Synth Glossary

A type of distortion effect that produces an aggressive, saturated sound by heavily clipping an audio signal, often transforming it into a square-like...

A gate is a control signal used in modular synthesis that maintains a high voltage level for a specific duration of time. Gates are often used to signal...

Grey noise is random white noise subjected to a psychoacoustic equal loudness curve, making it sound equally loud at all frequencies. It’s used in...

A sequence of frequencies that are whole-number multiples of a fundamental frequency. The series begins with the fundamental (1st harmonic) and progresses...

Frequency components in a sound that are whole-number multiples of the fundamental frequency. For example, if the fundamental is 100 Hz, the harmonics...

A high-pass filter (HPF) is a module that allows frequencies above a certain cutoff frequency to pass through while attenuating frequencies below the...

Inharmonic partials are frequency components in a sound that are not whole-number multiples of the fundamental frequency. Unlike harmonics, which align...

A low-frequency oscillator (LFO) is a module that generates control voltage at a frequency typically below 20 Hz. It's commonly used to modulate parameters...

Low-pass filter (LPF): Allows frequencies below a certain cutoff frequency to pass through and attenuates frequencies above the cutoff. This is often used...

A low pass gate (LPG) is a module that combines elements of a low-pass filter and a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) into a single component. It is often...

A low pass gate (LPG) is a module in modular synthesis that combines the functions of a low pass filter and a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA). It allows...

MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It's a technical standard that allows electronic musical instruments, computers, and other equipment...

A mixer is a module used to combine audio or control voltage signals from multiple sources and blend them together into a single output signal. Some mixers...

A multiple, also known as a "mult," is a module that takes an input signal and splits it to multiple outputs. This allows you to send one signal to...

Noise refers to random, non-pitched sound that contains a wide range of frequencies. It's often used in sound design to add texture, warmth, or complexity...

A notch filter or band-reject filter attenuates frequencies within a specific range, centered around a center frequency, while allowing frequencies outside...

An oscillator is a module that generates a continuously cycling or looping waveform, with the cycle rate commonly expressed as a frequency. This frequency...

A frequency component of a sound that lies above the fundamental frequency. Overtones are part of the harmonic series but do not include the fundamental...

Any single frequency component within a sound, including the fundamental frequency, harmonics and inharmonics. Partials combine to create the overall tone...

The position of a point within a wave cycle, measured in degrees (°). A full cycle is 360°, so phase indicates how far along the wave is at a given moment...

Pink noise: Has equal energy per octave, meaning that each octave carries an equal amount of noise power. Pink noise sounds more balanced to human ears...

Pink noise is similar to white noise but with a -3 dB/oct decrease in power, making the bass frequencies stronger. It’s used in synthesis to create...

Purple noise is the inverse of red noise, with a +6 dB/oct increase in power, emphasizing the higher frequencies even more. Also known as violet noise,...

The process of constraining continuous values to fixed steps or intervals. In synthesis and music production, quantization is often used to snap notes,...

A module that converts continuous control voltage (CV) signals into discrete steps corresponding to specific pitches in a musical scale. Quantizers are...

Red noise, also known as Brownian noise or Brown noise, is similar to pink noise but with a -6 dB/oct decrease in power, making the bass frequencies even...

The amplification or emphasis of frequencies near the cutoff point of a filter. Resonance boosts frequencies at or around the cutoff, creating a sharper,...

Reverberation or more commonly "reverb", refers to the effect of sounds continuing to be heard as they reflect off surfaces in an environment after the...

In ring modulation, two signals (the carrier and modulator) are multiplied together, creating two new frequencies: the sum and difference of the input...

Rob Hordijk, a "synthesizer designer and builder," is fascinated by modulation in modular synthesizers, where every function can affect another. His...