Shaping with Envelopes
Envelopes shape sound over time. Not just loudness, but timbre and character. Two independent function generators controlling different targets create expressive, evolving sounds from pure electronics.
Beyond Volume Envelopes
So far, envelopes have controlled loudness: how a note fades in and out. But timbre changes over time too. A piano key sounds bright on impact and dulls as it sustains. A saxophone gets richer as you blow harder. Two envelopes, one for volume and one for timbre, capture this naturally.
Independent Timing
When FG-A (Function Generator A, controlling volume) has a fast attack and FG-B (Function Generator B, controlling fold amount) has a slow attack, the sound starts quiet-and-simple, then gets louder-and-complex. Reverse FG-B: now the sound starts complex and simplifies. Same two function generators, different timing, completely different character.
Building Expression
Acoustic instruments have these multi-dimensional envelopes naturally. A violin's brightness tracks its bow pressure, a drum's tone tracks its energy. Two function generators give you the same expressiveness from pure electronics.
The demo also includes a high-pass filter (for removing low-end rumble) and a low-pass filter (for taming brightness). These let you shape the overall tone independently of the envelopes, focusing the sound in the frequency range where the envelope movement is most audible.
Try it: start with the Piano-like preset. Listen to how the timbre changes during the decay. Then try Reverse Bloom and notice how the sound starts simple and becomes complex. Experiment with different Rise and Fall times for each function generator to hear how independent timing shapes the character.