---
title: "Wave"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/MHAIRMATERIAL-HAIRMATERIAL_GROUP_WAVE.html"
section_path: "Simulate Menu > The Simulation System > Hair > Hair material > Hair Material > Effect on Strands of Hair"
element_id: "MHAIRMATERIAL"
group_id: "HAIRMATERIAL_GROUP_WAVE"
description: "The Wave channel uses real sin curves to affect the hair, this is why some settings are titled Phase and Frequency, for example."
---

## Wave

The **Wave** channel uses real sin curves to affect the hair, this is why some settings are titled **Phase** and **Frequency**, for example.

### Wave

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE` · Range: [-∞..+∞%]

### Variation

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_VAR` · Range: [0..+∞%]

![Image: 005255.jpg](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/005255.jpg)\
Increasing **Wave** values from left to right.

Use this setting to define the wave strength. **Variation** randomly affects the strength for each hair individually, within the settings of this channel.

### X Scale

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_X` · Range: [0..+∞%]

### Y Scale

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_Y` · Range: [0..+∞%]

Imagine the hair growing on the Z axis: The **X Scale** and Y Scale] of the sine curve would affect the hair perpendicular to the Z axis in both directions, respectively. Very large values for **X Scale** and **Y Scale** generally are not necessary.

### Amount

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_AMOUNT` · Range: [0..100%]

Use this slider to define the percentage of hair that **Wave** should affect.

![Image: subgroup.gif](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/subgroup.gif)\
Advanced

### Phase X

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_PHASE_X` · Range: [0..360°]

### Phase Y

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_PHASE_Y` · Range: [0..360°]

![Image: 005256.jpg](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/005256.jpg)\
From left to right, **Phase** values of 0°, 90° and 180°, respectively.

**Phase**, which can be set separately for X and Y, defines the initial state of the wave. This is demonstrated in the preceding image.

### X Freq

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_FREQ_X` · Range: [0.00..+∞]

### Y Freq

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_FREQ_Y` · Range: [0.00..+∞]

These settings define the X and Y frequency of the sin curve, i.e., the number of waves the hair has. In the next image, the two strands of hair in the center were assigned different frequencies.

### X Curve

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_CURVE_X`

### Y Curve

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_CURVE_Y`

Use these function graphs to define the strength of wave along the entire length of the hair.

### Texture

Parameter ID: `HAIRMATERIAL_WAVE_SHADER`

A texture loaded here will use its grayscale values to define the wave of the hair over an entire surface.

# Effect on Strands of Hair

![Image: 005257.jpg](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/005257.jpg)\
Left: Strand without **Wave** applied. Center: Two strands with **Wave** applied, but with different frequencies. Right: Strand with a high **Wave** value.