Final answer:
The timbre of a sound is influenced by the oscillator in synthesizers, and the five most common waveforms found on early analog synths are sawtooth, square, triangle, sine, and pulse waves, each with unique frequency and amplitude characteristics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The timbre of a sound is its unique quality or tone color, which allows us to differentiate between different musical instruments even when they play the same note at the same volume.
The first component that affects timbre is the oscillator, an electronic circuit that produces a repeating waveform. On early analog synths, there are typically five common types of waveform choices:
- Sawtooth wave, which has a characteristic sharp and bright sound.
- Square wave, known for its hollow and punchy tonal quality.
- Triangle wave, which produces a softer and more gentle sound.
- Sine wave, the purest form with a smooth and clear tone.
- Pulse wave, similar to the square wave but with a more versatile tonal range due to variable pulse width.
Each waveform has its own distinct frequency and amplitude characteristics, affecting the overall timbre of the sound produced by a synthesizer.
Moreover, these waveforms can vary in their harmonic content, which contributes to the unique sound of each waveform.