Oscillatory timbres for musical synthesis through synchronous ring modulation

A system for generating oscillatory timbres for musical synthesis through synchronous ring modulation, the system comprising:

• a first oscillator and a second oscillator, the first oscillator being a fundamental oscillator which provides a fundamental frequency, the second oscillator being a modulation oscillator that can be operated at frequencies higher than the first oscillator;
• the first oscillator being coupled to and hard synchronized to the second oscillator, the hard synchronizing comprising in response to the first oscillator completing its cycle, synchronizing the second oscillator to an original point of its waveform to produce a synchronized output;
• a multiplier for multiplying the synchronized output of the modulation oscillator by a waveform of the fundamental oscillator so as to perform ring modulation on the synchronized output of the modulation oscillator to produce a plurality of different oscillatory timbres;
• and
• control signals for varying a depth of modulation and at least one other parameter.

A method for generating oscillatory timbres for musical synthesis through synchronous ring modulation, the method comprising:

• receiving an audio signal having some degree of detectable periodicity;
• creating a pulse train having some degree of detectable periodicity based on the audio signal;
• using the pulse train as a hard synchronization input to a modulation oscillator to produce a synchronized output;
• and
• performing ring modulation on the synchronized output of the modulation oscillator by multiplying the synchronized output of the modulation oscillator by the audio signal, such that the ring modulation is synchronized to produce a plurality of different oscillatory timbres.