Sawtooth Wave

A waveform in which voltage rises gradually to a peak and then falls off rapidly, or vice-versa, during each cycle. It’s shape on a screen or oscilloscope is similar to the tooth of a saw blade. The shape of all waveforms is produced by a combination of the fundamental frequency and the presence (or lack thereof) of various harmonics. The sawtooth wave contains a fundamental and all other harmonics. Their characteristic sounds are softer and smoother than most. It is the waveform produced by bowed stringed instruments. They are also sometimes called “ramp” waves.