A method for reducing switching losses and waveform distortion in a driver for a circuit with a capacitive load includes generating a variable pre-drive pulse to achieve zero voltage and zero-current switching of a high-side switch of the unfolding stage. A controller computes the variable pre-drive pulse with the controller, and a sense resistor in series with the power converter inductor detects a zero voltage switching condition point and/or a zero voltage switching condition point. The driver includes a power converter that receives an input voltage vin as input and generates a clean folded waveform as an output. An unfolding stage referenced to vin receives the clean folded waveform from the converter and unfolds the folded waveform into a full waveform.