posts bitwig-guides Bitwig Modulators Tutorial

Bitwig Wavetable-LFO Modulator - Use Oscillator Shapes for Modulation

Bitwig Guide | Apr 11, 2023

The Wavetable LFO in Bitwig Studio lets you swap traditional LFO waveforms for wavetables, allowing for fluid modulation between shapes like sine, triangle, saw, and square, and offering advanced options like polyphonic mode, bipolar switching, and synchronized timing. This modulator can control various parameters or even act as an oscillator, especially when paired with pitch-tracking and phase options for creative sound design. You can layer multiple Wavetable LFOs on any device for unique and complex results, making it a powerful tool for both modulation and synthesis.

You can watch the Video on Youtube

Short Overview

With the Wavetable LFO in Bitwig Studio, I can use any wavetable shape as my LFO source, allowing smooth morphing between different oscillator shapes like sine, triangle, saw, and square. I have control over the modulation amount, syncing options, phase, and whether the modulation is polyphonic or unipolar or bipolar, giving me detailed creative control. Not only can I use it to modulate parameters, but with a simple trick, I can even use it as a replacement oscillator, opening up endless sound design possibilities.

Introduction to the Wavetable LFO in Bitwig Studio

In this video, I explore the powerful and versatile features of the Wavetable LFO in Bitwig Studio. The Wavetable LFO acts like a traditional LFO, but with a unique twist, it allows you to swap out the LFO’s shape for a custom wavetable. This enables more creative and dynamic modulation possibilities by loading various oscillator shapes directly into the LFO.

What Makes the Wavetable LFO Special?

Unlike conventional LFOs that use predefined waveforms like sine, triangle, or square, the Wavetable LFO enables me to load a whole wavetable, a collection of different wave shapes that can be fluidly morphed between. For example, using Bitwig’s basic shapes, I can smoothly transition from a sine to a square wave via triangle and saw waves, and use this complex, evolving shape to modulate parameters in real time.

The Wavetable LFO features a display showing the currently loaded wavetable. Using an index control, I can scan through the wavetable from one end (e.g., sine at index 0) to the other (square at index 100), morphing through every in-between shape. Adjusting this index in real time lets me achieve dynamic and expressive modulation.

Modulation Controls and Amount Setting

I use the modulator output of the Wavetable LFO to affect other parameters. The Amount knob sets how strongly the LFO modulates its target, offering flexible and nuanced control over the modulation depth.

Trigger and Sync Modes

Several trigger and synchronization modes are available:

Phase and Polyphony

The Phase setting allows me to shift the starting point of the LFO shape, so I can choose to start at the beginning, middle, or anywhere within the wavetable cycle. Polyphonic mode is especially powerful, it assigns a separate, independent LFO instance to each key pressed. This means the modulation can be different for every held note, offering rich, polyphonic modulation possibilities.

Bipolar and Unipolar Modes

The Wavetable LFO can be set to bipolar mode (modulation ranges from -1 to +1) or unipolar mode (ranges from 0 to +1). This affects how the LFO’s output moves above or below a central value, which is crucial for certain types of modulation where symmetry or unidirectional movement is needed.

LFO Rate and Time Synchronization

The LFO rate determines how quickly the shape cycles through, from slow, evolving modulations up to audio-rate speeds (e.g., 50 Hz or even kilohertz). When synced, one can set the LFO to fit a specific musical length, like a bar, beat, or even multiple bars, achieving perfectly timed automation and movement.

Inspector Settings

Using the Wavetable LFO as an Oscillator

One of the most innovative uses is deploying the Wavetable LFO as a pseudo-oscillator. By routing its output to modulate oscillator phase or other parameters, and switching off the main oscillator, the LFO itself generates the audible signal. This allows me to experiment with wave shaping, create new timbres, or even mimic a standard oscillator but with extended creative control and fluid morphing between shapes.

Pitch Tracking and Key-Following

The LFO can be set to track the pitch of the note played. If I press C3, the LFO cycles at the frequency of that note, and pressing higher notes speeds up the playback. This brings about musical, key-synced modulations and even lets the LFO become a sound source harmonically related to the MIDI notes.

Creative and Advanced Applications

I can define and use multiple Wavetable LFOs across various devices in a Bitwig project, each with its own unique shape, rate, target, and settings. Combining several LFOs opens broad creative terrain, from subtle animation to complex, intertwined movement between parameters.

Conclusion

The Wavetable LFO in Bitwig Studio surpasses traditional LFO modulators. It’s not just a flexible modulation tool; it doubles as a sound generator, performance controller, and experimental playground. By loading different wavetables, syncing to tempo or pitch, and employing polyphony and phase options, I can achieve endless creative results, from gentle modulation to intricate generative sound design. The Wavetable LFO’s flexibility makes it a standout feature for anyone wanting to push the boundaries in modulation and synthesis.

Full Video Transcription

This is what im talking about in this video. The text is transcribed by Whisper, so it might not be perfect. If you find any mistakes, please let me know.
You can also click on the timestamps to jump to the right part of the video, which should be helpful.

Click to expand Transcription

[00:00:00] The Wavetable LFO is basically just a normal LFO, except that you can exchange
[00:00:05] the LFO shape with the Wavetable. So you can load in
[00:00:10] Oscillator shapes to an LFO and then modulate something with it.
[00:00:15] You have here a Wavetable display where you can exchange the Wavetable to something.
[00:00:20] I'm using your basic shapes.
[00:00:23] So we have basically here a sign at index 0 and
[00:00:28] in index 100 we have a square and everything in between there's a triangle and also a saw in there and we can morph between
[00:00:36] these shapes fluidly.
[00:00:39] So we can then use the modulator output and modulate something and when we have here the index at 0
[00:00:45] we modulate basically with 1 hertz something with the shape of a sine wave.
[00:00:51] We have also your amount knob where you can change the modulation amount and
[00:00:57] also some trigger modes here
[00:00:59] free. So there's no reset note. So every time you press a note you reset basically the shape and start from the beginning
[00:01:07] synchronized. So it's synchronized to the BPM or to the transport phase signal.
[00:01:13] Then we have groove which is the same as sync, but here also
[00:01:17] the global shuffle is applied. So when you have some shuffling in there, it's also applied to the LFO speed and
[00:01:26] randomized. So it's randomized on every new incoming note, which is nice.
[00:01:31] We have here a phase where we can change the position of the LFO. So we can move through the shape here
[00:01:38] with the timing setting, but we also can offset this. We can start in the middle of a shape or at the beginning or at the end, right?
[00:01:47] Then we have the polyphonic mode. So this means basically you can press and hold multiple notes and
[00:01:54] an LFO is applied for each note that you hold
[00:01:58] individually.
[00:02:01] Then we can switch here the whole LFO to bipolar. So the modulation is basically
[00:02:07] ranging from 0 to +1 and -1 if this is on and if you switch this off, it's only unipolar,
[00:02:15] which means there are only values between 0 and +1.
[00:02:18] So this is also important to know. We have here an index knob where we can move through the wave table and
[00:02:25] start at index 0, have your sign and then move slowly up to 100% and we end up here on a different wave shape, which is a square.
[00:02:35] Then we have of course the LFO rate where we can change here how fast the LFO is playing back this wave shape here.
[00:02:44] 0 is super slow, of course, and 50 is 50 Hertz and you can also switch this to kilohertz, so now it's 50 kilohertz.
[00:02:53] So this is also possible. All the other settings here, timing settings are basically the same as on any LFO.
[00:03:02] So it's time synchronized to the PPM or to your project tempo or to your project
[00:03:09] phase signal, and you can then say, well, I want to play back this one cycle within a 16 node
[00:03:18] or within one bar or when you dial in your bar, you can say, well, I want to spread this whole cycle out to maybe three bars, right?
[00:03:27] So it takes now three bars for this whole cycle to play. So you can also apply very slow synchronized time based settings.
[00:03:39] Then here below, we have also some inspector settings.
[00:03:42] The first one here, hold shape during cycle is basically useful when you press multiple keys and have to see on pulley mode.
[00:03:50] And you don't want to change the shape when you change the index, right?
[00:03:55] As long as you hold one node and this is enabled, you can't change the shape until you press this node again.
[00:04:05] So while you're holding the node, you can't change the wave position or the wavetable position.
[00:04:10] It also says you only updates the LFO shape at the beginning of a new cycle.
[00:04:15] So it's holding basically throughout the cycle.
[00:04:22] So when the cycle still plays and you hold the node, then it doesn't change.
[00:04:26] But when the cycle is finished here or at the end and starts at the beginning again,
[00:04:30] then the new setting that you dial in here with index setting is applied.
[00:04:36] And then we have don't wrap tables here.
[00:04:39] It disables wrapping the last point of each table to match the first point.
[00:04:43] It's basically when you have a different value at the end of the cycle than at the beginning.
[00:04:49] The wrapping basically tries to match these points up.
[00:04:53] So it's a fluid transfer from the end to the start.
[00:04:59] So this is also possible to do.
[00:05:02] So I want to give you some examples here with the wavetable level.
[00:05:05] I'm still using here the standard four or the basic shapes.
[00:05:11] So sign, try, and saw, and the square.
[00:05:14] And I have here basically a phase four and this is applied.
[00:05:18] I expand here this modulator and you can see when I press your key,
[00:05:26] I'm modulating here basically this knob.
[00:05:31] So I want to modulate oscillator R with oscillator B.
[00:05:37] And I can apply the modulation here with this knob.
[00:05:42] And I want to modulate basically this amount here with the wavetable LFO.
[00:05:50] So now we have modulating in with the sign, with the basic sign.
[00:05:56] And you can change this now to a try.
[00:06:01] And then to a saw.
[00:06:06] And to a pulse.
[00:06:19] And you can fluidly move between.
[00:06:23] You can change the playback speed of the LFO.
[00:06:27] All right, or you can go here to maybe pitch.
[00:06:40] So now when I press a key,
[00:06:43] the key is used to change the frequency of the LFO
[00:06:49] fitting to the key you are pressing.
[00:06:51] So when I press C3, then it takes the frequency of C3 and plays back the LFO with that frequency.
[00:06:59] So the higher the key I choose,
[00:07:03] the faster the LFO plays accordingly to the key I'm pressing.
[00:07:09] And because this modulator is also polyphonic, you can use this, of course,
[00:07:18] with multiple notes,
[00:07:21] which leads to all kinds of different sounds.
[00:07:32] With the setting here, pitch of current note.
[00:07:35] It's also interesting that you can use this here on the phase four as a replacement oscillator.
[00:07:42] You can switch this first oscillator off here by switching this to zero.
[00:07:46] And then using the modulator output
[00:07:50] here for the R phase and maybe modulated by 360 degrees, or maybe let's say 180.
[00:07:59] And then switches it to bipolar.
[00:08:06] And now you basically hear this shape as an oscillator.
[00:08:13] So now we have a sign.
[00:08:16] Maybe change the modulation amount.
[00:08:20] You can see it's wrapping here already around.
[00:08:23] So now we have a nice sign shape.
[00:08:29] OK, so now we move on to a try.
[00:08:34] Now it was saw and as pulse.
[00:08:43] So you can use this wavetable LFO also as a replacement oscillator
[00:08:50] on the phase four with this small little trick.
[00:08:53] So now that we know this, we can also use of course a different wave shape.
[00:08:58] Maybe some vocals.
[00:09:02] And bring a second oscillator here in, which also plays a sign.
[00:09:15] But this time instead of just fading it in, we modulate the first wavetable oscillator here with this.
[00:09:23] And you can then try to play around here with some different ratios, maybe half speed.
[00:09:46] So not only can modulate something, something with the wavetable LFO, you can also use it as an oscillator replacement and do some sound design with it.
[00:10:11] You can define as many wavetable LFOs you want on any device in Bitwig Studio.
[00:10:16] Here I have just used three different LFOs with different wave shapes and modulating different things.
[00:10:25] so. It's pretty nice.
[00:10:56] It's very nice to use.
[00:10:57] Wavetable LFO is not only an LFO, it's also an oscillator if you want to on devices and can lead to nice interesting sounds.