Project 6: ADSR

In this lesson on PoiZone we investigate Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release. Commonly known throughout the music tech world as ASDR. Here's a great video on what ASDR is all about. You'll fins ASDR envelopes in most synths including the 3Xosc and the TS404 in Fl studio. Before going on, take a moment to look in the default step sequencer. Click on any instrument (Kick for example) and open the channel settings. Click the ins (instrument properties) tab. Notice the envelope? The settings are Delay, Attack, Hold, Decay, Sustain and  Release. Now go to channels- add one- Envelope controller. See something similar? Howe about Channels- add one- Sytrus. Look in Op.1 at any envelops (Pan, Vol, etc.) You'll see ADSR controls for every one. Even FL keys and the Fruity DX 10 have similar envelope controls.  If you can master this lesson, you can control these parameters on all synths.

In PoiZone, there is no visual graph for the envelope. Rather, there are sliders to control these parameters. Look in the Amplifier section first. Amp pertains only to the volume of the synth. Other sections that follow will deal with ADSR envelopes for other parameters, but let's start with volume because it's very easy to hear the effects of an ADSR envelope as it pertains to volume.

Attack:What happens when you strike the key.
Decay: What happens after the attack.
Sustain: What happens while you hold the key.
Release: What happens when you release the key.

In a volume envelope, all of these parameters deal with time and volume.

Attack: How quickly does the note reach it's attack volume peak?
Decay: How quickly does the peak of the attack volume fade into it's sustain volume?
Sustain: How loud is it while I hold the key down?
Release: How quickly does the note fade away when I release the key?

Think of different instruments and how their attacks differ. A kick drum has a very quick attack. It come to maximum volume right away. A bowed violin takes a while to get to full volume- slow attack.

In your next project, make a loop that exploits the ADSR volume envelope with PoiZone. Make one with a quick attack and one with a slow attack, but feel free to add any other synths and effects that make you happy.