Tag: oscillator

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Sound Design and Production Concepts Synthesizer Concepts

Wavetable

A wavetable is a group of sound samples stored digitally and used as the foundation for wavetable synthesis in synthesizers. It is a table of values that creates a digital representation of a waveform by representing the amplitude of a sound at various points in time. This waveform could be a straightforward sine wave or a more complex sound, like an instrument recording or a soundscape.

Wavetable synthesis uses the samples in the wavetable as the starting point for creating new sounds and uses wavetables. An oscillator that can be modulated to produce different sounds reads the wavetable. For instance, the index can be modulated to move through the wavetable at different rates, changing the harmonic content and overall character of the sound. The oscillator’s frequency can also alter the sound’s pitch.

In summary, a wavetable is a group of sound samples that can be used as the foundation for sound synthesis using wavetable synthesis and is stored in a digital format. It can be modulated to produce various sounds and read by an oscillator to generate a sound.

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Sound Design and Production Concepts Synthesizer Features

Voices

A voice in a synthesizer is a standalone sound-generating or sound-processing unit that can create sounds independently. How many sounds a synthesizer can produce at once is determined by the number of voices it has.

For instance, a synthesizer with four voices can simultaneously produce four different sounds. This can be used to play multiple notes simultaneously, such as when playing a melody, or to create complex and layered sounds, such as chords.

One can also refer to a synthesizer as polyphonic if it has several voices. Monophonic refers to a synthesizer that can only play one note at a time. It is possible to switch between monophonic and polyphonic modes on some synthesizers.

Depending on the synthesis technique it employs, a synthesizer can produce a variety of voices. Oscillators, filters, and envelopes make up the voices of some subtractive synthesis synthesizers. Some people create voices using wavetable synthesis, which uses wavetables, filters, and envelopes. Granular synthesis is a synthesizer in which the voices are composed of grains, filters, and envelopes.

Additionally, some synthesizers have features like voice layering, voice stacking, and voice splitting that let you use multiple voices in various ways. For instance, you could layer various sounds to create complex timbres or divide the keyboard into different zones and assign multiple sounds to each zone.

Generally, a synthesizer’s capabilities and the types of sounds it can create depend on the number of voices it has and the voices it employs. These factors should be taken into account when selecting a synthesizer.

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Synthesizer Types

Additive Synthesizer

An additive synthesizer is a type of synthesizer that creates sound by combining multiple sine waves of different frequencies, amplitudes, and phases. The process of combining these sine waves is called additive synthesis.

An additive synthesizer typically has a large number of oscillators, each of which generates a sine wave at a specific frequency. The user can control the amplitude and phase of each oscillator, as well as the overall harmonic content of the sound by adjusting the balance of the different sine waves. By adjusting the parameters of the individual oscillators, the user can create a wide range of sounds and timbres.

One of the main advantages of additive synthesis is that it allows for a high degree of control over the harmonic content of the sound. Because the sound is created by combining individual sine waves, the user can precisely control the balance of different harmonics in the sound. This allows for the creation of very rich and complex timbres.

Additive synthesis was initially developed in the 1960s and 1970s, and it was one of the earliest forms of synthesis. Today, additive synthesis is still used in some synthesizers, and it can also be found in software synthesizers and in digital signal processing (DSP) applications.

Additive synthesis is known for its ability to create very complex and rich sounds, it is often used in experimental, electronic, and ambient music. However, it can be used in other genres as well.

Examples

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Synthesizer Features

Subtractive Synthesizer

A subtractive synthesizer is a type of synthesizer that uses filters to subtract harmonics from a waveform to create a desired sound. It begins with a complicated sound, like a sawtooth, square, or noise waveform, and then employs filters to eliminate particular frequencies or harmonics. Because the harmonics are being subtracted from the original waveform, this process is known as “subtraction.”

The low-pass filter is the most typical type used in subtractive synthesis. It attenuates or blocks out higher frequencies while allowing low frequencies to pass through. This kind of synthesis also employs high-pass, band-pass, and band-stop filters. Envelopes also gradually alter the sound’s amplitude and other properties.

One of the most popular synthesis methods in electronic music is subtractive synthesis, which also serves as the foundation for many iconic analog synthesizers like the Moog Minimoog and Roland SH-101.

One of the most flexible sound design techniques is a straightforward and intuitive synthesis method that enables the user to shape and sculpt the sound in various ways.

To produce a desired sound, subtractive synthesis uses filters to remove harmonics from a waveform. It begins with a complicated waveform, like a sawtooth, square, or noise waveform, and then employs filters to eliminate particular frequencies or harmonics. The low-pass filter is the most popular filter used in subtractive synthesis. It is one of the most widely used synthesis techniques in electronic music, is easy to understand, and serves as the foundation for many iconic analog synthesizers.

Examples

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Synthesizer Features

Oscillators

An oscillator is a core component of a synthesizer that generates a repeating waveform, which is used as the building block for creating sound. A sine wave, square wave, sawtooth wave, triangle wave, or another type of waveform can be produced by an oscillator. An oscillator’s frequency, which is typically measured in hertz, determines the pitch of the waveform it produces (Hz).

Oscillators are a vital component of a synthesizer because they supply the unprocessed audio that other features, like filters, envelopes, and LFOs, use to shape and process the audio. Most synthesizers have multiple oscillators, which can be used to layer or modulate various waveforms to produce complex sounds.

Various parameters can also control a synthesizer’s oscillators, including waveform, tuning, detuning, pitch modulation, sync, and others. Different oscillators, including wavetable and sample-based oscillators and analog and digital oscillators, are also found in some synthesizers.

In conclusion, a synthesizer’s oscillator is a component that produces a repeating waveform, which is the basic building block for creating sound. Most synthesizers have multiple oscillators to build more complex sounds, and oscillators can have various parameters that let the user shape and modulate the sound.

Synthesizer Waveforms

Synthesizers use various types of waveforms to generate sound. Some of the most common waveforms used include:

  1. Sine wave: a smooth, pure tone with no harmonics.
  2. Square wave: has a distinct “on-off” sound with sharp edges, and has odd harmonics.
  3. Sawtooth wave: has a bright, brassy sound, with even and odd harmonics.
  4. Triangle wave: similar to a sawtooth wave, but with a softer attack and fewer harmonics.
  5. Pulse wave: similar to a square wave, but with a variable duty cycle (the width of the “on” state in relation to the total period of the waveform)
  6. Noise: random electrical signal, can be white, pink or other colors.
  7. Super Saw: a waveform that is a combination of multiple sawtooth waves detuned from each other.
  8. Feedback Oscillator: a waveform generated by sending the output of an oscillator back into its input, creating a complex and evolving sound.
  9. Sample-based waveforms: a recorded sample of a sound can be used as a waveform.
  10. Wavetable synthesis: a method where a synthesizer uses a table of pre-recorded waveforms to generate new sounds.

Synthesizers can also use combinations of these waveforms and modulate them to create more complex sounds.