The
Waldorf Blofeld is a
synthesizer combining
virtual analogue synthesis with
wavetable synthesis
Wavetable synthesis is a sound synthesis technique used to create quasi-periodic waveforms often used in the production of musical tones or notes.
Development
Wavetable synthesis was invented by Max Mathews in 1958 as part of MUSIC II. ...
and FM synthesis. It is available as a small desktop unit and as a 49 key velocity and aftertouch sensitive keyboard version. The keyboard version features extra performance controls; these comprise two performance wheels and up/down transpose keys to shift the range of the keyboard. It is named after the character
Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Ernst Stavro Blofeld is a character (arts), fictional character and villain from the James Bond series of novels and films, created by Ian Fleming. A criminal mastermind with aspirations of world domination, he is the archenemy of the Secret In ...
, the leader of the fictional
SPECTRE
Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to:
Religion and spirituality
* Vision (spirituality)
* Apparitional experience
* Ghost
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
organisation from Ian Fleming's
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
series; this lends its name to the sound management computer application SPECTRE, used to send audio and firmware data to the synthesizer. Two subsequent Waldorf synthesizers have been named after Bond villains; the Stromberg and Largo.
The 25-voice, 16 part multitimbral instrument is marketed as a low-cost unit that can reproduce the sounds from previous Waldorf synthesizers in the Q and Wave lines.
Waldorf Music , Blofeld Sound Generation
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Both versions feature a stereo output, headphone output and a USB port for computer control and firmware updates. The desktop unit has MIDI In and the keyboard unit has both In and Out. The desktop unit is powered by an external power supply.
A number of sound packs are available for purchase. Some require a specific sample licence, again at an additional cost.
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
Waldorf Blofeld at Vintage Synth Explorer
Blofeld
Virtual analog synthesizers
MIDI controllers
MIDI instruments
{{Electronic-musical-instrument-stub
Notable users Psychotica
Psychotica are an American industrial band, formed in 1994 by Pat Briggs and Tommy Salmorin with a band consisting of Paul Kostabi, cellist Enrique Tiru Velez, backing vocalist Reeka, and drummer Buz. They have released three albums. Psychoti ...
, Susanne Sundfor