Waldorf Crema is a compact, bi-timbral desktop synthesizer for string ensembles, layered pads and slowly evolving textures. It builds on the Waldorf Streichfett, keeping its 1970s string-machine character and adding the digital pad sounds of the 1980s and 1990s through wavetable and FM synthesis. It shares its form factor with the Waldorf Protein.
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Texture engine: 24 sound types covering Streichfett strings, wavetables and FM, with morphing between sounds and the Streichfett Ensemble effect available on all of them
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Lines engine: 8-voice virtual-analog synth with two detunable oscillators, Pulse or Saw waveforms, stereo tremolo, vibrato and PWM
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Two effects processors: routable in series or parallel, with chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, drive, delay, reverb and a dedicated Shimmer reverb
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Flavour knob: introduces small variations in pitch and wave position
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Presets: over 130 factory sounds and 360 preset slots, managed with Waldorf's Chutney Librarian
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MIDI: MPE support and a separate MIDI channel for each engine
The two engines can be played on their own, layered, or split by note range and MIDI channel. In the Texture engine, Strings mode carries over the polyphonic string engine of the Streichfett, with a Variation control that moves between violin, viola, cello, brass, organ and choir. Wavetable mode pairs classic and new Waldorf wavetables with a virtual-analog filter, while FM mode provides 4-operator algorithms with feedback for bells, keys, brass, bass, woodwind and organ tones.
Lines is based on the Streichfett's solo layer and adds mono and legato modes, so it works for leads and basslines over a Texture pad. An arpeggiator can be assigned to Texture, Lines or both, and a step sequencer with up to 32 steps and a scale mode adds movement to patches.
Factory sounds come from sound designers including Christian Kleine and LimbicBits and can be filtered by category. The free Chutney Librarian for macOS and Windows stores sounds and transfers them between Crema and a computer. The unit weighs 0.9 kg, is powered over USB-C and offers MIDI over USB, mini TRS MIDI in and out, stereo audio outputs and a headphone output.