This is a pulse tone generator that allows you to create your own textures, wave forms and rhythms. This instrument can be controlled by your computer keyboard (faster), or by the mouse. It’s not quite an instrument in the conventional sense of the word because it doesn’t play notes but continuous pulses instead. Consider it a combination drum machine / synthesiser that fit into a single easy-to-use interface.
To start the pulses, click the Play button. It will stop whenever you like, just click it again. Alternatively, use your space bar to toggle play/pause.
How to Use the Pulse Tone Generator
When the sound is playing, a representation of one cycle and the pulse train will appear on canvas. As you adjust the settings, this graphic will update in real-time. This way you’ll be able to see what’s going on with the sound in terms of shape and timing.
The rate slider uses Hertz, which is the number of times per second the pulses appears. There’s also a text entry box where you can type in an exact figure. The BPM input lets you choose a speed based off a tempo in beats per minute instead. It links to the Rate slider: change either and the other will update accordingly.
Tap the button. Click this button as many times as you like to adjust the rate by feel. The widget will then average the taps to arrive at a setting. Click the reset arrow beside the Tap button to clear the taps.
The Duty slider adjusts the width of the individual pulse. If you enter a low percentage, then it will produce a short burst of sound followed by longer periods of silence. If you increase the percentage, you’ll get a wider tone with reduced amounts of silence. You can see this relation clearly in the Cycle view. On time refers to how long the tone is played for and the Off time refers to the silence between pulses.
This is called the Ramp slider. It determines how gradually the tone begins and ends. Setting it lower results in a sharper clicky edge, whereas increasing it will round out the corner into a softer sound.
To hear this easily try hitting the Auto A/B button. It automatically changes the ramp setting every two seconds so you can easily hear the difference between a soft and hard edge together. Alternatively, the G key on your keyboard toggles the gate hardness.
You can change the pitch of the tone using the Carrier slider. The higher the value, the higher the pitch. You select the type of carrier wave with the Wave buttons. Square is buzzy and hollow. Sawtooth is rich and bright. Sine is pure and smooth, while triangle is slightly brighter. The carrier frequency goes up and down using the brackets keys on your keyboard.
Introducing some element of noise will add texture. Using the Noise slider, you can blend pink or white noise into the tone. Pink is softer, deeper; white is sharper and brighter.
With the Second Voice buttons you can bring a second oscillator that sits on top of the main carrier. This adds a richer and more complex sound but does not alter the rhythm.
Patterns can be created using the Sequencer. Switch it on and enter in a sequence of steps which loops around. Tap on each step to assign it as an accent, pulse or rest. Use the length buttons to determine how long the pattern is. Then use the accent level slider to adjust how loud the accented pulses are relative to the quieter unaccented pulses.
Without using the sequencer you can use the Group buttons to highlight every Nth pulse giving a regular rhythmic feel.
The Fade setting lets you use this timer for longer periods by selecting a way for the sound to fade away smoothly after a set amount of time. It avoids any jarring stop in the music. Use the fade buttons to determine how many minutes you want.
Use glide controls to gradually move from one rate to another over a set amount of time. These are useful if you’re interested in experimenting with the effects of rhythm and pitch change over time.
There are two versions of the game: in Guess mode, the widget plays a mystery rate, and you must select the correct one from four options. In Flutter mode the rate increases gradually, then when the individual pulses merge into a single buzzing tone, you tap the button at that point. It is a way to understand what makes pitch different than rhythm.
Most controls are available instantly via your computer keyboard. Rate and duty cycle are adjusted with the arrow keys. Smaller adjustments are made by holding down the Shift key as you use the arrow keys. Waveform is selected with the number keys 1-4. Jumping to common rates is done with the number keys 5-9. The A key cycles through grouping options, and the S key turns the sequencer on/off. Resetting everything to default happens either from the reset button or by hitting the R key.
To get rid of distractions, click the Fullscreen button, which will expand the widget. When you’re ready to focus on playing, hide the help panel to reduce the interface. Hit the Help button to open a short guide to the controls.
Begin by hearing the pulses as a slow sine wave. Slowly raise the rate until you can hear it become a pitch. Vary the duty cycle to alter the sound’s character. Create simple patterns using the sequencer for rhythms, and add accents to create structure. Add some noise into the mix to texture a clean tone. Tweak the ramp to soften any harsh clicks. You can use the keyboard shortcuts to listen while tweaking value changes. Try all of the available waveforms to find one that fits your mood. Spend time getting familiar with each control and its interactions. Begin playing around and see what catches your ear.