What is Subtractive synthesis?

What is Additive synthesis?

What is Wavetable synthesis?

Subtractive synthesis uses single cyle waveforms (Sine, triangle, square, sawtooth, and pulse) generated in an
oscillator. The waveform is then passed through a filter module (High pass, low pass, band pass, notch, band peaking,
and comb are usual choices) then its passed through an ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, release) that can control volume,
filter cutoff, among other parameters. The signal is then passed through a variety of modulation processes such as LFO
(low frequency oscillator), pitch bend, vibrato, tremolo etc etc. Lastly the signal is passed through an amplifier (VCF) to
increase/decrease the output gain.
Picture of single cycle waveforms

Additive synthesis is pretty much the same principal except it doesnt use single cycle waveforms. Additive synthesis
combines multiple sine waves and filters out harmonic partials to generate the sound. It is then passed through the same
other processes as it does with subtractive synthesis.
Picture of additive waveform synthesis

Wavetable synthesis is much like subtractive synthesis, but instead of using single cycle waveforms it uses multiple
cycle waveforms such as a sine wave mixed with a square wave, or a triangle wave mixed with a pulse wave.
Picture of wavetable waveforms