Music Glossary: shape

Gradual increase/decrease in loudness; notated with hairpins (< >) or text. more

Eliminate clicks; match fade shapes to material (equal power for drums, equal gain for phase). more

Verse down, chorus up; use sticks/brushes, playing surfaces, and register to craft arc. more

Melodic/harmonic device circling a target tone from above/below (chromatic or diatonic). more

Fills that resolve to beat 1 without rushing; consider density and melodic shape. more

Chord with non-root in bass (1st, 2nd, 3rd inv.); shapes bass lines and smooth voice-leading. more

Shape of the melody over phrases; chorus often peaks higher than verse. more

Serial compression shapes transients in stages; parallel adds body without squashing. more

Enhance or tame attack/sustain without EQ; useful for drums and plucked instruments. more

Use amp/env, click layers, and attack filters to define transients. more