Wave Shapes

have a single fundamental and 0 harmonics. In the real world, sines project a perfect circle. On a 2D plane, they make a parabola.

add subtle harmonic content due to the linear sequencing of the waveform. you receive more highs than you would from a sine, but less than a saw. triangles were used in soundcards with low sample rates to mimic a sine, but have an equally important place in analog history.

lose high end at their peak. In other words, the volume of a saw wave's harmonics decrease in volume in a linear manner. This rounding of the top end is caused by an exponential loss of amplitude, much like you would see in a low pass filter.

only move up and down on a 2D plane, but they take the shape of a square when played in the real world. They have a near infinitely repeating harmonic spectrum which is best used with filters the cut the high end.

is a form of wave shape manipulation that takes the beginning of a wave cycle and creates a linear fold, much like one would see in a square. There are few sounds like a pulse wave, but should be saved for use in deliberate situations. Where you gain high end, you will lose mids.

Wave-shapes may be tested using a speaker driver + any of the following:

1. - a metal plate and sand
2. - a glass of water
3. - a really big speaker and a slow motion camera

For those on a budget, it would be more practical to install a stereo imager and set two voices in unison without random and low detune.

Synthesis

is the process of combining 2 signals together to create a new waveshape. Traditional additive synthesis is the result of stacking sines. If you only use odd intervals, you can create a triangle or saw. An even set of intervals can produce a square. These waveshapes including a sine are called Basic Shapes because they are the 4 most commonly produced waveforms using additive synthesis.

1. Saw waves are even and odd harmonics.
2. Square waves harmonics are odd only.

is functionally filtering, or EQ. This technique is what makes most synthetic instruments sound organic, "wet", or otherwise interesting to listeners.

Option A:
Take two oscilators of any kind. These two outputs will phase with eachother, removing overlapping tones and amplifying others.

Option B:
A filter

is a sample based audio manipulation. Granular first requires a source file to scan through.

takes a sample and applies "Sample and Hold" to the waveform. This creates a static oscilation of the source sample, creating a sound similar to common digital waveshapes. The magic behind S&H is spectral's user-made comb filtering, allowing for delibrate resonant peaks and smooth, mid-range focused sustains.

are seen in most modern soft-synths. A sound engineer doesn't require a degree to hear that a sine layered on top of a saw makes the output sound different. Layering these two waveshapes also changes your output waveform via subtractive synthesis.

Warp Types

takes a waveform's cross point and displaces the waveform right and left of the vector in equal amounts.

takes a wave's x-point and displaces the x-point right or left of the vector in proportional amounts.

Inverts the source oscilator's waveform cycle and replaces it along the warp position's x-point

Combines Flip and Asymetrical. The waveform is inverted along the x axis and doubled in pitch (allows for manipulation of both sides of the cycle without breaking waveform). The x-point at 90° and 270° respective utilize asymetrical transform.

Pulse Wave Modulation adds a 0 point to the waveform, muting the affected cycle and squeezing the source waveform to compensate. PWM is one piece of what makes classic game music sound like video games.

is equal to downsampling. This warp reduces the number of samples in a logarithmic fashion. Reducing the sample rate introduces noise. In the case of downsampling, that noise is squares.

Modulation

Amplitude modulation turns the input signal into a volume LFO. The volume effect becomes more dramatic at lower frequencies (sub 30hz) and will otherwise provide an accompanying pitch and timbre which reflects the input modulation at higher frequencies.

Frequency modulation takes an input signal and vibrates the carrier oscilator according to the shape, or path, of the input signal.

Ring modulation feeds sounds to a waveshape and alters their sound based on the frequency of the ring mod. RM is altered by the source waveshapen the context of 2 oscilator set ups will recieve

Time Based FX

is the foundation of all 4 effects listed here.

Delay repeats audio as few as 2 times and up to infinitely as many times as the user sets on the feedback parameter. This effect originates with tape-based recording. Tape echo would lose high end so delay would become associated with a tapering in the high end over so many repeats of the source audio. The introduction of digital repeat allows for the inverted low end taper, meant to emulate the echo of a narrowing chamber, as well as create infinite repeats.

The collection of tools above are what are most commonly associated with delay, and will be the best use case for this effect type.

Delay is prefered over reverb on recordings of vocals in favor of reverb because reverb convolves will increase in volume as the length of signal grows. Drums alternatively get a huge buff from reverb due to their percussive nature.

creates tails. Compression can make reverb ugly but it can also make reverb larger than life.

takes an input signal and creates stereo copies. Each copy will recieve a time and pitch value, as well as a filter. The filtering smooths artifacts while the pitch modulation prevents the delayed copies from sounding like slapback. A chorus often ranges from 15-35 milliseconds, but there are digital and analog units that can reach 0ms.

is achieved through a number of mediums. To read how they are done, visit Stereo & Width

Delay based stereo effects are haas and "ping-pong" delay. Haas is a static, offset delay, while ping pong delay modulates between hard left and hard right panning.

Phase Based FX

EQ, or spectral equalization, has its own section called Subtractive Synthesis.

For information on parameters and their uses, .

The fx unit a producer chooses will affect the appreciation and respect they have for phasers. Phasers use notch filters called poles. Each pole sweeps the source output for overtones to boost.

A negative polarity can sound metalic because the phase begins with a peak. Begining with a peak means that the bass is shelved at negative volume. A positive polarity can sound wet or glassy. Rate will control the stereo position of each pole. Setting a phaser's rate to ±0hz will allow for static combing of the input's spectral range.

A flanger delays the signal to get a gooey mess.

Filtering

A phase filter

This filter is theoretically infinite. So long as there is signal to emphasize, a flanger can sweep it.

You can tell this is a comb filter because of the way that it is. Each notch is set by the user

Routing

should be handled with widening first, compression second, and distortion last. Group stacatto sounds that would share transients for optimal headroom. It is better to clip the same distortion at once than it is to have two sounds clipping one cieling out of turn. This offset clipping will harm the spectral dymaics of legato sounds and weaken the transients of a group's shared instruments as it pertains to the clipper/limiter's ADSR.

My prefered way to EQ is once before compression and once before limiting to max loudness. These two EQs will be refered to as Pre EQ and Post EQ. The Master EQ will handle the absolute highest and lowest frequencies that reach the final render.

Pre EQ should be used to tell the compressor what to amplify. Boost frequencies in this instance. When there is too much bass, use a shelf. Highs add a human touch to the sound so only bring a lowpass into the mix if the high end goes above the average volume.

Post EQ should only reduce frequencies that are clipping. Cut frequencies in this. For max headroom, cut bass on most sounds at the 2nd octave of the root note. Highs can be cut with a 6db slope after 10khz. Most sounds work at the 9th octave, but others may not need the highs removed at all.

Transients

A waveform has 4 parts. Attack, Delay, Sustain, and Release. The transient is the node where Attack and Delay meet.

An amplitude transient is the loudest part and nothing but the loudest part.

A pitch transient is the part which may resemble a pop or thud.

are most commonly associated with drums. Amplitude(volume) transients can be used to enhance the snappiness of an instrument without taking from available headroom. This is best applied to plucks, stabs, and any synthesized drums.

can assist where volume fails to punch a hole in the mix. A pitch transient is commonly used to make a kick drum or 808. What makes pitch unique is that squeak or thunk that comes from

Resonance

Resonance has a few vocabulary terms to know. Common ones are bias, ratio, peak, has its own section called Phase.

For information on parameters and their uses, .

Combs will have a range of peaks and troughs. A notch, bell, and cutoff will have 1. Shelves and bands have 2 and 3 respectively.

comes from too much resonance. This may be utilized to one's advantage with enough practice. Feedback is treated as sustain in things like resonators. Feedback is tamed with gates or modulation when used in subtractive synthesis (filtering).

is the tuning of the filter, or the resonant frequencie(s).