Overview

Wax is a browser-based audio synthesis environment inspired by Max and other data-flow programming systems.

By adding devices to a virtual workspace and connecting them together, you can create custom digital signal processing algorithms.

All devices communicate to each other with audio signals, similar to a modular synthesizer.

Getting started

Wax runs entirely in the browser. When you load the web page, the virtual workspace is empty except for two speaker devices at the bottom.

To view a list of all objects, press the "all devices" button. This will list each device along with a link to its below documentation.

Examples

In the top-left corner of the web app, there is an examples folder containing several pre-patched system states to demonstrate how elements can be connected together. Select any element from the dropdown to load that state.

Adding devices

Double-click or press 'n' to open the interface for adding a device to the workspace. Then begin typing to find the object you want to add. Press enter or click the add button to add the device to the workspace.

For device documentation, click the i button at the top of the device.

Creating connections

Creating connections between two devices will create a data flow between them at audio rate, from the output of the source device to the input of the target device. Device outputs are listed as buttons on the bottom of the device, and device inputs are listed as button on the top.

Manipulating devices

Click-drag on the workspace to select multiple devices at once. Selected devices have a bold, white border. Selected devices are draggable to anywhere the workspace.

Deleting devices

When a device is selected, press delete or click the x button to delete the device.

Device parameters

Some devices have text inputs which allow the user to type in values to control the device. These text inputs accept numbers or expressions in Facet, a live coding language based in JavaScript. Press enter to transmit the number or expression into the device, or if on a mobile device, press the regen button.

IMPORTANT: Many parameters are available via both the text input and as an audio rate data flow connection. In this case, the text input takes precedence, and the audio rate data flow connection will only modulate the parameter if the corresponding text input is empty.

As an example, here are several useful Facet commands, which allow you add tunable randomness to device parameters:

• choose(). For example: choose([1,2,34]) // each time it's regenerated, it will choose either 1,2,3, or 4
• rf(). For example: rf(-1,1) // random float between -1 and 1
• ri(). For example: ri(10,60) // random integer between 10 and 60

Regenerating device parameters

Some devices have a regen button which causes all device parameters to regenerate every time a signal connected to regen goes above 0.5. For static numbers, this will have no effect, but if the device parameter is written as Facet code, the resulting can be different each time it's generated.

For example, if you have a number device, and you enter ri(10,1000) for its value, then each time the regen signal goes above 0.5, the output from number will be a new, random integer between 10 and 1000. If you entered choose([2,3,4,6,8]) as its value, then the output from number would be either 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8.

IMPORTANT: inputs will not regenerate while the cursor is inside of it. After modifying an input, click outside of it to begin regenerating.

Key combinations

• create new device: n
• duplicate selected device(s): [command] + d
• delete selected device(s): delete
• create number device: f
• create comment device: c
• create toggle device: t
• create button device: b

Managing state

In Wax, system states can be saved, reloaded, and shared.

Saving a state

Press the save button to save the system state as a zip file, including all audio files that were loaded.

Loading state

Press the load button to load a previously saved .zip file, including all audio files.

Recording a session

With devices connected to a speaker objet, press the start recording button. When you want to stop, press the stop recording button, and enter the name for your wav file. It will then initiate an automatic download to your computer. NOTE: on mobile devices, recordings that include microphone input might sound garbled.

Device reference

abs

Computes the absolute value of the input signal.

add

Adds signal 1 to signal 2.

adr

Generates an attack-decay-release envelope every time trigger in goes above 0.5.

• attack (ms): the number of milliseconds to reach the envelope peak.
• decay (ms): the number of miliseconds to go from the envelope peak to the level value.
• level: the maximum value that the envelope reaches.
• release (ms): the number of milliseconds to go from the levelvalue to silence.

allpass

Applies an allpass filter to signal in.

• gain controls the gain of the allpass filter.
• delay (ms) controls the delay of the allpass filter.

and

Computes the logical AND of signal in 1 signal in 2.

bpf

Applies a band-pass filter to signal in.

• cutoff controls the center frequency of the filter.
• q controls the resonance of the filter at the cutoff.

button

Outputs a 1 while the button is pressed and otherwise outputs 0.

change

Compares the current sample with the previous sample value in the signal and returns 1 if the current sample value increased, -1 if it decreased, and 0 if it stayed the same.

clip

Clips any values in signal in 1 below minimum or above maximum to be equal to minimum and maximum, respectively.

clock_divider

Returns metronomic subdivisions of root click time (ms). Each outlet runs at a different, increasingly faster speed.

comb

Applies a comb filter effect to the input signal. feedback expect a range of floats 0 - 1.

comment

Stores text in the workspace which can be saved and loaded as part of system presets.

cross

Imparts the spectral envelope of modulator signal in onto carrier signal in.

counter

Counts upwards from 0 to maximum, incrementing every time trigger goes above 0.5.

• set immediately sets the counter to that value.

cycle

Generates a sine wave between -1 and 1, oscillating at frequency (hz).

delay

Applies a delay effect to signal in, lasting delay time (ms) and feeding back based on feedback.

• wet controls dry/wet balance and expects a range of floats 0 - 1.

divide

Divides signal 1 and signal 2.

downsamp

Downsamples signal in by amount, which expects a range of floats 0 - 1. Higher amount values produce more downsampling.

drunk

Generates a new value in a random walk of values between 0 and maximum, with step being the maximum value between each step, every time trigger goes above 0.5.

equals

Computes the logical EQUALS of signal in 1 signal in 2.

fold

Folds any values in signal in 1 below minimum or above maximum. If the input value exceeds maximum, the output will be the amount above subtracted from maximum. If the input value is below minimum, the output will be the amount below added to from minimum.

freqshift

Applies a time-domain frequency shift effect of shift amount (hz) to signal in. Outlet 1 is the positive sideband of the ring modulation; Outlet 2 is the negative sideband.

greater

Computes the boolean representation of whether signal in 1 is greater than signal in 2.

hpf

Applies a high-pass filter to signal in.

• cutoff controls the center frequency of the filter.
• q controls the resonance of the filter at the cutoff.

hztoms

Converts an input value in hz to its equivalent number in milliseconds.

hztosamps

Converts an input value in hz to its equivalent number in samples.

less

Computes the boolean representation of whether signal in 1 is greater than signal in 2.

limi

Applies a peak-limiter to signal in 1.

lpf

Applies a low-pass filter to signal in.

• cutoff controls the center frequency of the filter.
• q controls the resonance of the filter at the cutoff.

microphone input

Returns the selected microphone input device as a signal. NOTE: if audio is muted when a microphone is added, audio will resume so that the microphone is created correctly.

mstohz

Converts an input value in ms to its equivalent number in hz.

mstosamps

Converts an input value in ms to its equivalent number in samples.

mtof

Converts an input value of a MIDI note number to its corresponding frequency in hz.

modulo

Computes the modulo operand of signal in.

noise

Generates white noise.

number

Returns value as a signal.

or

Computes the logical OR of signal in 1 signal in 2.

overdrive

Overdrives signal in by amount, which expects a range of floats 0 - 1. Higher amount values produce more distortion.

pattern

Generates a customizable wavetable using Facet, a live coding language based in JavaScript.

• phase values between 0 and 1 select a corresponding relative position in the wavetable.
• Every time the enter key is pressed, the pattern will reevaluate. Hold the command key while pressing enter in order to avoid creating a newline.
• NOTE: FacetPatterns must be initialized with _. So the all pattern devices should have code looking like the following examples, which are all valid:
  • _.noise(16)
  • _.ramp(100,30,32).key('c','minor').mtof()
  • _.from([20,40,40,80,80,80,80,160,160,160,160,160,160,160,160]).shuffle().palindrome()

play

Plays an audio file at rate every time trigger goes above 0.5.

phasor

Generates a phasor between 0 and 1, oscillating at frequency (hz).

pow

Computes signal in to the operand power.

random

Returns a random number between 0 and maximum, every time trigger goes above 0.5.

rampsmooth

Smooths signal in by linearly ramping from its previous value to its new value, ramping up over up slope (ms) and down over down slope (ms).

rect

Generates a rectangle wave between -1 and 1, oscillating at frequency (hz) and with configurable pulsewidth.

reverb

Applies a reverb effect to signal in.

• feedback controls feedback of the delay lines.
• size functions as a coefficient, multiplying all delay line times and expects a range of floats 0 - 1.
• wet controls dry/wet balance and expects a range of floats 0 - 1.

round

Rounds signal in to the nearest integer.

rotator

Rotates the 4 input signals rightwards every time trigger goes above 0.5. In other words, signal in 1 will cyclically move from its initial output position at signal out 1, to signal out 2, then signal out 3, and finally signal out 4 before wrapping back to signal out 1 again.

sah

Applies a sample-and-hold effect to signal in, holding its value every time trigger goes above 0.5.

saw

Generates a sawtooth wave between -1 and 1, oscillating at frequency (hz).

sampstohz

Converts an input value in samples to its equivalent number in hz.

sampstoms

Converts an input value in samples to its equivalent number in ms.

scale

Translates signal in into a different number range.

• low in is the minimum value in signal in.
• high in is the maximum value in signal in.
• low out is the minimum value desired in the output.
• high out is the minimum value desired in the output.
• exponent scales the output range according to an exponential curve and should be greater than or equal to 1.

skipper

Decides whether to pass or mute signal in every time the signal goes above 0.1, based on prob.

slide

Smooths signal in by logarithmically ramping from its previous value to its new value, ramping up over up slope (ms) and down over down slope (ms).

speaker

Connects to the speakers of the computer's selected audio output device on channel speaker channel. NOTE: if you change want to use a different audio output device, you will need to reload the page. Make sure to save your state beforehand so you can reload it.

speedlim

Slows a signal down so it only changes once for every interval (ms) that passes.

sqrt

Computes the square root of signal in 1.

swanramp

Applies a declicking algorithm to the input signal with user control over when to avoid clicks. From the Cyling '74 RNBO Documentation of swanramp:: "Performs click compensation using Miller Puckette's switch-and-ramp technique. When the right inlet receives a positive value, swanramp~ triggers a ramp that starts from the value of the last sample in the left inlet and goes down to zero over the number of samples specified. This ramp is mixed with the input signal to prevent clicks."

times

Multiplies signal 1 and signal 2.

tri

Generates a triangle wave between -1 and 1, oscillating at frequency (hz) and with configurable pulsewidth.

toggle

Outputs a 0 when the button is off and outputs a 1 when the button is on. Click the button to switch states.

wave

Reads through an audio file like a wavetable, with phase values between 0 and 1 selecting a corresponding relative position in the audio file.

wrap

Wraps any values in signal in 1 below minimum or above maximum. If the input value exceeds maximum, the output will be the amount exceeded plus minimum . If the input value is below minimum, the output will be the amount below subtracted from maximum.