They are important components in synthesizers that are vital for creating movement and interest inside any synth patch. But these are just simple applications – how deep can you really go with LFOs? We’ll find out… What Is An LFO? If you’ve ever played with tremolo, vibrato, flange, or phaser effects, you’ve heard an LFO in action. They are very similar to regular oscillators (VCOs or DCOs on analog synths) except they generally oscillate much slower and exist primarily as a modulation source rather than as a musical tone. LFOs, or low frequency oscillators, are used in synthesizers for modulation – changing the pitch, filter cutoff, volume, and other parameters that affect the sound. We explore the differences between LFOs and VCOs.How do we use LFOs in synthesis and effects?.

Disclosure: We may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.