The Attack is the time it takes for a sound to reach its maximum amplitude (volume).

In acoustic sounds, the attack is the initial "hit" of a sound and one of the most important characteristics for our brain to identify an instrument.

• Fast Attack: The sound reaches maximum volume almost instantly. It is characteristic of percussive instruments, such as a drum, percussion, or a guitar strum.

• Slow Attack: The sound increases in volume gradually. This is the case with bowed instruments (like a violin) or a synth sound of the pad type.

In dynamics processors such as compressors and gates, the attack time is a control that defines how quickly the equipment will act on the signal.

• In a compressor: It is the time it takes to start reducing the volume of the sound after the signal exceeds the threshold. A fast attack controls the peaks (transients) immediately, while a slow attack lets them pass before compressing the "body" of the sound.

• In a gate: It is the time it takes to "open" and let the sound pass after the signal hits the threshold.