Synth Envelopes

This section will deal with the different types of envelopes that can exist for your sound. Previously, envelopes were described as the shape the peaks of the amplitudes of a signal make. In sound design, this definition is applied to the fluctuations of the properties of your sound over time. You may wish to fluctuate the volume, or the pitch (the fundamental harmonic), or the partials/harmonics, or maybe even a dial controlling said frequencies. These manipulations are considered to be how you stage your envelopes.

Volume Envelope
Also known as an ADSR envelope. This envelope (also known as an envelope generator) sends instructions about the shape (the upper and lower envelopes) of the sound to the synthesizer's main amplifier. The common properties you can manipulate are: Examples:
 * Delay - how long it takes for the sound to play.
 * Attack - how long it takes to go from 0db to 100% of your sound's set volume.
 * Hold - how long it sustains 100% volume.
 * Decay - how long it takes to dip to the sustain level.
 * Sustain - the secondary loudness of the sound that remains as long as the piano key is pressed.
 * Release - the rate at which the sound approaches 0db after the key is released.
 * Piano key, guitar pluck: Short attack, and nothing but long release afterward.
 * Legato violin: Long attack, fairly long hold, fairly long release.

Pitch Envelope
The pitch envelope function is similar to the volume envelope, but applies independently to the fundamental harmonic of the sound. As the fundamental harmonic is manipulated, the upper harmonic content is translated so that the content is "preserved" for its relation to the source sound.

Filter Envelope
The filter envelope function is similar to the volume envelope, but applies independently to the harmonics of the envelopes. The fundamental harmonic, the pitch, is unaffected by these controls.