'Wave' is the latest technology to turn your hands into MIDI controllers. We know the 'Wave' Ring by Genki Instruments for a while as wearable for musicians to control sound, shape effects and send commands through movement.
The new Genki 'Wave for Work' now allows users to control Zoom and other video conferencing software as well as apps on their PC or Mac by just pressing a button on the smart ring.
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Genki, an electronics firm based in Reykjavík, Iceland, has further developed the Wave ring that it can control a whole bunch of basic computing stuff like Zoom calls, slideshows and music playback.
The Wave for Work app natively supports Zoom, Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint, Keynote, Spotify, Photoshop, and several other programs. However, there are also video call, presentation, and music modes that users can switch to in order to control all of the different apps on their computers, reports TechRadar.
With three easy-to-use buttons, Wave ring allows musicians to easily change sounds, parameters and effects using gestures. Since being funded on Indiegogo, many well-known musicians have used the Genki Wave on stage and in the studio.
Four different motions allow you to control any parameter in a new way. By tapping any surface you can trigger notes or samples. Easily accessible buttons on the ring allow you to cycle between presets, send commands and simply pause Wave so you can move your hands freely without changing anything.
Softwave is the standalone companion software for the Wave ring. It allows users to customize presets, Gesture mapping, and Gesture parameters. It has internal sounds so you can use it without your DAW, and you can even load your plugins.
There are a number of presets already created when you open Softwave – you can alter them, delete them, or add your own presets at any time. Each one can hold up to eight Wave functions where you can assign MIDI CC or Keyboard values. You can also adjust the Gesture sensitivity and range via the visual displays for each gesture.
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Pros
Unique and comfortable form factor
Easy to set up
Highly customizable
Big live performance potential
Cons
Multidimensional gestures bleed into each other
The Genki Wave for Work will soon cost $149 but with the company’s current promotion, you can pick one up for just $99. The rings can be ordered from their website.
