2025 update: the WavTool platform closed its doors at the end of 2024. Follow ANR though – the company behind WavTool will have more to announce in the coming months.
WavTool is a pioneering browser-based Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) that seamlessly integrates AI technology to revolutionize the music production process. Unlike traditional DAWs, WavTool leverages the power of GPT to provide an AI-assisted environment for creating music within your browser.
A Human-Centric Approach to A.I.
While the concept of browser-based music composition is relatively new, with early examples like SoundTrap, BandLab and Soundsation paving the way, WavTool takes this idea to the next level by fully bridging the gap between web-based projects, music creation, and cutting-edge AI. What sets WavTool apart is its unique approach to harnessing AI. Rather than generating complete songs from simple prompts, WavTool focuses on empowering the artist with an AI-assisted workflow.
Developed by a team spanning Japan, Singapore, Canada, and the UK, WavTool’s philosophy is “AI should make artists, not art”. The platform aims to enhance creativity and streamline the production process, while still keeping the artist in control.
The rapid evolution of AI technology has brought about exciting possibilities in various fields, including music production. WavTool stands out by taking a “human-centric” approach, focusing on developing an environment that empowers musicians and integrates seamlessly into their existing workflows.
Excitement and Commitment
WavTool team’s dedication to creating a well-developed platform is evident in their constant updates and engagement with their Discord community. This collaborative approach ensures that the software remains bug-free and responsive to the needs of its users.
As of today, Wavtool is in Alpha and working on making more tools available as soon as they are stable, which is an exciting time for any app; the Discord channel is free to join for anyone who signs up (even Free users), and provides a constant stream of updates and support. Not to mention the well-implemented tooltips that can be enabled via “Help” in the toolbar.
While working on my WavTool review, I found that the excitement of the Discord and the constant interaction with the community, as well as updates coming out almost next-day at times made me feel like I was a part of the development team – and I do feel that this is an indispensable part of using Wavtool.
The Conductor
A good starting point to understanding Wavtool is, well… by asking it. Enter the Conductor – one of the two main assistive technologies that lie at the heart of Wavtool, along with the Composer. It can be brought up at any time by hitting “Enter/Return” on your keyboard to begin a conversation.
The Conductor acts as an assistant that helps you navigate the app, provide information, execute commands, and facilitate your production process.
This innovative feature combines WavTool’s AI and UI to speed up familiar workflows through “Skills” that it can execute based on your prompts. Some of its key skills include:
- Composer (MIDI generation)
- Audio Generation
- Stem Separation
- Prototypes (Timbre Transfer)
- Convert to MIDI
- Clip Humanization
- Chord Identification
- Latency Compensation
The Conductor also has some lesser-known but useful features, like the ability to trim the ends of MIDI clips. How? Just open the Chat, select the MIDI clip, attach it to Conductor, and prompt it to trim the ends. Done!
One of the most brilliant aspects of the Conductor is its accurate knowledge of itself, which helps ensure the user never gets lost in their workflow. It is continuously being updated with new solutions and capabilities.
Using Composer
Composer is the other main AI tool in WavTool, designed to assist with generating MIDI clips and patterns. When you start using Composer on a MIDI track, it will continuously provide suggestions in your feed for inspiration. You’ll see a preview of 3 options branching off from your starting point, which you can audition by hovering over them.
Composer is particularly useful for those looking to understand music theory. It can analyze audio or MIDI to detect chords, helping you stay on track as you compose. You can then use the detected chords as a starting point to generate new progressions and ideas with Composer. If you don’t like the initial suggestions, you can force it to “Re-Generate” a new set of options. I find this visual approach to exploring chord progressions valuable for both experienced musicians and those just learning theory.
WavTool also allows you to extract notes from recorded audio and convert them to MIDI. You can then use Composer to write accompaniment parts for your audio. This non-linear approach to the songwriting process, moving fluidly between audio and MIDI, can help spark new ideas and flesh out your demos.
Composer Tips
For beginners, one of the quickest ways to start making music in WavTool is to add a MIDI track and use your computer keyboard as a MIDI input device with the ADSR controls. By default, every new MIDI track loads the Wavetable Synth instrument, a good starting point for exploring sounds.
To get the most out of Composer, it’s important to balance its suggestions with your creative input and DAW knowledge. Provide clear prompts describing the sounds you want, and know when to take manual control in the DAW. Composer excels at recurring motifs and variations in a specified key, but it won’t write a full arrangement. Treat it as a collaborative tool to enhance your workflow, not a complete replacement for human creativity.
Chain Editor and Devices
Once you’ve created some MIDI or audio parts, you’ll likely want to process them with effects. WavTool offers a selection of lightweight, versatile internal plugins that you can access via the Library. Double-clicking a plugin while a track is selected will immediately add it to the Chain Editor, a graphical interface resembling an environment for visual coding with “ins” and “outs”. This signal chain view will be familiar to those experienced with traditional DAWs.
The Chain Editor consists of Devices and Portals. Devices generate and process audio, including WavTool’s internal plugins and 3rd-party ones you’ve scanned with the WavTool Bridge app. Devices can be synths, instruments, samplers, or effects processors.
Portals route the output of one device into the input of another, forming your signal chain. MIDI connections appear in red, while audio connections are blue. Selecting a device will reveal a set of smart controls on the right side, providing relevant information and parameters. For example, the Grid Multisampler device will show the currently loaded samples, which you can swap out or adjust using simple Attack, Gain, Decay, Detune, and Sustain options.
At the core of WavTool’s plugin library is the Wavetable synth, which even includes a wavetable creator tool that the developers used during development and have now made available to users at https://wavtool.com/waveforms. This is one of the unique perks for active members of the WavTool Discord community, offering a playground of presets and customization options.
Bridge and 3rd Party Plugins
While WavTool’s internal devices cover essential synthesis and processing needs, the recent addition of the WavTool Bridge app in February was a revolutionary update. Bridge allows users to scan their existing 3rd-party plugin library and access those familiar tools directly within WavTool. This is crucial for producers who rely on a specific set of plugins for their signature sound.
It’s worth noting that some 3rd-party plugins may have code quirks that prevent them from loading properly in Bridge, but these compatibility issues are likely to be ironed out over time as the WavTool team refines the software. Looking ahead, the developers have hinted at a forthcoming WavTool VST plugin to allow using the Composer features in your DAW of choice, further extending the flexibility of the platform.
WavTool Workflow
While working on this WavTool review, I found it easiest to integrate it with my existing comfort zone – working in Logic Pro. By keeping my instrument templates set up in Logic, I could leverage my familiar arrangement workflow while using WavTool’s Composer to generate additional parts for inspiration.
I was particularly impressed with Composer’s ability to quickly create drum parts and bass loops that sparked ideas for lead synth parts, which I then created manually in Logic. This hybrid approach allowed me to benefit from WavTool’s AI-assisted composition tools without fully relying on them.
Regardless of your primary DAW, WavTool can play a valuable role in your music creation process. The key is to provide clear guidance to Composer and balance its output with your own creative input. MIDI is an efficient, lightweight format for sketching out the framework of a song, even if you don’t have the full arrangement in mind from the start.
I like to think of Conductor and Composer as creative sidekicks – their presence and capabilities are extremely useful to have access to, even if they’re not the primary drivers of my songwriting. It’s helpful to bounce between WavTool and your DAW, using WavTool to quickly generate ideas and then fleshing them out with your own production techniques.
One word of caution: be mindful of plugin usage when moving between the two platforms. While WavTool’s recent update allows accessing your VST library via the Bridge app, compatibility isn’t always perfect. I recommend rendering parts to audio when possible to avoid plugin issues.
Ultimately, WavTool is a powerful tool to augment and accelerate your workflow, but it won’t (and isn’t intended to) replace human creativity and DAW expertise. Experiment to find the balance of AI assistance and manual control that works best for your music-making approach.
Pros/Cons
Pros:
- Supports key commands and custom key binds, making it friendly for existing DAW users
- Allows importing wavetables for sound design
- The new Bridge feature allows using VST/AU plugins
- Could assist in overcoming DAW/OS compatibility issues between collaborators
- Offers cloud project saving for easy access
- AI is well-integrated with the app and capable of self-correction
- Highly active and dedicated developers
Neutral:
- Like any AI model, it can still “hallucinate” or make mistakes
Cons:
- Currently no drag-and-drop of MIDI/audio to another DAW in Mac Split View
- Needs lots of RAM and a solid CPU
- Occasional glitches or instability
Pricing
WavTool offers three simple pricing tiers to suit different user needs and budgets:
- Basic (Free): The Basic plan is completely free and allows users to get started with WavTool at no cost. While some advanced features may be limited (i.e. no MIDI export), it provides a great way to explore the platform and experience the AI-assisted music production workflow.
- Indie ($10 USD/Month): The Indie plan unlocks additional features and capabilities for a modest monthly fee. This tier is well-suited for independent artists, producers, and hobbyists looking to take their music creation to the next level with WavTool’s AI tools.
- Pro ($20 USD/Month): The Pro plan is the top tier, offering the full range of WavTool features and functionality. It’s designed for professional users and serious enthusiasts who want to maximize their music production potential with the platform’s most advanced AI assistance and integrations. Some Pro features are still in development and will be added soon.
IMPORTANT: Regardless of the plan, all users retain full ownership of the music they create within WavTool. The pricing structure aims to make the platform accessible to a wide range of users while providing options for those who need more advanced capabilities.
WavTool Review – Closing Thoughts
Overall, WavTool is a groundbreaking platform that is reshaping the way we create and interact with music technology. Its combination of a browser-based DAW with cutting-edge AI assistance makes it a tool with vast potential for education, collaboration, and pushing the boundaries of the music production process.
The recent addition of WavTool Bridge was a game-changer, allowing users to scan and access their existing 3rd-party plugin libraries directly in WavTool. While some plugins may have compatibility quirks initially, these issues are likely to be ironed out over time. Bridge is crucial for producers who rely on specific plugins for their signature sound.
Looking ahead, the developers have hinted at exciting upcoming features like a WavTool VST plugin to enable using Composer in your primary DAW, voice command input for the AI assistant, and even a potential mobile version. Accessibility improvements are also in the works.
Worth knowing: For optimal performance, at least 16GB of RAM is recommended, and using an up-to-date browser like Firefox or Edge is advised. WavTool is lightweight in terms of internet bandwidth requirements. As with any DAW, it’s wise to monitor plugin usage and bounce to audio when possible.
One suggestion for the WavTool team is to consider summarizing each month’s updates in blog posts, making it easier for the wider community outside of Discord to follow the app’s rapid progress and evolution.
To start using WavTool, please visit their website.
