A fader (or slider) is a variable resistor, usually arranged in a linear manner (rather than a rotary manner) to allow control over a value.

• On a Sound Desk or Mixing Desk the fader is usually the main volume control on a channel or group of channels. The resistance law of the fader is logarithmic to reflect the human ear's response to loudness of sounds. On some desks VCA's are used which use a different approach. See the specific page on VCA's.

• On a Lighting Desk the fader is the main intensity (brightness) control for that Desk Channel or group of channels. The resistance law of the fader is linear to reflect the human eye's response to brightness of light.

Faders come in a variety of lengths but 100mm to 150mm is common for sound desks although some have smaller faders, and 60mm to 80mm is common for lighting desks.

Fader Caps come in a variety of colours and styles. A useful tip on any desk is to swap the manufacturers standard colour layout around to highlight frequently used channels for quick adjustment. Some manufacturers will supply (at a cost) a selection of other fader caps in various colours for you to do this.

See Also

• Potentiometer or Pot