WavMak 1.0 Create any waveform shape for audio testing
Roman Black - Jan 2009 - web 05th Mar 2009.
What is it?
This is free software that will create a 30 second .WAV file (standard
44.1kHz 16bit stereo) from numerical data that you write in a text file.
Pros
This is useful because you can create ANY waveshape you require;
including pulses, combinaton low freq and high freq, or even place
transients or glitches on top of standard waveshapes like sinewaves.
Cons
The resolution is always 44.1kHz (because of your soundcard limitations)
so that will limit the detail you can include in high frequency waveforms.
In some ways this is also a benefit, see down the page for details.
Another problem is that you need to enter wave data in a text file,
this can be annoying for waveforms with a lot of detail.
However you can use a spreadsheet like Excel to generate the numerical
waveform data and then cut/paste that data as text.
Waveform data is entered in a text file;
The simplest use is just to enter 8bit wave data like this;
128
128
240
128
128
15
WavMak reads that data from the text file and repeats it, then produces
a 30 second wave file at 44.1kHz.
It makes and displays a wave file;
WavMak is fully 16bit compatible
You can create very detailed waveforms with numerical data in 16bit format.
This allows use of the full capability of 16bit 44.1kHz data
(ie CD quality audio).
Enter 16bit waveform data as 2 bytes on each line; MSB then LSB;
If exporting data from Excel or other spreadsheets you can use leading
zeros or leading blanks, BUT any chars between the 2 numbers must be spaces.
Remember the second number is OPTIONAL so only use it if you need the
extra resolution provided by 16bit.
So these data lines would all load as the same data (006 076);
6 76
006 076
6 76
06 76 comment here
6 076
The program is reasonably smart, so any text lines that are blank or
that start with non-numerical text are ignored (treated as text comments).
Also you can add comments at the end of any line after the numerical data.
These comments can be handy when creating larger text files for more
complex waveforms.
What is it used for?
If you just need to generate sinewaves or triangle waves etc at any desired
frequency you should look at one of the freeware waveform generators
that are already available like
SigJenny
Otherwise, if you need to create a complex waveform say like a 1kHz
sinewave with a specific size/shape glitch spike attached, this software
will let you do it.
It also allows you to add high frequency "detail" to specific regions of a
low frequency waveform, this can be used to test saturation recovery of
output transformers as used in tube amps.
Specialised 44.1kHz testing...
This was my main requirement for this software. My little home recording
studio records at 44.1kHz 16 bit stereo (CD Audio quality).
My stereo guitar rack effects unit, guitar effects footpedals and stereo
echo/delay units are also all digital units operating at 44.1kHz.
My problem (like many other people) is recording DI (direct input) from
a 44.1kHz digital effects device straight into a digital recorder.
As the recorder has great high frequency response it captures all the
digital "harshness" generated by the 44.1kHz effects unit which also has
good high frequency response.
One solution with recording electric guitar is to run the 44.1kHz effects
stereo output into 1 or 2 tube amps, cranked up near full volume and recorded
with microphones. This smoothes the 44.1kHz artifacts via mechanisms
both electrical and mechanical and can give a good smooth "classic"
guitar tone. Although I do have tube amps and microphones this is not
always practical, and actually its quite a pain in the ass for a small
home recording setup.
So I have been working on a simple circuit that will go between 44.1kHz
effect units and the recorder, to smooth guitar sounds etc in a way
that removes the bulk of the 44.1kHz artifacts and "transistory harshness"
and gives a result that probably won't sound like a tube amp
but should still sound good in the way I require. This software
lets me create examples of the problem wave shapes at the standard 44.1kHz
so I can then try various analogue electronic solutions to smoothing
these problem wave shapes. You can read about my work on the
Tube Smoother Project here.
Sample waveforms included
WAVE2.TXT is a 2.7kHz sinewave with a glitch added to every other wave.
WAVE3.TXT a 2.2kHz hard clipped electric guitar with typical 44.1kHz artifacts.
WAVE4.TXT same 2.2kHz guitar (as above) but in bursts to test amp "pumping".
Download WavMak 1.0
WavMak 1.0 works with Win95, Win98, WinXP and maybe Vistacide.
It is Freeware which means you can use it for free for personal
or corporate use. Dont expect me to provide much in the way of support,
I made this software in one evening and it seems to work fine. This web
page is the support!
