Getting Started
Top Toolbar and Preset Browser
Oscillators
Filter and VCF Envelope
VCA Envelope
LFO 1/2/3
Modulation Routings
Synth Voice Assign
Strings Section
Arpeggio
Transpose and Split/Layer
Effects
Master
MIDI Controllers Setup and the MIDI Tab
Using MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE)
QWERTY Musical Typing Keyboard (MTK)
Settings
The VCA section consists of an envelope generator for control of amplitude - in other words, the "shape" of a sounds volume over time.
Here's an overview of how an ADSR envelope generator works:
When Dreamsynth sees a gate voltage from a note, the envelope generator outputs a dynamically changing voltage, according to the settings of its four stages. The attack stage defines how long it takes for the output voltage to rise from 0 to 5 volts. Once the attack stage reaches 5V, it moves to the decay phase, which defines how long it takes to fall from 5V to the setting of the sustain phase. Unlike the attack, decay, and release phases, which define times, sustain simply sets the held voltage level following the attack and decay phases - this equates to the envelope output level while holding down a key. Finally, the release slider defines the the length of time it takes for the voltage to fall back to 0V when the gate input voltage is removed, i.e. when the key is released.
Attack- Defines the length of time for voltage to rise from 0V to 5V when a key is played.
Decay- Defines the length of time for voltage to fall from the attack stage 5V peak to sustain stage setting.
Sustain- Sets the voltage level following attack and decay phases while a note is held.
Release- Defines the length of time for voltage to fall from sustain level to 0V when a key is released.
Velocity- Defines how much the envelope affects the amplitude via keyboard velocity. When set to zero, keyboard velocity has no effect on amplitude; all the way up results in maximum control range.