Question

The starting point for creating a complex tone by additive synthesis is a single ________.

1) sine wave
2) square wave
3) triangle wave
4) sawtooth wave

Answer 1

The foundational element for creating a complex tone by additive synthesis is a single sine wave, which is considered the simplest type of periodic waveform.

Step-by-step explanation:

The starting point for creating a complex tone by additive synthesis is a single sine wave. Additive synthesis begins with simple, periodic waveforms like sine waves, and combines them to form more complex sounds. In physics, a sine wave represents a pure tone and is typically used as the basic building block in the process of additive synthesis because of its simplistic, single-frequency nature. Most other waveforms, such as square waves, triangle waves, and sawtooth waves, can be constructed by adding together multiple sine waves at different frequencies and amplitudes.