Waldorf Q Keyboard User Manual page 70

Sound Parameters – Oscillators
The Triangle Wave
The Triangle Wave is very similar to the square wave. It is made of the same harmonics as the square
wave, but with different magnitude ratios. The magnitude of each harmonic is divided by the power
of the number of it. This means that the third harmonic's magnitude is a ninth, the fifth harmonic is a
twenty-fifth and so on. The following picture shows the harmonic content:
Amplitude
The reason why the triangle wave is so popular in classic synthesizers is because it was easier to
generate than a sine wave but could be used for the same purpose. It could act as a suboscillator
wave, to emphasize certain frequencies or to frequency modulate other oscillators.
The triangle wave sounds like a wood wind instrument, i.e. a clarinet. It can also be used for mallet
instruments like vibraphone, xylophone etc.
Waldorf Q User's Manual
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Time
Picture 14: Additive components of the Triangle wave
Magnitude
1 3 5 7 9
Harmonics
70
1st Harmonic
Magnitude 1
3rd Harmonic
Magnitude 1/9
5th Harmonic
Magnitude 1/25
7th Harmonic
Magnitude 1/49
Frequency
11 13 15