Formant refers to a frequency band or region of a sound spectrum that contains a concentration of energy. Formants are important in the production of vocal sounds, as they determine the unique timbre and quality of different vowel sounds.
Formants are created by the resonances of the vocal tract, which acts as a filter for the sound produced by the vocal cords. The vocal tract’s shape and size determine the position and number of formants present in a sound.
Formants can be created using a dedicated formant filter module or by using other filter modules to selectively emphasize certain frequency bands. By adjusting the parameters of the filter module or modules, the position and concentration of formants can be manipulated to create vowel-like sounds or other complex timbres.
Formant synthesis is often used in the production of vocal sounds, as well as in the creation of synthesized instruments such as strings, brass, and woodwinds. By manipulating the formants of a sound, synthesists can create more realistic and expressive sounds that closely mimic acoustic instruments.
