In 1971, ARP Instruments led by its namesake Alan R. Pearlman released the iconic ARP 2600 Synthesizer. Marketed specifically at high schools and universities, it contained a manual that was written like a textbook. A PDF of it can still be downloaded here. I’m duplicating selected definitions from the ‘Glossary of Electronic Music Terms’ that is found in the Appendix of the manual. These are very simple, easy-to-remember meanings, but feel free to click the terms for much more information on each one.
OSCILLATOR: Tone generator
FILTER: Changes the timbre of signals passed through it
LOW PASS FILTER: Changes timbre by reducing the high frequency content of signals passed through it
AMPLIFIER: Controls the amplitude of a signal passed through it
RING MODULATOR: Combines two signals to produce one complex tone
ENVELOPE GENERATOR: Produces attack and decay characteristics
NOISE GENERATOR: Produces ‘hiss’ sound
SAMPLE AND HOLD CIRCUIT: Stores voltage fed into it on command
PREAMPLIFIER: Used to boost the level of incoming signals
MIXER: Used to combine different signals
PAN POT: Distributes output signal so that sound can be moved back and forth between two outputs
REVERBERATION: The persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound source has stopped
PORTAMENTO: Sliding between notes
PATCH CORD: Used to connect inputs and outputs manually by plugging ends into jacks
ATTENUATE, ATTENUATOR: Process or device for reducing the volume or amplitude of a signal
WAVEFORM: (Like sawtooth, square etc) description of the relationship between voltage and time
AMPLITUDE: Volume or signal strength
FREQUENCY: Pitch
TIMBRE: Tone color
GATE: An on/off type of signal used to define duration like how long a key is held down
TRIGGER: An electrical impulse used as a timing signal
CLOCK: Adjustable oscillator that puts out a pulse at regular intervals to trigger other devices
Dan Freeman is a producer, bassist and music technologist based in New York City. He is currently an Associate Arts Professor at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music where he is the Coordinator of the Contemporary Digital Music Production (CDMP) minor. He is also on the faculty of The Juilliard School’s Center for Creative Technologies. He currently produces from his production suite in New York City and is the Director/Founder of the Brooklyn Digital Conservatory.