A
pulse wave or
pulse train is a kind of
non-sinusoidal waveform that is similar to a
square wave, but does not have the symmetrical shape associated with a perfect square wave. It is a term common to
synthesizer programming, and is a typical waveform available on many synthesizers. The exact shape of the wave is determined by the
duty cycle of the
oscillator. In many synthesizers, the duty cycle can be modulated (sometimes called pulse-width modulation) for a more dynamic timbre. The pulse wave is also known as the
rectangular wave, the
periodic version of the
rectangular function.