Topmusicanswers
The "square" wave will have some harmonic content. An "instrument" will have some other harmonic content. You cannot make one sound like the other except to alter the first so that it is no longer a square, which defeats the point.
- What instrument sounds like a square wave?
- Are Square sound waves possible?
- Why does a square wave sound harsh?
What instrument sounds like a square wave?
A clarinet can sound a bit like a square wave, and muted brass or oboe can sound a bit like a sawtooth wave. Woodwind multiphonics often sound a bit sawtooth-ish, but they're not pure tones—they sound like they've been through a ring modulator.
Are Square sound waves possible?
It can't. You may input a square or triangular or sawtooth wave but the speaker is always going to be approximating that, so there will be some finite slope and some finite acceleration when the signal changes direction. Square waves are a useful idealization that cannot be exactly achieved in practice.
Why does a square wave sound harsh?
A square wave sounds richer and buzzier. It also looks different. These are both because in addition to the fundamental, the square wave also contains harmonics. ... In a square wave, these harmonics occur in whole odd-number multiples of the fundamental frequency.
