Specifications
PX-7 Owners Manual 173
Programming Basics
Envelope Generators
Envelope 
Generators
An envelope can be described as a “contour” which is used to shape the 
sound over time in a pre-programmed manner. There are three envelope 
generators per layer and all of them are the rate/level type.
This is how the rate/level (time based) envelopes work: When a key is 
pressed, envelope starts from zero and moves toward the Attack 1 Level at 
the Attack 1 Rate. As soon as it reaches this first level, it immediately begins 
the next phase and moves toward the Attack 2 level at the Attack 2 rate. As 
long as the key is held down, the envelope continues on through the Decay 
1 and Decay 2 stages. If the key is still held when the envelope reaches the 
end of Decay 2, it simply waits there for you to release the key. When you 
release the key, the envelope continues into the Release 1 and Release 2 
stages, stopping at the end of the Release 2 stage. PX-7’s envelope gener-
ators provide great flexibility for programming both complex and simple 
envelopes.
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If two adjacent segments 
have the same level in a “time-
based” envelope, the segment 
will be skipped. Adjacent 
segments must have different 
levels for the rate control to work.
ADSR mode: To  create 
a standard ADSR envelope: Set 
Atk1, Atk2 & Dcy1 Level to 100, 
Rls 1 & 2 level to 0, and Atk2, 
Dcy1, Rls2 Rates to 0. Program 
Atk1, Dcy2 and Rls1 segments 
as you wish. See page 301.
All three envelope generators have the six stages described above. The 
Volume Envelope generator controls the volume of the voice over time. 
The Filter Envelope generator is a general purpose envelope most often 
used to control the filter frequency. Unlike the Volume Envelope, however, 
the Filter Envelope can have a negative level value as well as a positive 
level. There is also an Auxiliary Envelope generator which is a general 
purpose envelope. The Auxiliary Envelope is identical to the Filter Envelope 
and can have negative as well as positive levels. You can adjust the time of 
each stage to create myriad envelope shapes, which in turn shape the 
sound over time.
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By routing the Auxiliary 
or Filter Envelopes to control the 
pitch (PatchCords) you can 
easily hear the shape of the 
envelopes you are creating.
• Volume envelopes contour the way the volume of a sound changes 
over time determining how we perceive that sound. For example, a 
bell struck with a hammer is instantly at full volume, then slowly dies 
away. A bowed violin sound fades in more slowly and dies away 
slowly. Using PX-7’s Volume Envelope, you can simulate the different 
types of natural instrument volume envelopes by programming them 
appropriately.
Atk1
Atk2
Dcy1
Dcy2
Rls1
Rls2
Key
Down
Key
Released
Sustain
Level
time
level










