An oscillator generates the raw sound wave. Different waveforms have different harmonic content:
- Sine — pure tone, no harmonics (flute-like)
- Square — odd harmonics, hollow/retro (8-bit games)
- Sawtooth — all harmonics, bright/buzzy (strings, brass)
- Triangle — soft, between sine and square
The more harmonics a wave has, the "richer" it sounds.
A filter shapes the tone by removing certain frequencies:
- Cutoff — frequency threshold. Lower = darker, higher = brighter
- Resonance (Q) — boosts near cutoff for a "squelchy" sound
Think of it like an equalizer that carves out the character of your sound.
An envelope controls how volume changes over time:
- Atack — speed to full volume (fast = pluck, slow = swell)
- Decay — time from peak down to sustain level
- Sustain — held volume while key is pressed
- Release — fade time after releasing the key
Piano = fast attack, medium decay. Pad = slow attack, long release.
A Low-Frequency Oscillator modulates other parameters over time:
- Rate — how fast modulation cycles (slow = subtle, fast = vibrato)
- Depth — how much the parameter changes
- Target — what gets modulated: pitch, volume, or filter
LFOs add movement and life to otherwise static sounds.
Effects add space and character to your sound:
- Reverb — simulates acoustic spaces. Makes sounds feel "big"
- Delay — echoes the signal. Time = spacing, feedback = repeats
Effects transform a thin sound into something that fills space.
🎉 All Sections Unlocked!
You've explored every concept in analog synthesis. Try the presets below or experiment freely!
Use your computer keyboard: A S D F G H J K L ; (white keys) and W E T Y U O P (black keys)