[sureno]

Beginners A-Z Glossary


A

AAC - (Advanced Audio Coding) this is an abreviation for the MPEG-2 Advanced Audio Coding. It is often used to refer to MPEG-4's

AC3 - The way 5 channel Dolby surround sound systems are coded

Acoustic Feedback - this is where the sound from a speaker is picked up by the microphone, the signal is often amplified again and then caught in a loop, that can result in bleeding eardrums:-) and blown speakers

Acoustic Treatment - this is used to treat a room or the process in doing so. it is applied so as the sound from the monitors is not effected by the rooms structure such as walls and furniture. the 3 main treatments are:
1 Diffusers - distributes the sound evenly
2 Absorbers - absorbs any unwanted frequencies also known as traps
3 Reflectors - just redirects the sound

ADAT - (Alesis Digital Audio Tape) recording device allowing for 8 tracks @ 16-bit, 44.1kHz using digital SVHS tapes

ADAT Optical - It is a fiber-optic cable allowing you to transmit 8 channels of digital audio between interfaces and tape machines

ADC (A2D) - (Analogue to Digital Converter) as the name suggests converts an analogue signal into a digital one by defining points in the analogue signal and turning them into binary so it is able to be read digitally

ADSR - Attack Decay Sustain Release, known as an ADSR envelope

AES - Audio Engineering Society est 1948

Aggregate - Collection of.....

AES/EBU - 2 way balanced digital connector using XLR type cables between 2 digital interfaces

Aftertouch - means of generating a control signal based on how much pressure is applied to the keys of a MIDI keyboard

AIFC - (AIFF-C) a compressed AIFF

AIFF - Audio Interchange File Format, an audio file

Aliasing - (sample aliasing) frequency spikes in a poorly sampled ADC audio where the audio isn't sampled at the correct rate

Amplifier - (Amp) Device that increases a signal level

Amplitude - Max value of a waveform or periodic curve measured along it's vertical axis

Analogue - The old school way of doing thing :-)

Anchor - this is a temporal or time specific reference point. In DAW's it can be the point/marker used to align audio/MIDI

Anti-aliasing Filter - a low pass filter placed on digital audio converters to prevent aliasing. Does what it says on the tin

Arming - This is simply enabling a track to be recorded

ASIO - (Audio Stream Input/Output) created by Steinberg as a protocol to communicate audio/MIDI between D.A.W and Soundcard to avoid Latency

Attack - the signal rising up to its maximum level. If it’s set to nothing, the signal is at full blast straight away, where as if you set it quite high then the signal gradually fades up.

Attenuate - reduce signal/frequency level

Attenuator Pad - reduces signal by 12 or 24 dB often triggered by a button/switch

Au - Audio Unit these are plug ins designed by apple for Mac OS X and core audio

Automation - the term used to describe how the computer or D.A.W controls parameters set by the user e.g see gain riding

Auxiliary - (Aux) an auxiliary channel strip in a mixer, either mono or stereo


B

Balanced - Balanced cables apply to XLR & TRS form. they consist of 3 wires, 1 will carry the ground signal and the other 2 audio.

Bandwidth - the total frequency range of a system (a.k.a Q)

Bar - A measure of music containg a specific number of beats in relation to the time signature

Bass Reflex - a monitor that uses a port to increase low end frequency

Bass Trap - simply a device designed to absorb low frequency sound and enhance your overall sound experience.

Bit Rate - the rate bits appear in digital audio defining the overall quality of audio. more bits=more quality

Bleed - the contamination of a pure audio signal from one source with undesired audio from other sources

BPM Beats Per Minute

Boost/Cut EQ - raising or lowering a band on an equalizer respectively

Bounce - To combine several audio files into one file

Bright - term used to describe audio with a particularly high frequency response

Bus - A virtual audio cable to route audio between channel strips

Bypass - To temporarily disable a plug in


C

Cardioid - Heart shaped pattern often used to signify the response of a cardioid microphone

Chorus - an fx that can use multiple delays and pitch shifting algorithms to achieve the sense of several instruments/voices playing/singing simultaneously.

Chromatic Scale - The musical scale consisting of 12 semi tones

Clipping - A type of distortion created when an audio signal is recorded too loud creating a harsh sound in most cases.

Codec - (code/decode) Device used to convert an analogue signal into digital and from Digital then compresses it. e.g MPEG, MP3

Coloration - A sound characteristic added to a sound

Compression - Reduces the dynamic range of a signal

Compressor - The tool used to actually compress a signal in a mix or while recording

Condenser Microphone - captures sound by means of varying capacitance

Convolution - The process of mixing two signals together, with the aim of using one signal to shape the other. Typical applications involve mimicing vintage hardware and reverb for processing audio.

Core Audio - Apples approach to dealing with audio in their operating system

Cross-fade - (X-fade) the transition from one audio signal to another

Crosstalk - The Bleed of one audio channel into another, it is an unwanted effect

Cue
Dj: a point at which the Dj wishes to start a record
Audio: the mix that is fed into headphones to be used as a monitor

Cut-off Frequency - The frequency at which a signal falls off by 3dB from its maximum value



D

DAC - Digital-to-Audio Converter pretty obvious as name suggests, its converts the digital bit stream into an analogue signal

DAT - Digital Audio Tape, it is a digital audio recorder using rotating heads

DAW - Digital Audio Workstation involves a computer solely used for producing, recording and editing digital audio

Decay - this is how long the signal stays at the level the attack brings it up to. If it’s set as high as it will go, it will stay at the maximum level forever (rendering the sustain stage useless)

Decibel - (dB) the measurement of the relative loudness of an audio signal

De-esser - A frequency dependent compressor that reduces sibilance, i.e the hiss in when the letter 'S' is spoken

DirectX - a basic form of interface for multimedia, plug ins for audio

Distortion - the alteration of a musical signal, it is often an unwanted effect. commonly caused by clipping

Dither - applied noise to a signal prior to quantization to reduce the distortion and noise from quantizing

Dongle - a small bit of hardware connecting via USB that acts as a copyright security device for software

Dry - the audio signal before any effects are applied

DSP - Digital Signal Processing

DV - If you don't know that this stands for Digital Village you deserve to be punished with cactus leaves and fire ants

Dynamic
Microphone: uses a moving coil suspended in a magnetic field to capture sound

Range: the ratio from the loudest signal before clipping and the quietest perceivable signal


E

Early reflections - initial sound reflections from walls, floors and ceilings following a sound created in an acoustically reflective environment

Effect - Effect - Device for treating an audio signal in order to change it in some creative way. Effects often involve the use of delay and include such treatments as reverb and echo.

Effects Loop - Connection system that allows an external signal processor to be connected into the audio chain

Envelope Generator - this controls the proprieties of how a sound will change over a period of time. synths has a EG dedicated to the amplitude

EQ - (Equalizer) a device designed to boost or cut specific frequencies in an audio signal

Effects Return - Additional mixer input designed to accommodate the output from an effects unit.

Enhancer - Device designed to brighteen audio material using techniques such as dynamic equalisation, phase shifting and harmonic generation.

Event - In MIDI terms, an event is a single unit of MIDI data, such as a note being turned on or off, a piece of controller information , a program change message and so on.

Exciters - these are used to add harmonic distortion or adjust the phase of a signal to make it more pleasing to the ear

Expander - Device designed to decrease the levels of low-level signals and increase the levels of high-level signals, thus increasing the dynamic range of the signal.


F

Fader - it's a control often found on mixers but not exclusive to, that has an up/down movement to it that controls the increase/decrease of a value e.g volume

Filter - allows a signal to pass through it unaffected (depending on threshold) and attenuating the rest

Firewire - high speed serial buss that can move 400 megabits per sec or 800 megabits per second depending on spec of socket. also known as IEEE 1394a (400) and IEEE 1394b (800)

Flanging - Taking two of the same signal, delaying one in relation to the other which in hand produces a series of phase cancellations

Figure of 8 -A type of polar pattern(8) response

FM - (Frequency Modulation) used by synthesizers to generate a sound by connecting a series of oscillators (sine wave operators) in different configurations to produce often metallic sounding timbres

Frequency - The speed at which an object vibrates

Frequency Response - Typically a graph that displays the behavior of a piece of equipment over a band of frequencies

Fundamental - the lowest frequency of a note in a chord or intricate waveform, the root as such


G

Gain - to increase the amount of amplification in an audio signal

Gain Riding - this is the process that describes the constant monitoring and adjusting of the gain level to avoid overloading the signal, this is now automated

Gang - 2 or more controls linked together so that when one control is moved the rest respond accordingly

Gang Bang - Ooops wrong Glossary

Gate - a device used to remove noise below a set threshold

Graphic EQ - A multi band EQ that uses a series of faders to control the amplitude of specific frequencies

Group - used to process a selection of audio signal under output so as all signals are effected by any effects placed on that group. often used in drums, vocals and bass

GUI - Graphical User Interface the term to describe how software is displayed to its user


H

Harmonics - (overtones) these are vibrations at frequencies at multiples of the fundamental

Headroom - the amount in which linear signal capabilities exceed actual signal level

Hertz - (Hz) unit of measurement of frequency equal to 1 cycle per second

High-pass filter - this EQ setting passes high frequencies but attenuates frequencies lower than the cut off threshold

Hiss - Random high frequency noise found in bad tape recordings or poorly tuned radio frequencies

Hum - the unwanted sound produced by an AC mains supply

Hyper Cardioid - A type of polar pattern response


I

Impedance - this is the measurement of electrical resistance specifically in ohms

I/O - (In/Out) The part of a system that handles inputs and outputs, usally in the digital domain.

Inline Mixer - a common mixer incorporating narrow vertical fader strips

Initialise - To restore a piece of equipment to its factory default settings automatically.

Interface - Device that acts as an intermediary between two or more other pieces of equipment. For example, a MIDI interface enables a computer to communicate with MIDI instruments and keyboards.

Interpolation - Typically associated with the process of resampling digital audio between sample rates

J

Jack - Common audio connector. May be mono or stereo.

Jitter - phase shifting digital pulses over a transmission medium


K

kHz - (kilohertz) 1000 Hertz

Knee - the point on a curve where change begins, often seen on a compressor


L

Latency - the time taken for a device to respond, or the time taken for a signal to pass through a device

LFO - (Low Frequency Oscillator) A VCO that produces a frequency so low it is inaudible. often used to modulate other parameters in a synthesizer

Limiter - Basically a compressor that has a set ratio that does not allow the signal to pass the threshold

Line Level - the level of the signal before it passes any amplification

Loudness - the perceived volume

Low pass filter - this EQ setting passes low frequencies but attenuates frequencies higher than the cut off threshold


M

Mask - this happens when two sounds are played and only one is heard

Mastering - the final step in the recording/production process before the work is released on the market

Matrix - used to describe the routing possibilities

Mid Range - the general middle of the frequency range

MIDI - (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) industry standard method of connecting MIDI equipped musical devices

Mixer - a device used to combine a number of audio signal inputs and route them all through 2 or more outputs, the inputs are usually open for parameter adjustments such as volumes, eq and pan etc.

Modes - Modes are the tones or frequencies at which a room will create standing waves.

Modulation - using one parameter to effect another parameter

Mono - monophonic meaning 1, mono channels have 1 source of audio

Monitoring - this is the process of analyising a sound source whether it be 'live' or pre recorded

MP3 - popular music file using a common codec for compression

MPEG - (Movie Picture Experts Group) the professional body that sets the standards for audio/visual compression

Muddy - word used to describe a poorly defined sound or mix

Multi-Timbral - describes an instrument capable of playing more than one instrument

Mute - is to silence the signal path of audio, often found on any device with an output

N

NAMM - National Association of Music Merchants

Near field - used to describe a distance of around a meter average

Noise floor - the point measured where the threshold is more still more signal than noise

Noise Gate - see gate

Noise shaping - System used to create digital dither such that any added noise is shifted into those parts of the audio spectrum where the human ear is least sensitive.

Normalize - The process of increasing the level of an audio file so that its loudest peak reaches exactly digital full scale.

Notch filter - A filter that attenuates a narrow band of frequencies

Nyquist Theorem - This is critical to all digital audio. The principal idea is that in order to accurately sample both sides of a waveform, the sample rate must there for be twice that of the highest frequency being recorded. Having a sample rate double that of the audio frequency also avoids aliasing.

O

Octave - ok its the doubling or halving of frequency, in musical theory it is the where the root note is reached again by traveling up or down the scale

Ohm - Unit of electrical resistance

Omni - Literally "all", omni refers to
microphone: equally sensitive in all directions
MIDI: data on all channels is recognised.

Operators - (FM) a sound generating oscillator used in FM synthesis, they are only capable of producing sine waves

Oscillate - the term used to describe the continuous vibration created by object or device

Overdub - To add another part to a multitrack recording or to replace one of the existing parts.

Overload - is caused when the input signal is too loud often causing distortion

Overtones - see harmonics


P

Pan - (panoramic) the control on a device that lets you adjust the the position of a sound to the left or right of the soundstage

Paragraphic EQ - Graphic representation of a Parametric Equalizer

Parametric Equalizer - multi band equalizer offering control over amplitude, centre frequency and bandwidth

Patch - alternative term for program, as in synthesizers a programmed sound can be known as a patch

Patch bay - a panel that gives the user 2 rows of connections that allows you to insert equipment into a desired signal path. the top row usually consists of sends and the bottom row usually consists of inserts

PFL - Pre Fade Listen, found often on mixers giving the ability to monitor the signal before the main channel fader

Phantom Power - is the way in which some microphones are powered

Phase cancellation - two signals with some matching frequencies being added together and therefor the matching frequencies are removed from the signal

Phase Inversion - introduction of a phase difference of 180 degrees between 2 waveforms. often produced by inverting 1 of 2 identical wave forms and layering them often resulting in silence

Phaser - taking 2 identical waveforms and slightly delaying 1 to produce a hollow phase shifted sound

Pick up - a device used often on guitars to amplify a sound via vibration and magnetism

Pink noise - random noise that contains differing amounts of energy at different frequencies. this produces a deep weighty hiss

Pitch bend - a control message to produce a change in pitch in response to moving a pitch wheel or stick.

Pitch shifting - changing the pitch of a note with out adjusting the speed or time

Polyphony - the ability for an instrument to play 2 or more notes simultaneously

Portamento - Gliding effect that allows a sound to change its pitch at a gradual rate

Pot - Potentiometer, they are the knobs you tweak to adjust the values of what ever they control e.g eq they have a negative and positive motion

PPM - Peak Program Meter used to measure an audio signals peak

Pre amp - the device used where a source signal input is amplified

Proximity effect - the result created when a vocalist moves closer to the microphone creating a low frequency response increasing the closer they get to it

Psychoacoustics - the study of the perception of sound

Punch in/Punch out - the terms used to quickly engage and disengage the record function on pre recorded tracks, often used for spontaneous corrections

PWM - Pulse Width Modulation the width of a pulse represents the analogue signal


Q

Q - Quality factor, used to describe bandwidth

Quantization

Recording: digitizing the varying amplitude of an analogue waveform to the finite number of distinct levels

MIDI: means the moving of notes recorded in a MIDI sequencer so that they line up with user defined sub divisions of a musical bar e.g 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 etc etc


R

Ratio - determines the input/output ratio for signals above the threshold

RCA connector - Phono plugs, low level connectors between consumer audio equipment

Release - a bit like reverb at the end of your signal – it is how long the sustain level takes to die down to 0. Set the release to nothing and you won’t get that effect – it will be instant.

Resonance - the amount of the output from the filter that is fed back into the input. this emphasizes any frequencies around the cut off frequency

Reverb - the tool used to create reverberation

Reverberation - the sound remaining after the source has stopped. a good example is echoes

Ring Modulation - a technique used in synthesis to generate a signal from the sum and difference compound of 2 signals removing the original tones

RMS - Root Mean Square, in audio it is the average level. e.g volume. it is found by the square root of the mean of the sum of the squares

ROMpler - This is a electronic instrument used to playback samples from ROM chips hence the name ROM-sampler=ROMpler

RT60 - Defines the period taken by reverb tail to fall 60dB from the generating source.


RTAS - (Real Time Audio Suite) this is a plug in designed by Digidesign for use with there software Pro tools

S

Sample & Hold Circuit - This is a feature built into ADC & DAC convertors. The idea here is to prevent errors by holding the value until the next value is called for. The sample & hold is there for also locked to the sample rate of the system.

Sample Rate Conversion - the method used to convert 1 sample rate to another

Sampler - a device used to take a section of audio, or even manipulate a section of audio and play it back via MIDI

Sampling - taking a selected section of audio signal often from an old mastered track and re using it

Sawtooth Wave - a waveform shaped like teeth on a saw blade

Semitone - a half tone in the standard diatonic scale

Sibilance - the result from the over emphasized "sh" sound often created by pronouncing letters such as "S". it can create unwanted hissing. often found on vocals

Side chain - this allows for the inputted signal on the side chaining device to control its actions, in essence triggering it

Sine Wave - a wave form in the shape of a smooth rising and falling shape (like a horizontal "S")

SMPTE - (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) a society that establishes standards in time code and other factors

SPL - (Sound Pressure Level) measurement of loudness or volume

Sound - Sound is mechanical vibrations transmitted by an elastic medium.

Sound card - the device used to interact between the D.A.W and audio, via means of firewire, usb, pc-i.

Sound Wave - A wave that transmits sound... typically a vibrational pattern in the air around us.

Soundstage - a virtual stage used to describe the placement of elements in a mix

Spatializer - device used to widen a stereo image, often gives the listener the illusion of the sound wider than the 2 speakers

S/PDIF - (Sony/Phillips Digital Interface Format) a digital audio connection using coaxial cable and RCA connectors, optical options available too

Spectral Balance - the balance across the entire frequency spectrum of audio

Spectral Analyzer - this displays the frequency components and amplitude of an audio signal

Square Wave - a waveform that looks like a near perfect square

Standing Wave - A standing wave is an equilibrium of the waves [actually the same wave traveling back and forth over itself - first in one direction, then in the opposite direction] bouncing between the surfaces of the room.

Stereo - (stereophonic) provides the illusion of a 3D image between 2 speakers, so a stereo channel will contain 2 mono channels

Subgroup - see group

Sub mix- see group

Sustain - this is the level that the signal stays at after the decay stage has passed. Some devices also have a dedicated ‘sustain time’ setting, which decays the sustain stage after an adjustable amount of time too.

Sweet Spot - the spot between 2 speakers/monitors where the listener receives optimal & equal information


T


Theremin - a musical instrument that produces a sound similar to a sine wave. they normally have 2 antennas 1 controlling volume the other controlling the frequency of the tone produced used heavily in old sci fi movies

Threshold - is the level above which the signal is reduced. It is commonly set in dB

Timbre - is the sonic quality of a sound

Time-stretching - a DSP that changes the length of an audio part changing its BPM and length but not its pitch

Tone - the pitch and duration, but also used to describe sound characteristics

TOSLINK - (Toshiba Link) The fibre optic link based around S/PDIF

Total Harmonic Distortion - the amount of harmonics added to a signal that wasn't present on the original source

Tracking - this is where various audio inputs are recorded into tracks/lanes in sync so as to be edited.

Transients - instantaneous change in dynamics, the big pointy bits in the waveform

Transparency - how clear or clean an audio signal is?

Triangle wave - a waveform in the shape of a triangle

TRS - (Tip Ring Sleeve) what makes a 1/4' jack able to transmit a stereo or balanced signal. tell tale sign is 2 rings on the tip of the jack

TS - (Tip Sleeve) this is a mono unbalanced 1/4' Jack


U

U - (unit) the measurement of hardware devices, 1U=1,3/4' 2U=3,1/2' 3U=5,1/4'

Unbalanced - Term used to describe a two-wire electrical signal connection where the inner (or hot, or positive) conductor is usally surrounded by the cold (or negative) conductor, which forms a screen against interference.

Unison - Term used to describe the playing of a melody using two or more different instruments or voices simultaneously.

Unity Gain - basically means no increase or decrease in volume


V

Vacuum/valve Tube - a tube that has had all the air removed allowing electrons to move freely, they are often used in compressors, limiters and pre-amplifiers. they are renowned for producing that warm tube sound, well if its not a behringer that is

VCO - Voltage Controlled Oscillator, creates a basic sound wave

Velocity - the speed/pressure at which a MIDI note is struck

Vocoder - (voice encoder) this superimposes one timbre onto another, usually a voice into a synthesizer giving the synthesizer the ability to sound as if it can talk

Voice - Term used to indicate the capacity of a synthesiser to play a single musical note. An istrument capable of playing 16 Simultaneous notes is said to be a 16-voice instrument.

VST/VSTi - Virtual Studio Technology (instrument), created by Steinberg as a industry standard plug in for D.A.W's

VU Meter - (Volume Unit) a unit used to measure the perceived loudness of an audio signal

W

Wah-wah - device where a bandpass filter is varied in frequency by means of a control

Warmth - broadly used to describe the second order harmonic distortion introduced to a signal after putting it through a valve equipped device. also used to describe a system that sound natural between 100 and 400 Hz

WAV - file extension for an Wave audio file

Waveform - Graphic representation of the way in which a sound of an eletrical wave varies with time.

Wavelength - distance between 1 apex/base of a sine wave to the next apex/base

White noise - sound that contains equal amounts of all frequencies

Word clock - (WRCLK,WCLK) a signal that carries both sample and bit rate. used for synchronization


X

XLR - 3 pin connector that is used for carrying an audio signal, they are often used for microphones and balanced audio equipment


Y

Y-Lead - a lead split so that one source can feed two destinations. Y-leads may also be used in console insert points, in which case a stereo jack plug is at one end of the lead and the other end is split into two monos.

Z

Zero Crossing/X - the point at which a waveform crosses the neutral axis (where it is neither +ve or -ve) when creating a loop and a pop is heard at the end or beginning it is usually the case of the cuts where not done on the 0 crossing

File Extensions

.cl3 - Battery 3 Cells

.exs - Logics EXS24 mkI & mkII sampler

.fxp - Halion sampler & LM4 mkII

.gig - Gigastudio (now discontinued)

.ins - SampleCell

.kit - Battery 1

.kt2 - Battery 2

.kt3 - Battery 3 Kits

.m5b - Mach 5 Bank

.m5m - Mach 5 performance

.m5p - Mach 5 preset

.map - Reaktor

.nkb - Kontakt Instrument Bank

.nkg - Kontakt Group

.nki - Kontakt Instrument

.nkm - Kontakt Multi Instrument

.nkp - Kontakt Preset

.pgm - Akai MPC Program

.rex - Recycle 1

.rx2 - Recycle 2

.sf2 - Soundfont 2

.sfz - RGC:Audio SFZ sample definition files

.snd - Akai MPC Sound

.sxt - Reason NN-XT instruments

.txt - LM4 mkI

.vsb - Vsampler

.zgr - Beatcreator & DR-008