Analysis and Synthesis of Sounds Analysis is the process of dividing a complex wave into its fundamental frequency and its various overtones and determining the relative strengths of each. The process is called Fourier Analysis . Synthesis is just the opposite. It is the combining together of pure tones of various proportions to produce a complex tone. Additive synthesis creates complex waveforms by adding simple waveforms togther.
Subtractive synthesis creates new waveforms by filtering out certain harmonics.