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How Additive Synthesis WorksĪs anyone pretty familiar with synthesis would know, sine waves by themselves aren’t really all that exciting in isolation.
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This essentially formed the basis for additive synthesis. In what would eventually come to be known as the Fourier Theorem, the mathematician stated that combining sine waves would result in complex sounds. For Fourier, sine waves are the simplest identifiable units of sound, in the same way that atoms are the smallest units of any element. In the early years of the 19th century, the French mathematician Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier put forth the theory that complex sounds can be broken up into several, quite simple component sounds.Ĭonversely, Fourier also believed that even the most complex sounds could be created by combining the simplest of sounds, which are sine waves. Origins of Additive SynthesisĪlthough additive synthesis might seem like a wildly innovative and esoteric form of synthesis to some, its origins can actually be traced to the earliest days of electrical theory. When combined, these differences affect the length and tone of the final sound to varying degrees. The individual waveforms used in additive synthesis typically have different frequencies and amplitudes. In practice however, most any type of waveform can be used, and some systems even utilize short segments of recorded sound. Like in FM synthesis, sine waves are the most commonly utilized waveforms (as they’re the simplest and most basic to work with). This is in order to produce a more complex sound. Definition of Additive SynthesisĪt its most basic, additive synthesis is a sound generation method that involves the combination of simple waveforms. But just like its more familiar counterparts– subtractive, FM, and phase distortion–additive synthesis is actually capable of producing quite a diverse range of sounds. Many people think of additive synthesis as only suitable for approximating organ sounds or for producing harsh, clangorous timbres. Of all the available methods for generating or synthesizing sounds, additive synthesis is one of the least understood. Read the other articles on audio synthesis:Īdditive Synthesis Explained – Introduction So in this article we will, as we have in our previous articles on synthesis, investigate and understand what additive synthesis is.Īnd we’ll do that it in such a way that’s easy to understand and applicable to our craft as music producers. and you’re likely to come up with a few different reactions.Įven if the audience includes a number of experienced synthesists, there will still probably be some contention as to what additive synthesis is, what it is for, and what sounds it can produce. Mention the term “additive synthesis” to a roomful of musicians….