Pad Category of Voices

[jdup]

What does the "Pad" category of voices refer to? Is it an abbreviation?

I have always wondered.

Thanks, in advance.

Jim Duprey

[BogdanH]

hi Jim,
Nobody replied so far, so here's my try... -keep in mind that english is not my 1st language.

"Pad" comes from "padding" and the way I understand it in this case, it means "background" sound. That can be, for example, strings or some synth sequence. Pad voices are usually not used for "main" voice (pad is addition to main voice). The idea is, to give certain "atmosphere" to music we play (i.e. R1=piano voice, R2=strings pad voice).

Bogdan

[jdup]

Thanks, Bogdan. That makes sense.

It does seem to include a complex group of differing voices with that characteristic. That would also help to explain the name "multipad".

Thanks.

Jim

[mikf]

Bogdan has it correct. A PAD sound is a sustained or legato sound used to 'pad' out the overall sound. Although the word 'multipad' sounds like it should be associated, many multipads are not sustained or legato sounds, so I am not sure how that name came about. Seems logical it also is about padding out the overall sound although my guess is that it's less about logic and just that they just needed a catchy name, and that was what they came up with.
Mike

[EileenL]

Multi Pads are some thing quite different as any voice can be used in them.

[BogdanH]

Eileen is right: when we discuss "pads", we should distinguish between normal pad voices and (multi) pad effects. When someone says "multi pad", then I assume set of voices that we can have in PAD (1-4) buttons.

[mikf]

Pad is a commonly used general term in modern music, but multipad is just a term coined specifically for arrangers to describe a block of sounds/voices/phrases that can be programmed in a particular way. As I said in my earlier response the fact that word pad is contained in both might be more coincidence than any logical connection.
Mike

[jdup]

Thanks to all. This is very helpful.

Jim