Envelope vs LFO

[BTMM]

If envelopes can help shape a sound (Waveform), why do I need an LFO? What exactly is it's purpose?

 

[scrapheaper]

Envelopes don't change the waveform (like saw to square or anything else). They change volume, or pitch or filter cutoff, or any other synth parameter overtime.

Envelopes are oneshots. If it's an ADSR envelope (the most common kind) then when you press the key on your midi keyboard, it does the attack part of the envelope for however long the attack time is set, then the decay part for as long as the decay time is, then stays at the sustain level for as long as you hold the key. When you let go it does the release phase.

By contrast an LFO just cycles through the LFO shape forever. As long as the key is being played, the LFO keeps going around and never reaches a sustain where no more changes get made.

TL;DR: ADSRs only go once through, LFOs keep going around and around as long as the sound is playing

 

[BTMM]

Thx

Envelopes don't change the waveform (like saw to square or anything else). They change volume, or pitch or filter cutoff, or any other synth parameter overtime.

Envelopes are oneshots. If it's an ADSR envelope (the most common kind) then when you press the key on your midi keyboard, it does the attack part of the envelope for however long the attack time is set, then the decay part for as long as the decay time is, then stays at the sustain level for as long as you hold the key. When you let go it does the release phase.

By contrast an LFO just cycles through the LFO shape forever. As long as the key is being played, the LFO keeps going around and never reaches a sustain where no more changes get made.

TL;DR: ADSRs only go once through, LFOs keep going around and around as long as the sound is playing

Thanks for your answer - I still don't get it but thanks to you, I have a much better idea about than I did before. Is there an a example of a sound before LFO and after LFO. Or visuals on how these two work together (Envelope and LFO) - If they do in the first place anyways? Thx!

 

[Triple Dot]

Envelopes use Attack (Raise to decay), Decay (Time to Sustain), Sustain (Level Held) and Release (Time to dissipate)

Whereas LFO modulate a source between two levels at a rate.

Best thing you can do to understand is experiment with them. I remember 5 years back thinking wtf is an LFO sounds confusing....

 

[krushing]

To add to the confusion, some synths allow their envelopes to be looped, which essentially makes them LFOs