Subtractive synthesis
Article
Subtractive synthesis creates sounds by starting with harmonically rich waveforms and reducing selected frequency components with filters. It is one of the most widely used methods in analogue and virtual-analogue synthesisers.
Oscillators commonly generate sawtooth, square, pulse, triangle, or noise signals. A low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, or notch filter then shapes the spectrum, often with adjustable resonance.
Envelope generators and low-frequency oscillators vary amplitude, filter cutoff, pitch, or other parameters through time. This dynamic shaping is essential to the perceived attack, decay, movement, and character of a sound.
Subtractive synthesis is associated with many classic electronic instruments and musical styles. Its signal path is conceptually straightforward but supports a wide range of timbres through modulation and control.
Source details and credits
- Source / publisher: Wikipedia
- URL type: WWW
- Credits: Wikipedia
- URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtractive_synthesis