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NORD MODULAR V3.0
High resonance values are also visible in the waveform. They appear as a "superimposed" waveform with
a frequency equivalent to the filter's cutoff frequency. The three examples below show the same wave with
increased resonance.
Amplitude
Q=0.5
Amplitude
Q=1
Amplitude
Q=2
If you add resonance to a sound and then vary the Cutoff frequency (for example with an envelope) you
will get a very typical synthesizer sound.
T T T T
A A A A
H H H H E E E E
M M M M P P P P L L L L I I I I F F F F I I I I E E E E R R R R
An amplifier is most often used at the final stage of a synth signal chain, to control volume. By modulat-
ing the amplifier with an envelope, the sound can be given its basic "shape". In fact, the "volume shape"
is one of the most important factors to how we identify the sound. By setting up a proper volume enve-
lope you can make a sound "soft", "hard", "plucked" "static" etc.
The volume envelope curve (to the left) determines how the amplitude of the waveform changes over
time.
E E E E
N N N N V V V V E E E E L L L L O O O O P P P P E E E E S S S S
ADSR-E
ADSR-E
ADSR-E
ADSR-E
N N N N V V V V E E E E L L L L O O O O P P P P E E E E
Envelopes can be used to modulate pitch, amplitude, filter cutoff and various other parameters in a
sound. This is used to give the sound a varying character from the moment the key is pressed to the mo-
ment it is released. The classic synthesizer envelope has four parameters, Attack, Decay, Sustain and Re-
lease, and is therefore often referred to as an "ADSR-envelope".
When you press a key, the envelope is triggered. This means is starts rasing from zero to maximum level.
How long this should take, depends on the Attack setting. If the attack time is set to "0.5", the envelope
Time
Time
Time
+
8. Synthesis basics: Subtractive synthesis
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