Components may modify an audio input signal to produce an output audio signal. The audio input signal is firstly rectified and sent to the peak detector as an input control signal. The peak detector produces a peak value which correlates to the level of the input control signal. The control signal is then sent from the peak detector to a dynamic curve module, which has two user selectable inputs: a threshold level and a knee/dynamic angle. The control signal is then sent from the dynamic curve module to the signal dynamics processor. This processor is then configurable to modify the control signal by applying an attack and release phase waveform to elements of the signal which exceed the threshold set by the user. The user will have selected the release time and the release phase shape prior to use of the processor. The release shape is selected by the user.