Sound lab · Lab · Guitar Trip

The sound lab is a tool for experimenting with timbre. In additive mode you build a sound by adding the fundamental and its harmonics, each at the strength you choose, and watch the waveform change. You can also compare the basic waves, sine, triangle, square and sawtooth, and a plucked-string synthesis that imitates a guitar's attack. Its purpose is for you to hear what the sound topics explain: timbre depends on which harmonics are present and how strong they are.

Open the lab in additive mode

Three starting points:

The fundamental alone Odd harmonics only Plucked string

How to use it

Start with every harmonic at zero except the fundamental and add them one at a time. Listen for the moment the sound stops seeming "pure".
Keep only the odd harmonics and compare with the square wave; then all of them with decreasing strength and compare with the sawtooth.
Remove the fundamental and keep the harmonics: often you'll still hear the same pitch. That's the missing fundamental, a perceptual effect.
Link each harmonic to the fret where it sounds on the guitar, with the string-vibration animation.

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How to use it

Related concepts

How to use it