How Oscillators WorkLesson 1 of 9
What Is a Waveform?
THE CONCEPT
Sound is vibration — air molecules moving back and forth. A synthesizer creates sound by generating an electrical signal that oscillates at a set frequency. The shape of that oscillation is called a waveform, and it determines the timbre (tone color) of the sound.
TRY IT
Hit Trigger Note to hear the oscillator, then use the controls below to explore the four basic waveforms. Switch between them and listen to how each one sounds different — even at the same pitch.
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THINGS TO NOTICE
✦Sine waves are the purest tone — a single frequency, no harmonics.
✦Sawtooth waves are bright and buzzy — rich in harmonics, great for leads and basses.
✦Square waves have a hollow, woody character — think old video game sounds.
✦Triangle waves sit between sine and square — soft but with a bit of edge.