Waveform
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A waveform is the visual or mathematical representation of an audio signal over time. It shows how the amplitude of the sound changes, and reflects timbre characteristics:
- Sine wave = pure tone, no harmonics
- Square wave = rich in odd harmonics
- Sawtooth wave = bright and rich in harmonics
- Triangle wave = softer than square, richer than sine
In music production, waveforms help visualize audio, identify transients, edit with precision, and serve as the foundation for sound generation in synthesizers.
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