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Dynamics & Expression

Envelope (ADSR)

also called “adsralso called “attack decay sustain release
The short version

The shape of a sound's volume over time.

A little more

Four stages: Attack (fade in), Decay (settle), Sustain (hold level), Release (fade out). Every synth sound is built from this shape.

Hear it
See it
Pluck▁█▇▅▃▂▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁
Pad▁▂▃▄▅▆▇███▇▆▅▃▂▁

Volume over time

Why you'd careChange nothing but the envelope and a synth can go from an organ to a pluck to a huge pad.
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