wav-Map - wave terrain synthesizer

Description

Wave terrain synthesis is a method for generating complex waveforms using a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional surface. I like to call this a Map, because in the tradition of wave terrain synthesis it is conceptualized as a 3D surface, but it’s really just an image, specifically in this case a square image 1024 pixels across where pixel brightness acts as a stand in for “elevation”.

To generate the wave, an imaginary traveller traverses an orbit, or closed path of some sort, across the Map. At each point along the path the value of the output waveform is the elevation (or pixel brightness) of the terrain at that point. One complete traversal of the path constitutes one cycle of the output waveform.

Since wav_Map converts image data into audio data behind the scenes and then reads that data back at audio rate as a waveform, it is just as logical to do away with the whole “wave terrain” construct and say that the oscillator creates sound from images, because the sound it produces is literally made from the image itself.

watch the demo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUgpLswC_4U