AudioKit: When to use AKOperationGenerator or AKOscillator?

Question

When I want to build an Oscillator with AudioKit there are different ways to go. For example you can create an AKOperation within an AKOperationGenerator like

var osc = AKOperationGenerator { parameters in
       returnAKOperation.sawtoothWave(frequency: GeneratorSource.frequency)
)

but you could also create one with

var oscillator = AKOscillator(waveform: AKTable(.sawtooth))

What's the difference and when to choose what? Thnx!

Answer 1

If you just want one oscillator, it makes sense just to use the AKOscillator node, but if you want to do more than one thing dynamically, operations get you a lot flexibility. For instance, in your operation you can create two operation oscillators - one to oscillator the frequency and a low rate (LFO) and the other to actually oscillate the audio rate signal. There a few playgrounds that highlight when to use operations like this one:

http://audiokit.io/playgrounds/Synthesis/FM%20Oscillator%20Operation/

and the others listed in the Operations section of

http://audiokit.io/playgrounds/Synthesis/