Attack
The short version
How quickly a sound reaches full volume.
Fast attack = a click or a snap, like a snare. Slow attack = the sound fades in, like a bowed string or a pad swelling.
How a note starts and stops
Same four pitches every time.
Why you'd careAttack decides whether a sound cuts through a busy mix or sits behind it.
88 words and counting in The Music Guide. Back to the guide