Oscillator

Oscillators are where synthesis begins. They generate the raw audio signal that everything else processes. Classic analog oscillators produce simple waveforms: sine (pure tone), saw (bright, buzzy), square (hollow), and triangle (soft). Modern digital oscillators can produce wavetables, FM tones, additive harmonics, and noise. Most synths have multiple oscillators that can be layered, detuned against each other for thickness, or used in FM/AM configurations for complex timbres. The oscillator section determines the fundamental character of your sound — everything downstream (filters, envelopes, effects) shapes and refines what the oscillator creates.