Sine Waves

[Scories]

What we often call analog synthesis should rather be called substractive synthesis most of the times. Substractive synthesis is impossible with a sine wave which has no harmonics to be emphased or cut through the filter.
A sine wave can be handy to reinforce the fundamental tone though.
Sine waves are generally more suited for additive synthesis.

[bluegreengold]

Originally Posted by atma

BUT, if you do actually have a perfect sine (or can manage to filter something down to JUST its fundamental frequency) from two sources, they should be indistinguishable.

There is no *perfect*, *theoretical*, *ideal*, or *pure* sound. If you produce music that others will hear, ie not just in your imagination, it's better to stop thinking about such things.

[BM0]

Originally Posted by bluegreengold

There is no *perfect*, *theoretical*, *ideal*, or *pure* sound. If you produce music that others will hear, ie not just in your imagination, it's better to stop thinking about such things.

I don't know if this was meant to be funny, but...

A "perfect sine wave" is a waveform with absolutely no harmonics. That is just what it is called sometimes. It has nothing to do with one's relative opinion.

[bluegreengold]

Originally Posted by BM0

I don't know if this was meant to be funny, but...

A "perfect sine wave" is a waveform with absolutely no harmonics. That is just what it is called sometimes. It has nothing to do with one's relative opinion.

I'm not talking about relative opinions. For sound there is never perfect sine waves. They only exist in maths. When making music with sounds, an obsession with perfect anything is a waste of time.

[Rogue Ai]

What I meant by perfect sine was one that looked like a sine on the oscilloscope. I didn't mean for it to be theoretically perfect.

[BM0]

Originally Posted by bluegreengold

I'm not talking about relative opinions. For sound there is never perfect sine waves. They only exist in maths. When making music with sounds, an obsession with perfect anything is a waste of time.

I don't think anyone here is obsessed with how perfect a sine wave is on their synth. That would be quite ridiculous. That is taking the term "purest" to a whole other level. Probably a level of complete insanity.

[memristor]

it probably has been mentioned already but for FM it can make a difference if you dont have a clean sine
and the cleanness of a self oscillating filter depends on the linearity /saturation of the filter/opamp
since the self oscillation borders on the limiting range it's usually not clean

[JSt0rm]

Originally Posted by TYPHY

really?
what kind of wave is that then?

Originally Posted by atma

no idea without being able to look at it, but it has harmonics in it that you can clearly hear (higher frequencies above the fundamental tone)

Its a partial waveform. They are using partials for the lead as well. Kurzweil does this stuff well. Very digital.

[Philibert]

Why is everyone talking about sine waves?
Cosine sound SOOOOO much better...

[Rogue Ai]

Originally Posted by Philibert

Why is everyone talking about sine waves?
Cosine sound SOOOOO much better...

[memristor]

cosine and sine make a difference, in phase distortion synthesis for instance

[Rogue Ai]

Originally Posted by memristor

cosine and sine make a difference, in phase distortion synthesis for instance

But alone they sound exactly the same.

[Mans]

Originally Posted by Rogue Ai

But alone they sound exactly the same.

I've always found a cosine to be more warm, organic, more 'analog' if you will.

[Brainchild]

For the ultimate in punch and dynamic range, I always reach for the tangent wave.

[memristor]

cause cosine rhymes rosin ?

sine OTOH comes from sinus, meaning bosom

I wonder why wikipedia doesn't mention that

[BM0]

I use a scientific calculator to come up with ideas for what sound I want create. I figure that math always know what is best.

I also look at deep space images that are inspiring to determine the wavelength to use for my sound... err wait, wrong sense.

[verve92]

The great sine debate!

Only on GS!!!
Love it!