Scythe Synthesizer

Scythe Synthesizer

2020: renamed to WaveStorm and some new features and AUv3 added.

An Audiobus-compatible IAA wavetable synthesizer from BitMask Studio. There is also a different synth from another developer called Scythe.

App type: App

App store link:

Developer: Bitmask Studio

Developer AB Forum Handle:

Additional Info

The developer’s original YouTube videos are no longer available.

Tips & Tricks

Scythe Wavetables

Scythe wavetables contain up to 256 single-cycle waveforms which you might think of as slices or frames.

Audio to Wavetable Conversion

Scythe can create wavetables from audio imported from AudioShare. The maximum number of waveforms per wavetable is 256. Scythe uses a proprietary algorithm for analyzing audio and converting the audio to a wavetable. There is not a fixed ratio of audio duration to wavetable frame. The spectral (harmonic) complexity of the sound influences the conversion. I have had 1 second long sound that resulted in a full 256 frame wavetable and another sound whose 2.8 seconds resulted in 254 frames.

When I imported a 220Hz sine wave, the frames (waveforms) were very close (if not precisely), two cycles wide.

Jarryd Hall, Scythe's creator, had this to share about the audio-to-wavetable generation:

The engine works with its own file format and audio is processed in a way that works with the synthesis engine, generated specifically for the synthesis algorithms being used. Each wavetable can hold up to 256 (2^8) waves, with each wave containing 1024 (2^10) samples. The processing is done using a few combined techniques and mainly focuses on frequency, where low-mid frequency sounds or sounds containing the most frequency changes generate the best wavetables. The generated wave is heavily dependent on spectral content. Scythe doesn't work as a sampler/wavescanner.