7. The ADSR envelope — the shape of a sound over time
Pluck a guitar string: it’s loud instantly, then fades. Press an organ key: it stays steady, then stops when you let go. That “how the volume changes over time” shape has four parts, nicknamed ADSR:
- A — Attack: how quickly it fades in when the note starts. (Fast = punchy; slow = it swells in like a pad.)
- D — Decay: how it drops from the first peak down to…
- S — Sustain: the steady level it holds while the note is held.
- R — Release: how long it takes to fade out after the note ends.
inst pluck = saw attack 0.005 decay 0.12 sustain 0 release 0.15 # short & plucky
inst pad = sine attack 0.3 sustain 0.8 release 0.6 # slow swelling pad
Real name: the amplitude envelope (ADSR). It’s the “life story” of each note: born (attack), settles (decay), lives (sustain), dies (release). Times are in seconds.
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