🎚️ Synth Concepts Primer

Modular synthesis is the art of shaping sound through voltage. Each module performs a function — generating, modifying, or routing signals — and together they form a sonic architecture.

🧱 Core Building Blocks

Concept	Description	Example Use
VCO (Voltage-Controlled Oscillator)	Generates waveforms (sine, square, saw, etc.) based on input voltage	Produces pitch or tone
LFO (Low-Frequency Oscillator)	A slow oscillator used for modulation	Wobbles pitch, filter, or amplitude
VCF (Voltage-Controlled Filter)	Shapes the timbre by removing frequencies	Sweeps or sculpts sound
VCA (Voltage-Controlled Amplifier)	Controls signal amplitude	Fades, gates, or modulates volume
Envelope Generator (EG)	Creates a voltage contour over time (ADSR)	Shapes how a note begins and ends
Mixer	Combines multiple signals	Blends oscillators or modulations
Sequencer	Sends timed voltages in steps	Creates rhythm or melodic patterns

🔌 Signal Types

Audio signals: Waveforms you hear (e.g. from VCOs)
Control voltages (CV): Signals that shape other signals (e.g. pitch, filter cutoff)
Gate/Trigger: Binary pulses that start events (e.g. envelope, sequencer step)

🧠 Why Modular?

Modular synthesis is tactile logic. You patch ideas together, test them, reshape them. It’s engineering as improvisation — a system that invites both structure and surprise.