1. Overview

2. Components

3. Modifications

4. Limitations
 

This page refers to an old version of Wave Power. A much improved version will be released in 2024.


1. Overview:

The type of document used by Wave Power is called a chart, which must be either designed by yourself or loaded from a file.

When you run Wave Power for the first time, you will be presented with a blank chart. You can then build a chart by adding components, which are its building blocks, and by making various modifications.

What the chart does depends on the following:

- what components are on the chart, for example a volume control.
- the settings of each component, for example the level of a volume control.
- how the components are connected together.

2. Components supported by Wave Power:

Type of component	What it does
Soundcard input	Takes its input from the soundcard's microphone or line input socket.
Signal generator	Sends one of the following types of signal to its output: sine wave, square, rectangle, triangle, sawtooth, chirp, harmonics, noise.
Read file	Takes its input from a PCM .wav file.
Volume	Its output equals its input multiplied by its gain (amplification).
Low frequency Filter	Either removes or lets through low frequencies.
Bandpass Filter	Adjusts frequency spectrum of its input.
Limiter	Prevents its output from exceeding a specified level.
Compressor	Amplifies quiet sounds.
Expander	Makes quiet sounds even quieter.
Noise Mute	Output is muted if the input falls below a specified threshold.
Delay	Output is a delayed version of its input.
Echo	Output is the sum of delayed versions of its input.
Balance	Adjusts relative levels of first (left) and second (right) outputs.
Swap	Sends its first input to second output and second input to first output.
Add	Output is the sum of its two inputs.
Average	Output is half of the sum of its two inputs.
Difference	Output is its first input minus its second input.
Amplitude Modulation	Level of each sample of its second input controls how much of its first input is sent to the output.
Fork	Sends its single input to both of its outputs.
Loudspeaker	Sends its input to the soundcard's speaker and line output sockets.
Write file	Writes its input to a PCM .wav file.
VST	Host for VST plug-ins.

3. Modifications

The following table lists each type of modification supported by Wave Power, which part of the chart it modifies and the user action necessary to create it:

Type	Modifies	User action
Insert	component	Drag and drop from component palette onto chart
Delete	component	Right click, then click 'delete'
Modify settings	component	Use controls in component's dialog box
Modify sample rate	group of connected components	Use 'Rate' page in component's dialog box
Connect	two connections	Drag mouse from one connection to the other
Disconnect	connection	Right click, then click 'disconnect'
Analysis (of spectrum and waveform)	connection	Right click, then click 'analyse'

Control of modifications:

Timing:            You can automate (time) any sequence of modifications that you make by delaying each modification's execution by a programmable length of time. As a simple example, a loudness control could be set to maximum volume for five seconds, half volume for a further two seconds and then switched off.
Extra options are available, depending on the sequence and types of modifications, to make these mods gradual, stepped, simultaneous or looped. For example, any VST parameter or any pseudo-analogue setting (eg. volume or frequency) can be programmed to be adjusted either gradually (continuously) or over any number of steps, instead of in a single step as in the previous example. In addition several such modifications can be executed in this way simultaneously, and can also be combined with other modifications to be executed in a loop for any number of cycles.

Combining:     While the 'combine' feature is set to 'on', any new modification will be combined together (treated as a single modification). Therefore, when you click the 'Back' or 'Forward button, these combined modifications will be done together, instead of separately as they would normally be done.

Pause:             When this feature is set to 'on', the execution of any subsequent modifications is paused, although these modifications are drawn on the chart as usual. Use this feature if you want to over-ride the normal real-time execution of modifications in Wave Power, in other words if you do not want some modification to be executed immediately. They can then be executed at any time by resetting the Pause feature to "off" again.

Back and Forward:    Wave Power allows you to go back through any modifications made to the chart and forward through them again.

4. Limitations:

Processing power:        The ability of Wave Power to successfuly process every sample when running a chart is limited by the speed of the computer and the complexity of the chart. This is especially true at higher sample rates because the amount of processing is proportional to the sample rate.

Latency:        The delay in receiving data from the input of the soundcard or in sending data to the output of the soundcard can be up to one second if you use standard Windows drivers. To achieve a much lower latency, you must use a soundcard that has an ASIO driver.