Digital oscilloscopes are primarily designed to display voltage waveforms, not sound waves directly. When you connect an oscilloscope to an audio signal, it will show you the voltage variations over time, which represent the electrical representation of the sound wave. In this context, you won't see timbre or fundamental waves explicitly displayed on the oscilloscope screen.
Let's clarify some terminology:
Voltage Waveform: This is the graph of voltage over time. In the case of an audio signal, it shows how the electrical voltage varies as the sound signal changes.
Sound Wave: This is the physical wave that propagates through the air and carries the sound. It is a longitudinal wave, consisting of compressions and rarefactions.
Fundamental Frequency: In the context of sound, this is the lowest frequency of the sound wave, which determines the pitch of the sound.
Harmonics: These are multiples of the fundamental frequency that add complexity to the sound's timbre. They are responsible for the characteristic tone or quality of an instrument or sound.
Timbre: This refers to the perceived quality or character of a sound. It's what allows us to distinguish between different instruments playing the same note, for example.
While an oscilloscope won't directly show you the sound wave's timbre, harmonics, or fundamental frequency, it can be used to analyze the waveform's shape, amplitude, frequency, and other properties that can indirectly give you information about the sound's characteristics. To visualize the harmonic content or analyze the sound's timbre more directly, you would typically use other tools like a spectrum analyzer or audio software designed for audio signal analysis.