As expected, Waldorf’s newly relaunched instrument family is expanding. In addition to the Protein, an ensemble synthesizer is now seeing the light of day. This is somewhat surprising, especially since the Waldorf Streichfett is already considered one of the outstanding ensemble clones of today. But while Streichfett targeted the very old pad classics (Solina String Ensemble, etc.), Crema focuses on the slightly newer pad classics … and more.
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ENSEMBLE means: TEXTURE and LINES under one roof. The former (Texture) includes strings, wavetables, FM… there are 24 sound types, along with the ability to morph between two sounds. The latter (Lines) is an eight-voice, polyphonic, virtual analog engine with two detunable oscillators, pulse or sawtooth waveforms, and modulation options such as stereo tremolo, vibrato, and PWM.
Some Waldorf PR:
LET IT BLEND
Two effects processors with flexible serial and parallel routing combine chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, drive, delay and reverb with a dedicated Shimmer reverb, opening the door to everything from subtle pads to vast, evolving soundscapes.
To capture that vintage feel, there’s …
ORGANIC FLAVOUR
A little imperfection makes a beautiful difference. Turn the Flavour knob to introduce subtle variations in pitch and wave position. Add movement, warmth and organic character to your sound, all with a single turn.
And, of course, access to all the sounds is the be-all and end-all:
READY TO PLAY
Crema includes over 130 factory sounds created by sound designers including Christian Kleine, LimbicBits, and others.
With 360 preset slots and the Chutney Librarian application, sounds can be easily stored, organised and transferred between Crema and a computer.
Although we’re not about to simply write off the beloved Waldorf Streichfett (our “Texture”) or the Waldorf Rocket (our “Lines”), we’re definitely looking forward to the Crema. The combination of strings, wavetables, FM, and solo/lead synthesizers plus ARP/Sequencer and memories sounds like a compact all-rounder.
Admittedly, the on-board controls are a bit limited (… with a “handspan-wide” design, there’s only room for a handful of knobs). But there’s a display / menue architecture for in-depth programming. With its tasteful design, manageable weight (0.9 kg), and musical versatility, the Waldorf Crema is sure to find its place in many a studio.
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Further Info:
Waldorf Crema Sound Demo
Waldorf Crema
Pad Machine & String Ensemble
with TEXTURE / LINES engine,
effects, ARP and sequencer
Price:
340 Euros
Dimensions (L/W/H):
25,2 x 17,0 x 4,8 cm
Weight:
0,9 kg
Link:
www.waldorfmusic.com