What are synth pads?
A synth pad is a sustained, pitched sound typically created using a synthesizer. It could be a single note or a chord (two or more notes at once). Synth pads tend to have a long loudness envelope, meaning they fade in gently, stick around for a while, and trail away slowly when their moment has passed. Synth pads are smooth, atmospheric sounds that play an important supporting role in many musical contexts.
We can understand pads better by comparing them with other synthesizer elements you might hear in electronic music. A synth lead is more of a star player: it sits in the foreground of a track, outlining a single melody or topline. This might be the part you hum along to when listening to the track. A synth arpeggio, meanwhile, is a rhythmic sequence of notes that can be used to create movement and energy.
Synth pads, by contrast, don’t supply melody or add rhythmic movement to a track. Instead, they add atmosphere and depth, helping to fill out an arrangement and give your music richness and shine. Synth pads are used in all kinds of music, from pop and electronic tracks through to film and video game scores.