English Reference

Word

modulator

Phoneticsmod·u·la·tor

US/ˈmɑdʒəˌɫeɪtɝ/

UK/mˈɒdjʊlˌeɪtɐ/

Definition

n. a person who changes or controls the way something works. In music, it is often a person who adjusts the speed or volume of a performance.

n. a person or device that controls or alters the characteristics of a signal or process. In a musical context, it refers to an individual who adjusts the tempo or intensity of a performance.

Examples

“The modulator adjusted the tempo to match the dancer's movements.”

“During the live broadcast, the technician acted as a modulator, fine-tuning the audio levels to ensure the audience heard every word clearly.”

“In the context of electronic music, a modulator can be a hardware unit that alters the frequency or amplitude of a sound wave to create complex, evolving textures.”

Examples

simple

“The modulator adjusted the tempo to match the dancer's movements.”

contextual

“During the live broadcast, the technician acted as a modulator, fine-tuning the audio levels to ensure the audience heard every word clearly.”

complex

“In the context of electronic music, a modulator can be a hardware unit that alters the frequency or amplitude of a sound wave to create complex, evolving textures.”

Etymology

From modulate + -or.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Music

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/modulator

English Reference