According to one embodiment, a system for generating a signal includes a monocycle generator, one or more temporal modulators, and a pulse shaper. The monocycle generator generates monocycles that form a signal comprising pulses, where a pulse corresponds to one or more monocycles. The temporal modulators provide instructions the monocycle generator to create a specific spectral response in the signal. A pulse shaper individually modulates at least one monocycle of the monocycles corresponding to a pulse to shape the pulse.