Concatenating several wave tables into one lengthens the base period and lowers the fundamental N-fold

In the multi-cycle variant of wavetable synthesis, several different single-cycle wave tables are concatenated end-to-end into one longer table that the oscillator loops over, in a fixed or random order. This yields a more complex, evolving timbre because the oscillator sweeps through several waveshapes each loop. A crucial and easily-missed consequence: concatenating N tables multiplies the base period by N, so the perceived fundamental frequency drops to 1/N of the per-table rate. Concatenating sine+square+saw and driving at 330 Hz per table therefore produces a fundamental at 110 Hz. This period-lengthening effect distinguishes multi-cycle (a longer periodic loop) from multiple-wavetable (simultaneous blending, which does not change the period).

Examples

Concatenate sine, square, and sawtooth into one wave table and play at 330 Hz per-frame: you hear characteristics of all three, but the spectrum’s fundamental sits at 110 Hz (330/3), and aliasing is heavy from the sharp-edged square and saw content.

Assessment

You concatenate 4 single-cycle tables and set the oscillator so each table would sound at 200 Hz. What fundamental frequency do you actually hear, and why? Contrast this with the multiple-wavetable approach’s effect on pitch.