I’m exploring the capabilities of the Korg wavestate mkII, so that I can explain to a friend how to use it. These are some of my notes that might help fill in the gaps for others, or at least make them more aware of its nature if they’re thinking of buying one.

Forms

There are several forms of wavestate you can choose from.

  Release Voices Keys Velocity Aftertouch Description
wavestate mkI 2020 64 37 Yes No  
wavestate native 2022 n/a n/a n/a n/a plugin (VST, AAX, standalone)
wavestate mkII 2023 96 37 Yes No  
wavestate SE 2023 120 61 Yes Yes  
wavestate SE Platinum 2023 120 61 Yes Yes Limited edition; Metal top and side panels
wavestate module 2024 120 n/a n/a n/a Desktop / Rack module

Hidden Parameters

Not all the parameters are accessible from the hardware. The Effects section has many more parameters available from the Editor/Librarian software.

For example, the “L/C/R Delay” effect that can be enabled for each Program loaded into the 4 layers of a Performance has additional parameters for the Note timing (1/4th, 1/4th dotted, 1/8th, 1/16th), Repeat times, and Levels of each delayed note (L, C, and R).

Korg wavestate delay parameters

User Samples

I was surprised to find out that you can’t upload multiple separate sample libraries using the Sample Builder app provided by Korg. You can only upload one user sample library, so you have to maintain that library on your PC or Mac computer, and merge new sample sets into it before you re-upload an updated version of that library. This must be the result of some limitation in the design of the flash memory of the mkI hardware.

Korg wavestate Sample Builder

The good news is that every multi-sample has it’s own unique ID assigned to it by the software, and the Programs reference those IDs, so you don’t have to worry about the Performances, Wave Sequence, or Programs loosing those references even though they’re managed separately.

When you purchase sound libraries from Korg or other 3rd parties, you will have to import the samples into your own user library and push that library up to the wavestate from the Sample Builder software, and then separately use the Editor Librarian software to import and push the Performance, Programs, and/or Wave Sequence presets that came with the library. Once you’re done the sounds should work just fine when you load them from the Collection the library was named after.