(1) A switch or knob that lowers the level of an incoming signal before it reaches the rest of the circuitry. A short name for an insertion loss. Pads are used between audio devices if there is a danger of the output of one device causing a signal overload in the input of the other device. An input pad is also called a pot. (2) A sustained chord part which provides harmonic padding in a piece of popular music. (3) Drum pads.