waveforms
Patterns of vibration
Waveforms are the shapes that waves take when graphed over time—the visual representation of how a signal varies.
In audio, a waveform shows sound's amplitude fluctuations; in electronics, it displays voltage changes.
Common types include sine waves, square waves, and sawtooth waves.
Musicians and sound engineers study waveforms to understand and manipulate audio: The waveform showed clipping where the signal peaked.
Maximum oscillation displacement
- modulationVarying signals to transmit
- transmissionSending of information
- carrierOne that transports
- digitalOf discrete data
analog · pulse · binary · bandwidth · encoding · decoding · multiplexing · demodulation
Voltage waveform display device
- synthesizerElectronic sound-generating instrument
- soundwaveTraveling pressure disturbance
- envelopeFolded paper enclosure
- filterPorous separation device
equalizer · compression · distortion · reverb · dynamics · mixer · stereo · mono
Implicit secondary meanings
- partialsIncomplete sets or components
- fundamentalForming the base
- timbreSound's distinctive character
- nodesPoints of connection
superposition · constructive · destructive · pure tone · sawtooth
Opposite over hypotenuse
- cosineRatio in triangle math
- periodPunctuation ending sentences
- cycleRepeating sequence of events
- frequencyRate of recurrence
hertz · kilohertz · undulate · fluctuate · ripple · pulsate · vibration · periodic
Continuous range of values
- radioElectromagnetic wave receiver
- microwaveRadiation-based kitchen heater
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- ultravioletWavelengths shorter than violet
gamma · X-ray · photon · wavelength · antenna · broadcast · radar · visible light
amplitude
Maximum oscillation displacement
- modulationVarying signals to transmit
- transmissionSending of information
- carrierOne that transports
digital · analog · pulse · binary · bandwidth · encoding · decoding · multiplexing · demodulation · attenuation
oscilloscope
Voltage waveform display device
- synthesizerElectronic sound-generating instrument
- soundwaveTraveling pressure disturbance
- envelopeFolded paper enclosure
filter · equalizer · compression · distortion · reverb · dynamics · mixer · stereo · mono · fidelity
overtones
Implicit secondary meanings
- partialsIncomplete sets or components
- fundamentalForming the base
- timbreSound's distinctive character
nodes · superposition · constructive · destructive · pure tone · sawtooth
sine
Opposite over hypotenuse
frequency · hertz · kilohertz · undulate · fluctuate · ripple · pulsate · vibration · periodic · damped
spectrum
Continuous range of values
- radioElectromagnetic wave receiver
- microwaveRadiation-based kitchen heater
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
ultraviolet · gamma · X-ray · photon · wavelength · antenna · broadcast · radar · visible light · radiation
- acousticssound, soundwave, vibration, wavelength, resonance
- AC electricityAC, alternating current, hertz, voltage, current
- audio technologydigital audio, audio engineering, sound design, audio mixing, signal processing
- AC CircuitsAC power, AC voltage, AC generator, impedance, reactance
- audio samplessamples, loops, vocal samples, one-shots, one shots
- TransformsFFT
waveformsflat lines
Absence of heartbeat signal
flatlines · straight lines · baselines · horizontal lines · steady states