Trying to learn about synth and whatnot?

*Vocoder* creates a talking effect.

*Bandpass filters* are like a graphic equalizer on steroids.....you can filter out all but a specified range of the audio spectrum.

*Decay* is how long an effect or note lasts before it fades

*Dampness* refers to how much wet vs dry signal you apply. The signal is split into two paths. The Wet goes directly through the reverb (or any other effect) and is 100% the effect. Dry is the bypass signal with no effect. You then blend them back together, and the balance of wet to dry is dampness.

I suggest you look these effects and controls up and research their uses. Simply knowing what they do isn't a substitute for knowing how and when to use them.

There are many magazines and websites devoted to synthesizer information and many very good players who have excellent blogs. While many of the terms can be explained through the written word it is difficult to understand it without actually having a synthesizer to experiment with. I suggest buying a small synth and learn more about these terms through sheer experimentation. It can actually be a lot of fun creating new weird and wacky cool sounds!.

To give a brief explanation of the terms you have listed; A vocoder is a microphone hooked up to a synthesizer so that the notes played can be articulated by the vocal inflections of the user. Think of it as a type of "talk box" for keyboards. Attack and decay both refer to the waveform of a signal. If you think of a picked guitar note it has a very steep attack and decays relatively quickly which gives it its characteristic sound (guitar with a clean tone) by adding distortion the attack is still sharp but the decay is much longer. A compressor can also add sustain but it also rounds off the attack. These parameters can be controlled by the synthesizer. Classic synths have an ADSR section which controls the Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release, of the waveform. A bandpass filter is kind of like an E.Q. because you can choose specific frequencies or "bandwidths" and adjust or "filter" them. This is kind of limiting description of what they do but it gives you an idea of what they are used for. Reverb is a great effect and one of the oldest. The "dampness" or "wet" signal is essentially a description of adding more reverb. The more you add, the "wetter" it sounds. Reverb is a way of affecting the sustain and release properties of a waveform or signal.

Great answer from Tommy, but explaining some of this is a bit like explaining the color red to a blind man. You need to hear what these effects and setting do. It's all about experimenting. And generally the term is "wet" not "damp". When speaking of reverb, the more reverb you add the wetter the sound. A dry sound is void of effects.