Ramp wave?

[Pehr]

This might be a stupid question, but is a ramp wave the same as a sine wave?

[Clack]

its a sawtooth / / / / ramps. but i think it could mean it goes the other way ascending

[Pehr]

aha! thanks!

[dnny]

well Pehr there are no stupid questions and we all have been newbies.
(and I'm still one)

i have learn that the waves goes like this

but I'm not sure about it, because sometimes i hear people talking about sawtooth, triangle and ramp like they are the same wave ?
if someone knows please clear the thing to me and others

thanks

daniel

[blue hell]

Ramp and sawtooth are the same thing (although I think that technically or mathematically the word ramp is used mostly when the signal is non-repeating (and goes on to climb or descend "for ever")).

BTW ascending or descending makes no difference for how the sawtooth wave sounds. A triangle is different, that one sounds softer and has less high frequency energy in it (when you sweep a filter over the signals it will be clear immediately)

[Clack]

On the LFO of the soundlab there is a switch with ramp triangle and saw so im guessing in this case it means one ramps up and the other ramps down and the tringle ramps up and down

/ / / /
\ \ \ \
/\/\/\

I dont know if thats true, im guessing. i havnt got it working yet

[Mohoyoho]

There is a difference when modulating with ramp waves. With a reverse ramp (when the sloped side comes first) there is a gradual modulation and then an abrupt end. The standard saw has the opposite effect.

[Pehr]

[v-un-v]

[v-un-v]

I should add that a ramp wave (sawtooth) is rich in both odd and even harmonics, whereas a sinewave only has one- its fundamental.

A triangle is like a sinewave- but has a couple more harmonics (even I think- been a while- childcare takes it out of you!!). Triangle waves are good for synthesising flute-like or pipe organ sounds.

A squarewave only contains odd harmonics and has a much more buzzy sound. Therefore its good for making other woodwind sounds. for eg, Instruments that contain a reed such as an oboe or clarinet. Squarewaves can also be manipulated through mark-space-ratio to create 'pulsewaves'. Pulsewaves are good for creating vocal sounds- especially if used with a high resonance filter.

A sawtooth is good for creating string sounds- because they are rich in harmonics. Saw's are also good for filtering because it's easy to get that classic 'rasping filter' sound- so beloved of Tangerine Dream and 70's sci-fi fanatics.

It's a shame that no one has come up with an analogue alternative (although I did find an excellent circuit for the Serge modular which sweeps through all available waveforms from a sawtooth).

Hope that helps :)

[blue hell]