Frequency is the number of times a waveform completes one full cycle in a second, measured in hertz (Hz). It determines the pitch of a sound: the higher the frequency, the higher the pitch, and the lower the frequency, the deeper the tone.
For example:
- A frequency of 440 Hz produces the pitch A4, the standard tuning note for musical instruments.
- Frequencies below 20 Hz are too low to hear as a pitch. In synthesis they are used for modulation (LFOs).
In synthesis, frequency is a critical parameter, controlling the pitch of oscillators, the rate of modulation in LFOs, and the cutoff point of filters.
