The Geometric Oscillator: Sound Synthesis with Cyclic Shapes

From perfect circular motion derives the sine wave. Deforming the circle or replacing it by a different cyclic shape produces a different waveform. This marks the conceptual basis of the geometric oscillator. Interaction with the shapes, such as in a graphics editor, becomes interaction with the timbres that derive from them. In this paper, we elaborate on this synthesis method, introduce a further derivation step that comes with some handy advantages, and detail a corresponding user interface approach. A prototype implementation, called Cyclone, is described. Based on feedback that we gained from demos and our own experiences from experiments we will outline the next iteration of Cyclone's further development.