Phase Related Outputs and Stereo Usage
The Three Body has two pairs of phase related outputs on the center oscillator. Sine
and Cosine, as well as Saw and Cosaw. No, “cosaw” is not a real term but it is
shorter than saying “a second saw wave ninety degrees out of phase with the first”
and perhaps more relatable than using quadrature terminology.
In the Three Body these two sets of outputs are implemented with separate phase
adders, with the first phase adder having the phase modulation inputs adding to the
oscillators phase counter and the second subtracting from it.
This has the effect of creating a wide stereo image with phase modulation, without
being likely to cancel in mono. Thus the sine and cosine can be used as one stereo
pair suitable for use as a voice where modulation is being used to add harmonics and
a filter is probably unnecessary.
The saw and cosaw outputs will also act as a stereo pair in situations where you
desire more base harmonics, something to for a filter to work with, or a different
tonality.
This somewhat unusual phase modulation arrangement does technically break the
phase relationship of the outputs. With modulation the sine and cosine outputs (or
saw and cosaw) are no longer 90 degrees apart from each other and thus the labels
are no longer accurate.
Another unusual implementation is that the triangle wave has phase modulation
applied in the positive direction (like the cosine and cosaw), this means on the
outside oscillators it moves in the opposite directions of the other waveforms. This
provides another tool to create complex waveforms with external mixing and
processing.
