User Guide

yellow tools INDEPENDENCE 1.0

Manual

Volume AHDSR

The right part below the basic parameters of the Module Editor contains the Volume AHDSR feature

(Volume Attack, Hold, Decay, Sustain, Release Curve).

When a mechanical musical instrument produces sound, the relative volume of the sound produced

changes over time. The way that this varies is different from instrument to instrument. For instance,

a pipe organ, when a key is pressed, plays a note at constant volume, the sound ending virtually

as soon as the key is released. The sound of a guitar, by contrast, is loudest immediately after it

is played, and fades with time. Other instruments have their own characteristic volume patterns.

The AHDSR envelope is a way to specify the appropriate behavior for a „voice“ created by the

synthesizer. Although usually applied to volume, it is also common to control other sound elements

such as ﬁlter frequencies or oscillator pitches via AHDSR envelope.

The AHDSR envelope is speciﬁed using four parameters:

• Attack: How quickly the sound reaches full volume after the sound is activated (the key is

pressed). For most mechanical instruments, this period is virtually instantaneous.

• Hold: How long the envelope stays at full volume before entering the decay phase.

• Decay: How quickly the sound reduces in volume after the initial peak and hold time.

• Sustain: The „constant“ volume that the sound takes after decay until the note is released. Note

that this parameter speciﬁes a volume level rather than a time period.

• Release: How quickly the sound fades after the end of the note (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 piano with the sustain pedal pressed.

With the VOL. AHDSR curve you can adjust the time ﬂow and simultaneously the volume ﬂow of

your Layer, Section or Alternate.

Generally the AHDSR curve is used in „retrigger“ mode. This means that for each newly-played

Zone the curve always starts from the beginning again. You can switch off this mode at any time

with a click on the „retr.“ button in the upper right corner.

Any time related parameters also contain additional curve (in %) or volume settings (in dB) to

enable an even ﬁner adjustment.