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527:. The parameters of the sound's envelope (attack, decay, sustain and release) are manipulated to change its sound. In this case, the decay is vastly increased, sustain is reduced, and the release shortened. The resulting sound is audible for half as long as the source sound:
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120:, subtractive synthesis was the nearly universal electronic method of sound production. Its popularity was due largely to its relative simplicity. Subtractive synthesis was so prevalent in
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The pulse-width modulated sounds are now combined at equal volume. Combining them at different volumes would create different timbres. The result is a 2-second
133:
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Subtractive synthesis has become a catchall for a method where source sounds are modulated, and it is sometimes applied inappropriately.
160:(PSG) relied heavily on subtractive synthesis. PSGs were used in many personal computers, arcade games, and home consoles such as the
200:
The following is an example of subtractive synthesis as it might occur in an electronic instrument to emulate the sound of a
113:
uses a tam-tam and a microphone as the primary sound source which is then filtered extensively by two sound projectionists.
1111:
978:
93:(1937–8). Composers began applying the concept of subtractive synthesis beyond the recording studio in concert music.
906:
105:
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that it is sometimes called "analog synthesis". It was the method of sound production in instruments like the
604:
228:. Only one oscillator is necessary, and the number can vary widely. In this case, two oscillators are used:
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Game Sound: An
Introduction to the History, Theory, and Practice of Video Game Music and Sound Design
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The technology developed in experimental electronic studios which were primarily focused on
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1036:
8:
1144:
1134:
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Stefanakis, Nikolaos, et al. “Sound
Synthesis Based on Ordinary Differential Equations.”
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103:(1957) subjects white noise to filters and uses the resulting sounds to create montages.
70:
to alter the source sound. This modulation can happen in a wide variety of ways, such as
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Dudley, Homer, Richard R. Riesz, and
Stanley S. A. Watkins. “A Synthetic Speaker.”
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Iverson, Jennifer. “Fraught
Adjacencies: The Politics of German Electronic Music.”
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23:
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Subtractive synthesis relies on source sounds that have overtones, such as
31:
994:
863:
Bates, Jon. "The
History of the World: Part One, Subtractive Synthesis".
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59:
51:
963:
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de Poli, Giovanni. “A Tutorial on
Digital Sound Synthesis Techniques.”
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784: – synthesizer manufactured by the Oxford Synthesizer Company
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program designed to emulate an analogue subtractive synthesizer.
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is applied to both waveforms to create a more complex tone with
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99:
35:
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To better emulate the sound of a plucked string, the filter's
279:
90:
766: – Patchable semi-modular monophonic analog synthesizer
173:
878:
Lane, John, et al. “Modeling Analog
Synthesis with DSPs.”
772: – Keyboard electronic music synthesizer (1939–1942)
854:, Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 2004. 70, 158.
753:
Pages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
745: – Analog synthesizer manufactured by Moog Music
786:
Pages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback
580:With its new envelope, the sound is run through a
85:and military applications. Early examples include
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760: – Synthesizer composed of separate modules
584:, which reduces the volume of higher overtones:
506:Combined waveforms and pulse-width modulation.
979:
451:, which is ready for subtractive synthesis.
439:Closeup of pulse-width modulated Waveform 2.
393:Closeup of pulse-width modulated Waveform 1.
986:
972:
869:, no. 4, 1989 Nov 01, 1989/11/01/, pp. 98.
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956:– A free software synthesis program for
809:Synthesizers and Subtractive Synthesis 1
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328:
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30:of an audio signal are attenuated by a
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629:Closeup of low-pass filtered waveform.
519:The combined wave is passed through a
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803:
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778: – Monophonic analog synthesizer
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751: – Synthesizer released in 2002
333:Closeup oscilloscope of Waveform #2.
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839:Journal of the Franklin Institute
739: – Sound synthesis technique
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491:Problems playing this file? See
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268:Problems playing this file? See
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211:
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220:produces a relatively complex
1:
852:Electronic and Computer Music
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158:Programmable sound generators
828:, vol. 92, no. 1, 2020. 94f.
521:voltage-controlled amplifier
7:
940:, vol. 39, no. 3, 2015. 48.
882:, vol. 21, no. 4, 1997. 23.
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66:. These overtones are then
41:
10:
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927:, vol. 7, no. 4, 1983. 14.
841:227, no. 6 (1939): 739–64.
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1120:
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1002:
901:. MIT Press. p. 10.
686:Closeup of final waveform
195:
16:Method of sound synthesis
807:Réveillac, Jean-Michel.
776:Steiner-Parker Synthacon
204:. It was created with a
48:non-sinusoidal waveforms
938:Computer Music Journal
924:Computer Music Journal
880:Computer Music Journal
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1184:Sound synthesis types
1112:Karplus–Strong string
813:John Wiley & Sons
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571:
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515:Subtractive Synthesis
505:
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218:electronic oscillator
111:Karlheinz Stockhausen
20:Subtractive synthesis
1163:Software synthesizer
1007:Frequency modulation
118:digital synthesizers
116:Until the advent of
1145:Digital synthesizer
758:Modular synthesizer
572:Enveloped waveform.
122:analog synthesizers
1122:Analog synthesizer
1084:Physical modelling
737:Additive synthesis
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472:Combined waveforms
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83:telecommunications
72:voltage-controlled
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1012:Linear arithmetic
826:Acta Musicologica
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415:PWM waveform #2
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369:PWM waveform #1
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22:is a method of
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56:triangle waves
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1074:Concatenative
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34:to alter the
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29:
25:
21:
1047:Sample-based
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866:Amiga Format
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449:source sound
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285:oscilloscope
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212:Source Sound
199:
191:
188:Nomenclature
152:(1978), and
115:
104:
98:
80:
45:
19:
18:
1027:Subtractive
662:Final sound
309:Waveform #2
249:Waveform #1
182:ZX Spectrum
154:Korg MS-20
1037:Distortion
792:References
764:Korg MS-20
493:media help
270:media help
216:First, an
180:, and the
134:Buchla 100
126:Trautonium
109:(1964) by
64:pink noise
1059:Wavetable
782:OSC OSCar
770:Novachord
749:MicroKorg
226:overtones
138:EMS VCS 3
136:(1960s),
130:Novachord
87:Bell Labs
68:modulated
28:overtones
26:in which
1178:Category
1064:Granular
1032:Additive
743:Minimoog
731:See also
283:Closeup
222:waveform
162:Atari ST
156:(1978).
148:(1971),
146:ARP 2600
144:(1970),
142:Minimoog
140:(1969),
132:(1939),
128:(1930),
42:Overview
1135:Modular
1107:Formant
1051:Sampler
1022:Scanned
815:, 2024.
346:vibrato
1069:Vector
905:
196:Method
166:Mattel
100:Scambi
52:square
36:timbre
32:filter
997:types
91:Voder
60:white
58:, or
50:like
958:ALSA
903:ISBN
174:Sega
62:and
54:and
1049:or
954:AMS
168:'s
97:'s
74:or
1180::
887:^
811:.
800:^
348::
184:.
176:'s
172:,
164:,
89:'
78:.
987:e
980:t
973:v
960:.
911:.
495:.
272:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.