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A "waveform" is a graphic representation of a wave's shape, showing how a signal's amplitude or level changes over time. In computer science, it can refer to the graphical display of an audio file, where the shape provides information about the sound's characteristics like volume (amplitude) and pitch (frequency). The term can also refer to the early "waveform graphics" system, a limited computer graphics system used for drawing simple graphs like waveforms and histograms on older terminals.

Waveform as a signal representation

In audio and signal processing: A waveform is a visual plot, typically with time on the x-axis and amplitude on the y-axis, that shows how a signal fluctuates.

What it reveals: By looking at the waveform, one can analyze characteristics such as amplitude (loudness), frequency (pitch), and the dynamic changes in a signal.

Examples: Different shapes like sine waves, square waves, and triangle waves represent different types of signals.

Computer use: Audio editors use waveforms to visualize and manipulate music and speech, while other fields use them to analyze signals like bioelectrical data (e.g., EEG).