We’ve probably all come across websites, videos, tutorials, etc., on electronic music and saw terms such as “muddy,” “bright,” or “thick.” In this article I wanted to provide readers with some definitions and context about some of these terms to help you better navigate the world of electronic music and its tutorials. These terms will be in alphabetical order and I will probably add to this list as time goes on.
Airy (Airiness): Often referred to the main synths (sometimes known as pads) in a track. Airy frequencies are usually in the high-mid frequencies (1000-3000 Hz). When producers want to make synths sound “airy” they will sometimes accentuate this range and make sure it has a slower attack and plenty of reverb.
Boomy: Refers to a kick drum. When producers say a kick drum sounds “boomy” they mean it takes up too much room in a mix. It is the opposite of punchy in the sense that a punchy kick will be short and cut through the mix, while a boomy kick often creates muddiness in the mix.
Boxy: When a sound is boxy, it typically means there is not enough low and high end frequencies and it is predominantly all mid-low frequencies (around 500-1000 Hz)
Bright: Refers to higher frequency ranges. When a producer wants to make a sound “brighter” they will boost the higher frequencies (approximately 5000 Hz or higher).
Click (Clicky): A clicky kick drum usually has a lot of higher frequencies that give it a distinct click sound. Rather than only having the lower end, the “click” adds a transience to the sound which makes it cut through the mix. Similarly, a click can be added to a bass sound to make it pop a bit more.
Dry/Wet: This is a more technical term, but it’s used often in reference to effects such as reverb/delay. You’ll find a dry/wet knob in many effects plugins. A completely dry signal is one with no effect added and a completely wet signal is one where the effect is at 100%.
Grit (Gritty): Usually refers to distortion in a track. For example, people may say a bass sounds gritty because it has a lot of distortion.
Hollow: A mix can often sound “hollow” because of its emphasis on the mid frequencies. You may recognize a hollow mix because it sounds a bit like a hollow tube. Hollow mixes lack the depth of lower frequencies.
Muddy (Muddiness): Refers to the mid-low frequencies found in the 200-300 Hz range. When someone says the mix sounds “muddy” it typically means there is too much build up within the 2-300 Hz range. Producers often find the need to cut some of these frequencies for a “cleaner” mix.
Ping Pong: You’ll often find this term on delay/reverb plugins and it refers to a signal bouncing back and forth between the left and right channels.
Pump: Often referred to in EDM music when there is a significant amount of sidechain compression between the kick and the bass. The more sidechain compression, the more pumping you may hear in a song. It is caused by the bass losing volume and gaining it back quickly as the kick drum hits.
Punchy: Kick drums are often referred to as “punchy.” This has no definitive meaning, but usually means that it cuts through the mix very well with a mixture of proper equalization and compression.
Squelch: A term often used for 90s house bass presets. The “squelch” sound can be heard in famous presets such as the “Lately Bass.” It refers to the abrupt opening and closing of a filter envelope often paired with a higher resonance.
Thick: Generally thick refers to low end frequencies (under 250 Hz). Usually means the low end has a well-rounded sound that is featured prominently in the track. This should not be confused with muddy tracks that can feel like they overemphasize the bass over the sub. A thick low end is still well balanced.
Thin: When a mix is referred to as “thin” it can mean a variety of things. It doesn’t necessarily need more low end. Sometimes it could use more upper harmonics (saturation), better samples for drums that fill the space, or better separation of kick and bass to fill out the low end. There are a number of ways to make a mix sound more full and complete.
Tinny: When a sound is described as “tinny” it typically means it has too much mid-high frequency information (1000-3000Hz).
Warm: You’ll come across this term in many different contexts, but it generally means there’s a lack of higher frequencies (through equalization), while simultaneously having upper harmonics created by saturation. Generally referred to main synths that have sustain.
Wobble (Wobbley): Generally refers to synths (pads) that have an LFO making the pad sound like it’s wobbling while it’s gaining and losing volume quickly.
I hope you find this blog useful. If you have any terms that you think would fit into this glossary please let me know.
Synth Designer 
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