A fictional energy weapon from science fiction, or an electronic device that creates phase-shifting audio effects.
Coined in the 1960s for 'Star Trek' as a blend of 'phase' and 'laser,' though the technology depicted was neither. The audio equipment term developed independently from the physics concept of phase modulation in electronic signal processing.
While Star Trek's phasers were pure fiction, real phasers in music production create that distinctive 'swooshing' sound by splitting audio signals and shifting their phase relationships. It's amusing that a made-up sci-fi weapon shares a name with a genuine piece of studio equipment that colors the sound of countless recordings.
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