The ultimate guide to digital synthesis | Feature
What is additive synthesis?
>Unlike subtractive synthesis – ie, that found on most analogue synths, where you start with a harmonically rich waveform and remove frequencies using filters – additive synthesis builds from the ground up.
It uses Fast Fourier Transform theory, which says that any audio signal, no matter how complex, can break down to a series of sine waves; you can recreate any waveform with the right combo of sine ‘building blocks’. Pile up sine waves (ie, harmonics) at related harmonic integers at different amplitudes, and you get familiar waveforms.