Quadwave Playing Techniques #3 - Playing Chords

The Quadwave is often described by us as a monophonic instrument - and that’s true by default. Out of the box, each note you play replaces the last one, just like a lead synth or a traditional mono-synth. But what if you want to play full chords? The good news: you can. You just need to know how to unlock the Quadwave’s polyphonic potential.

The Magic of Purple Config Mode

In the Purple Config Mode, each of the Quadwave’s four strings sends MIDI on its own separate channel. You set this mode by pressing five fingers on the pad to cycle modes until the bottom LED is purple. This allows you to play up to four notes simultaneously, with each note routed independently. It’s still one finger per string, but now you can strum voicings and stack harmonies, just like you would on a traditional guitar.

To take full advantage of this setup, your synth needs to listen on multiple MIDI channels (this is called "Omni On / Mono"). In this mode, the synth listens to all MIDI channels, but treats each channel as a separate mono voice. That way, when the Quadwave sends different notes from each string on channels 1 through 4, your synth plays each note independently - without cutting each other off.

For example, to set this up in Ableton Live with the Vital synth, make sure your MIDI track is set to listen on all channels like this:

and Vital is set to polyphonic mode with legato off, like this:

(Vital is polyphonic when the number of voices is greater than 0.)

The Crucial Envelope Setting: Release Time

Even with the right routing, playing chords can feel harsh or abrupt - unless you tweak one key setting on your synth: the amplitude envelope’s release time.

Here’s why it matters: on a traditional guitar, when you lift your finger off the fretboard or stop plucking, the note decays naturally. It doesn’t just vanish. On the Quadwave, if your synth’s release time is set to zero (which is extremely common with factory presets), your notes will cut off the instant your finger leaves the neck or touchpad - even if it’s just a millisecond too soon.

That creates a stiff, unnatural playing experience, where your chords sound choppy and unforgiving. But when you increase the release time, each note can ring out briefly after your finger lifts - giving your playing the same kind of fluidity and forgiveness that makes real guitars so playable.

Try starting with a release time of 400-800ms and adjust to taste. You’ll instantly notice a smoother, more musical response, especially when voicing slow arpeggios or strumming triads across the strings.

In Vital, the release control is here:

(Note: Depending on the patch, you may also need to tweak the release of ENV2 or ENV3.)

Bonus Tip: Touchpad-Controlled Release

Want even more expression? You can assign the X or Y-axis of the Quadwave’s touchpad to control your synth’s amplitude release in real time.

Slide your finger in one direction on the pad to increase release, letting notes ring out longer - perfect for ambient textures or emotional swells.
Slide your finger in the other direction to shorten the release, cutting off notes faster - creating a “palm mute” effect, just like resting your hand near the bridge of a guitar.

This setup gives you dynamic control over note release, letting you shape the feel of each chord or passage as you play.

Putting It All Together

To summarize, here’s how to get lush, playable chords out of your Quadwave:

Enter Purple Config Mode (press five fingers on the pad to cycle modes).
Make sure your synth can receive MIDI on all four channels independently.
Set the amplitude envelope’s release time on your synth to a large enough value that the sound rings out - start with 500ms or more.
Experiment – you’ll be surprised how expressive four strings can be, and how much more comfortable the Quadwave is to play.

With these tweaks, the Quadwave opens up new territory for synth guitarists who want more than just leads and basslines. Whether you’re building layered textures, sequencing harmonies, or just jamming some jazzy voicings, chords are absolutely on the table.

Download the Ableton Project: Two Ways to Play Chords in Purple Mode

To help you get started quickly, we’ve created an Ableton Live project that demonstrates two different ways to play chords using the Quadwave’s Purple Config Mode. You’ll need Ableton Live 11 or higher and the Vital synth plugin (free to download) to open and use the project.

👉 Download the Ableton Project here (includes demo audio)

Method 1: Four Strings, One Synth (Light Purple Track)

The first MIDI track in the project (shaded light purple) uses a single instance of Vital configured to receive MIDI on all four channels. This setup is simple and effective:

Make sure the 'Track Activator' and ‘Arm Recording’ buttons are enabled on this track to play it.
Press five fingers on the touchpad to cycle modes until the bottom LED turns purple. Then tap notes across the Quadwave strings - you’ll hear full chords, all routed to a single synth.
Try pressing further to the right side of the touchpad: the patch responds with a deeper bass layer, adding weight and texture dynamically.

This method is a great all-in-one solution, and perfect for stacking chords with some added expressive depth.

Method 2: Four Strings, Four Synths (Dark Purple Track Group)

The second track group in the project (shaded dark purple) shows a more advanced approach: four instances of Vital, one for each string.

Each MIDI track in the group is named ‘E’, ‘A’, ‘G’, or ‘D’ - corresponding to the Quadwave’s string layout.
To use this method, first unarm the blue track, then hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click the ‘Arm Recording’ buttons on all four tracks. Also make sure 'Track Activator' is enabled for each track.
Now each string controls its own monophonic synth, giving you maximum polyphonic control. Notice how each track is listening on a different MIDI Channel.

One big advantage of this setup? You can slide chords across the neck, and each voice glides independently. It’s expressive, smooth, and opens up advanced performance techniques. You can also tweak the sound of each string - in the provided Ableton project, notice that each string has different synth settings and waveforms applied, creating a more interesting sound when played together!