Modular · Utility

Complex Oscillator

Two oscillators with FM and AM plus a wavefolder — the west coast

Open in the synth with a demo patch Open Modular

What it does

The Complex Oscillator is built like a Buchla 259: a carrier, a modulator at an adjustable frequency ratio, and a wavefolder on the output that folds the signal onto itself and adds harmonics. FM makes the tone metallic and bell-like, AM makes it tremble, Fold makes it buzz and saturate. Integer ratios (1, 2, 3) stay harmonic, fractional ones (1.41, 3.5) ring like a bell. The fold input drives the folder from cv: an envelope into fold opens every note.

Ports

note: Note: retune
pitch: Pitch cv (±1 = ±octave)
fold: Fold depth cv
out: Sound

Parameters

Wave · Note · Ratio · FM · AM · Fold · Glide · Level

Try this

Ratio 3.5, FM 0.5, Fold 0.15 — a bell; ratio 1, AM 0.4 — a wooden vibraphone.
ADSR → fold at 0.6 depth: the fold opens on the attack and closes in the tail, like a filter but meaner.
Complex Oscillator → Resonator "bell": two inharmonicities multiply into a gong.

Other modules

Drone Voice Oscillator Noise Clock Divider Chance Random Note Quantize Sequencer Chord LFO ADSR Filter Delay Reverb Chorus VCA Mixer Attenuverter Scope Output Keyboard MIDI In Audio In Sampler Looper Note → CV CV → Trigger Follower S&H Euclid Macro Compressor EQ Pan Timeline Progression Note Wavetable String Formant Additive Supersaw Texture Resonator Drum Turing Machine Déjà Vu Function Logic Bernoulli Burst Slew CV → Note

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