All ES2 oscillators output a number of standard waveforms—sine, pulse, rectangular, sawtooth, and triangular waves—or, alternately, any of 100 Digiwaves (see Use ES2 Digiwaves). The table outlines the basic waveforms.
Waveform | Basic tone | Comments |
|---|---|---|
Pulse/Rectangular | Nasal sounding | Great for reed instruments, synth blips, and basses |
Square | Hollow and woody sounding | Useful for basses, clarinets, and oboes. The pulse width of (oscillator 2 and 3) square waveforms can be smoothly scaled between 50% and the thinnest of pulses. |
Sawtooth | Warm and even | Useful for strings, pads, bass, and brass sounds |
Triangle | Sweet sounding, softer than sawtooth | Useful for flutes and pad sounds |
Sine | A pure tone | The sine wave of oscillator 1 can be frequency modulated by oscillator 2. This kind of modulation forms the basis of FM synthesis (see Use frequency modulation in ES2). |
Oscillators 2 and 3 also offer the selection of:
A rectangular wave, synchronized to oscillator 1
A sawtooth wave, synchronized to oscillator 1
A ring modulator, which is fed by the output of oscillator 1 and a square wave from oscillator 2
Colored noise for oscillator 3. See Use the ES2 noise generator.
Oscillator synchronization and ring modulation allow for the creation of very complex and flexible harmonic spectra. The principles behind oscillator synchronization are described in Synchronize ES2 oscillators. Ring modulation principles are described in Use ring modulation in ES2.