Woovebox: Pocket workstation, groovebox, synthesizer and sampler

05 Sep 2023 by Robin Vincent |

4,2 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes

Woovebox · Source: SiliconFields

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This tiny thing packs in some serious music-making power. Could Woovebox be the ultra-compact music production studio you were looking for?

Woovebox

It’s a nicely whimsical name with an adorable quality, a bit like a cute kid with buck teeth and bad pronunciation. It has a bit of a Pocket Operator flavour but has a lot more going on. I wonder if an encoder and 16 buttons is going to offer a decent hands-on experience.

The specs are crazy. First of all, it’s a 16-part multi-timbral, 4-voice synthesizer with one part fully polyphonic and the other 15 running 4 notes but through a paraphonic structure. There are 16 synthesis algorithms to choose from with things like Virtual Analogue, FM, Supersaw, percussion and so on. Each voice can run two different modules. There are 10 filter types, 2 envelopes, and multiple LFOs. And rounding it all off is a ridiculous amount of effects.

The sampler side offers 62 seconds of 44.1kHz at 8-bit, which is interpolated to 12-bit (or something). You can sample through the line input or transfer samples via Bluetooth. 16 user kits are available, each with 16 samples. The sample editing is pretty deep but how exactly do you do all the mangling, slicing, chopping, re-sampling and rearranging on this front panel?

Woovebox

Sequencer

It wouldn’t be a workstation or drum machine without a decent sequencer. In Woovebox you have 16 steps into 16 patterns onto 16 tracks across 16 songs. It can generate, arpeggiate and drop into polyrhythms. You can use scales, chords and inversions, swing and micro-tuning. Each step can have all sorts of things going on, and you can chain patterns, add probability and mute on the fly.

Woovebox

In the palm of your hand

The pocket music workstation is a very popular format. New ones keep cropping up all the time. They are amazing, but I often find watching demo videos quite painful. While I don’t doubt the usefulness of having something more intentional to fiddle with than your phone, I’m never quite sure if this is the most efficient use of your creativity.

However, if it’s fun and works for you, then go for it. The specs and potential of this box are certainly extraordinary.

Woovebox is available now for $249, and new stock is expected in October.

Woovebox website.

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