Pad

Pad

1) A device or circuit that attenuates an incoming signal, usually to prevent overload of an amplifier that follows along the signal path. (Also sometimes called “Attenuator pad.”)  2) A device with a surface that can be hit by a drum stick; hitting the pad produces an output signal pulse (or MIDI command) that causes a drum machine or synthesizer to sound a drum sound. 3) A type of synthesizer patch/program used to create sustained background or atmospheric sounds.