Electronic Music Production Vocabulary

41 vocabulary flashcards summarizing key electronic music production terms, tools, and audio-processing concepts.

Synthesizer

Electronic instrument that generates and shapes sounds with oscillators.

Sampler

Device or software that plays back editable, triggerable recorded sounds (samples).

Sequencer

Hardware or software that records and plays musical patterns in a set order.

Oscillator

Synth component that produces basic waveforms (sine, square, sawtooth, etc.).

DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter)

Circuit that converts digital audio into analog signals for speakers.

Sound Envelope

Graph showing how a sound’s volume changes over time, usually in four stages.

ADSR

Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release—the four stages of a sound envelope.

Attack (ADSR)

Time for a sound to rise from silence to peak level.

Decay (ADSR)

Time for the level to drop from peak to the sustain point.

Sustain (ADSR)

Constant volume held after decay while the note is pressed.

Release (ADSR)

Time for the sound to fade after the note is released.

Amplitude

Height of a sound wave, perceived as loudness.

Synthesis

Creating new sounds with oscillators rather than recorded samples.

Sampling

Using pre-recorded sounds as source material for new music.

Equalization (EQ)

Adjusting frequency balance so parts of a mix fit together clearly.

Additive EQ

EQ technique that boosts selected frequency ranges.

Subtractive EQ

EQ technique that cuts or attenuates certain frequencies.

Compression

Dynamics tool that reduces peaks and raises quiet parts for even levels.

Threshold (Compression)

Input level where the compressor begins reducing gain.

Ratio (Compression)

Amount of gain reduction once signal exceeds the threshold (e.g., 4:1).

Attack (Compression)

Speed at which compression starts after threshold is crossed.

Release (Compression)

Speed at which compression stops after signal falls below threshold.

Knee (Compression)

Controls whether compression starts abruptly (hard) or gradually (soft).

Makeup Gain

Post-compression gain to restore overall volume.

Sidechain Compression

One signal triggers compression on another for clarity or pumping effect.

Aux Track (Return Track)

Separate DAW channel for applying shared effects to multiple tracks.

Bus (DAW)

Routing path that groups audio signals for shared processing or control.

Send

Control that routes part of a track’s signal to another track (e.g., aux).

Insert (Effect)

Effect placed directly on a track, processing the entire signal.

Parallel Processing

Blending dry (unprocessed) and wet (processed) versions of a signal.

Master Bus (Stereo Output)

Final channel through which all audio passes before export or monitoring.

Reverb

Effect that simulates reflections in a space to add depth and ambience.

Delay

Effect that repeats a sound after a short time, creating echoes.

Aux Send (Reverb/Delay)

Send that routes part of a signal to an aux track for time-based effects.