181 APPENDIX B - GLOSSARY
Digital Signal Processor. Practically all modern hardware syn-
thesizers are based on DSP chips, not on standard computer
CPUs (Pentium, Athlon etc.).
E
Edit Buffer
Area of memory (RAM) used to temporarily hold program data.
Whenever a program is selected, its data is copied into an edit
buffer and then used to generate the sound.
Envelope
Synthesizer module originally used to simulate the way a note
appears and fades out. Can also be used for many other pur-
poses (e.g. filter cutoff, pitch).
EQ, Equalizer
A set of filters used to modify the spectrum of a sound, either
for creative effect or as a corrective.
F
Feedback
A loop in any signal path e.g. feeding the output of a delay back
into its own input.
Filter
Module present in all subtractive synthesizers used to pass cer-
tain frequencies while rejecting / attenuating others.
Filter saturation
See Saturation.
Full wave rectification
Signal process that results in half of the signal (upper or lower)
being fully inverted. An often subtle but useful effect available in
the Saturation stage (for each individual note) as well as in the
Effects section (Distortion is applied to the overall signal). See
“Rectifier, Rectification” on page 187.
FM
Frequency Modulation (e.g. FM radio, FM synthesis). Pitch
modulation when the source and destination are both audio sig-
nals, resulting in a compex tone.
Frequency
Speed of oscillation. Measured in Hertz (Hz). Human hearing
ranges from about 30 to 20.000 Hz.
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