Odd order harmonics tend to sound a little grittier, deeper and richer and higher levels of this cannot be used as abundantly as even-order harmonics as the ear recognises the non-harmonic content and it results in an unpleasant effect. But there are uses for both and depending on how the harmonics are treated some wonderful results can be achieved. To fully grasp this subject it is probably best to use a harmonic generator plugin on your music and ascertain how the various harmonics affect the sound.
There are some free harmonic generators out there and some are very good. However, check that it will work on your system as the plugin is quite old.
Christortion allows you to mix and blend various harmonics to the fundamental but its real power comes in the form of its GUI. You can see, in real-time, how the harmonics affect the waveform. Additionally, you can invert the harmonics which allows for another level of processing. BUT, as always, I believe in coupling some theory with a lot of application and to demonstrate it to you visually and with working before and after audio examples.
In the Harmonic Distortion — Odd and Even Harmonics video I explain the subject of harmonic distortion in detail showing you how to generate both odd and even harmonics. I show you how to apply different harmonics on a sound and explain the settings in detail. Tape Saturation — what is it and how do you use it. Mix Bus Compressor Topologies — which compressor to use on the master bus. Studio and Multi Effects Masterclass. Do you want to understand Beat Construction and apply that knowledge quickly and effectively to any mix, just like a seasoned pro?
Get your FREE copy now. The harmonics generated will depend on the note or chord being played, and each frequency will produce different harmonics. The harmonics heard are based on the fundamental frequency being played and produce a lower amplitude or volume as they increase from 1st to 8th harmonic.
As with a lot of aspects of audio production, odd and even harmonics can be calculated with some simple math. As mentioned above, both are just multiplications of the fundamental frequency, where odd harmonics will increase in multiples of 3, 5, 7 etc and even harmonics in multiples of 2, 4, 6 etc. So, if we have a tone of Hz playing an A , we can calculate that the odd harmonics will be Hz, then Hz because we are multiplying by 3 and then 5.
The addition of harmonics makes for a much more interesting sound which is why the sound of distortion is actually pleasant to listen to.
A good way to picture what harmonic distortion looks like is first to imagine a sine wave. A sine wave will oscillate with a consistent amplitude and frequency think of hitting a key on a synthesizer without any effects or processing on it.
They are clear, constant notes which in musical terms are pretty boring to listen to. By adding distortion to a sine wave we are actually manipulating the wave itself so that it no longer follows a strict oscillation. When we add distortion to a sine wave or cause it to overdrive a clipping effect is created. The more distortion we add or the more saturated the sound becomes the more harmonics are produced.
If you insert a frequency analyzer plugin onto an instrument track this will give you a good idea as to what the fundamental frequency is. Depending on the type of distortion, we can manipulate whether odd or even harmonics are produced. Tube distortion is synonymous with warmth and clarity.
This is because the tubes create even harmonics which sound subtler and rounder. They are a periodic variation in vibration at a frequency that is the difference between to two frequencies. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Physics Why are there only odd harmonics?
Ben Davis March 17, Why are there only odd harmonics? Why 3rd harmonics is dangerous? What is 3rd and 5th harmonics? What is the difference between odd and even harmonics? How harmonics are generated? Do Sine waves have harmonics?
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