Start with amplitude - Logic Pro Tutorial

- [Instructor] Every sound we hear is encased in what is effectively called an envelope. We use this fancy word envelope to describe simply how a sound is shaped over time. Snap your fingers. (fingers snapping) This is a fast unfurling of sound over a short period of time and then it's gone. Now imagine a cello being bowed. (cello music) This sound takes a moment to come to its loudest state and then it recedes somewhat gradually. So you can think of an envelope as a package of sound. How does this package or envelope open up over time? When we deal with synthesis, we get even more specific and we break down the envelope of sound into four main components: attack, decay, sustain and release. You may have seen these parameters on your favorite synthesizer. The most obvious use of an ADSR envelope is to use the four parameters to control how the volume or the loudness of a sound changes over time. In synth language, we call this the amplitude envelope. Here in logic prose alchemy synth, an extremely versatile synth by the way, we have a super straightforward window into the ADSR shape, or the envelope shape that controls the amplitude of the sound. See in this window here, we have our attack control, our decay, our sustain and our release all visually available. We also have a hold parameter, which I'm keeping down, 'cause we're not going to talk about that right now. So if you notice as I move the attack, you can see that first shape, that first parameter controls how fast the onset of the sound happens. Now I'm going to go through the specifics of each of these controls in this course, but for now I want to just cycle through a few presets and you can hear what the ADSR or envelope shape is doing to the amplitude of these sounds. So we'll start with a slower attack and this one has a somewhat short decay with a low sustain. It sounds like this. (upbeat music) And notice how it takes a moment for the onset of the sound to occur. Let's go to a different preset. This one has a super long attack and it actually has a pretty long decay and a endless sustain. (upbeat music) So once it's in, it stays in, but notice it takes longer almost one and a half seconds to fully get to its loudest attack. (roaring music) Okay, let's try a couple more. Here we have a very quick attack and a fast sustain and a fast decay and low sustain. (sharp music) This one has a fast attack but a longer decay and lower sustain. (upbeat music) Here we have a relatively fast attack and a really fast decay and lower sustain. (percussive music) This one is very percussive. Might be good for making a synth drum sound for example. Here we have a fast attack, longer decay and lower sustain. (percussive music) Also, kind of percussive, right? Here we have a fast attack, a somewhat medium decay, but at high sustain and what this does is it leaves the note, it makes the note just stay in until you release the key. (upbeat music) So now that we have a general understanding of what we can accomplish with an ADSR envelope for amplitude shaping, I'll go through how to master each of these steps and beyond in the movies to come.