Oscillators

Usine provides a range of audio oscillator modules for sound synthesis, from simple waveform generators to advanced wavetable and FM synthesis engines.

Comparison Table

Module Synthesis Type Waveforms Quality Character
Simple Direct Sine, square, saw, noise Low CPU, non-bandlimited Basic LFO/control signal use; may alias at audio rates
Digital Bandlimited Sine, square, triangle, saw, white/pink noise, saw inverse Medium Clean digital character, anti-aliased
Analog Bandlimited (analog emulation) Saw, square, triangle, sine, noise (simultaneous outputs) High Warm analog character, pulse width, harmonics control, all waveforms available at once
FM FM synthesis Sine, triangle, square, saw Medium Designed for FM synthesis, supports negative frequencies and FM feedback
Additive Additive Sine (up to 1024 partials) High Array-driven frequency and amplitude inputs for additive synthesis
VPS Vector Phaseshaping Synthesized High Combines two sine waves at a junction point, formant and cut-off control
Wavetable Wavetable Square, triangle, saw, custom array, file High Loads custom single-cycle waveforms from arrays or audio files

Key Features

All oscillators (except Additive) share common parameters:

  • Frequency control
  • Amplitude with optional smoothing
  • Phase offset (-1 to +1)
  • Sync trigger input to restart the waveform

Choosing the Right Oscillator

For subtractive synthesis:

  • Analog for the richest sound with simultaneous waveform outputs and pulse width control
  • Digital for clean, bandlimited waveforms with multiple types

For FM synthesis:

  • FM for dedicated FM use with negative frequency support and feedback

For additive and spectral synthesis:

  • Additive for building timbres from up to 1024 sine partials
  • VPS for formant-like tonal shaping with direct harmonic control

For sample-based and custom waveforms:

  • Wavetable for loading custom single-cycle waveforms from files or arrays

For LFO and control signals:

  • Simple for low-CPU modulation sources (not recommended for audio synthesis due to aliasing)

See also

version 7.0.250121

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