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SOUND ENVELOPES
SOUND ENVELOPES
In music production we understand the 'shape' of a sound as a sound envelope or sometimes this is called an ADSR curve.
ADSR = ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, RELEASE
ADSR = ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, RELEASE
We use these four components of a sound to help us shape sound in when using synthesisers or samplers.
As you can see from the image on the horizontal axis we have time on the vertical axis we have amplitude (volume).
So when a sound is heard we can measure the volume of its attack, decay, sustain and release over time.
From silence to the loudest part of the sound. A dog's bark or snare drum have very short and loud attacks. A bowed violin can have a very slow attack when played softly to begin with gradually getting loud as the bow moves.
From the peak of the attack, the decay measures how quickly the sound drops to the sustain level.
Moore percussive sounds such as a bass drum or snare drum don't feature any sustain whereas an organ or heavily distorted guitar are very sustained and will play as long as you hold the note down.
How quickly the sound fades when a note ends (the key is released). Often, this time is very short. An example where the release is longer might be a percussion instrument like a glockenspiel, or a cymbal.
PAD:
PAD:
Pad.mp3KEYBOARD:
KEYBOARD:
Keyboard.mp3KICK:
KICK:
Kick.mp3SNARE:
SNARE:
Snare.mp3BASS:
BASS:
Bass.mp3LEAD:
LEAD:
Lead.mp3PLUCK:
PLUCK:
Pluck.mp3TASK - DRAWING SOUND ENVELOPES/ADSR CURVES
TASK - DRAWING SOUND ENVELOPES/ADSR CURVES
You can do this on paper and take a picture or if you're more tech minded you can do it on a computer or your phone.
Draw the sound envelopes of objects you have around your home this could be anything! Hitting a pan with a wooden spoon, the toilet flushing, a door slamming, a fly buzzing around the window, bath running, maybe you have musical instruments you can use? Anything at all, it's your choice.
Use the examples sounds to the left and matching sounds envelopes/ADSR curves above as guidance.
If you have any questions about the task or the course just send me an email.
Don't worry too much about being really exact with this task, it's about showing you understand the concept and what Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release mean.
Here is some further reading:
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