LFO – low-frequency oscillation is an audio signal usually below 20 Hz which creates a pulsating rhythm rather than an audible tone.
LFO refers to an audio technique specifically used in the production of electronic music.
The abbreviation refers to low-frequency oscillators themselves.
Low-frequency oscillation was first came to the fore in the modular synthesizers of the 60s and 70s.
Often the LFO effect was accidental because of the number number of configurations that could be ‘patched’ by the synthesizer operator.
LFOs have since appeared in some form on almost every type of synthesizer.
LFO’s have been used to create effects in the studio environment namely on guitar with the Tremelo effect.
Electronic musicians have used the LFO for a variety of different applications.
LFOs have been used to add simple vibrato or tremolo to a melody, or for more complex applications such as triggering gate envelopes, or controlling the rate of arpeggiation.