Audio Tech paper 1 Flashcards
A high-shelving filter is equivalent to which control typically found on hi-fi equipment?
Treble
In terms of audio filters, a higher “Q” factor leads to what?
Higher frequencies are attenuated
In what circumstances might a sound be perceived at a lower level, when it is panned to the centre rather than panned left or right?
When linear panning is used
What is the formula for working out the bit rate?
frequency x bit depth x channels = bit rate
How do you work out the size (in mb) of an audio file?
frequency x bit depth x channels x seconds / 8 x 1024 squared.
Give an example of a ‘lossless’ audio file format
WAV
What is the ‘Nyquist’ frequency?
Equal to half the sampling rate of the system
What is the standard sample rate for an audio cd?
44.1kHz
What happens when a signal exceeds the maximum amplitude supported by a digital system?
Clipping
What is the transmission rate of MIDI data along a standard MIDI cable?
31250bps
Which early electronic instrument transmitted its sound along telephone lines?
Telharmonium
Who was one of the founders of ‘musique concrète’?
Pierre Schaeffer
Give 3 examples of audio file formats.
FLAC, AAC, OPUS
Give 3 examples of encoding audio samples in a digital audio file.
PCM, ADC, ADPCM
What is the primary purpose of the biquad~ object in max?
To filter a sound.
Give 3 examples of Max objects that use delay.
svf~
delay~
comb~
The unit “cycles per second” or CPS is equivalent to what?
Hz
The human ear canal accentuates approximately which frequency range?
2-5kHz
What frequency ratio is equivalent to the musical interval of 25 cents?
1.0145
An increase in amplitude by a factor of 2 is equivalent to what?
6dB change
0 db SPL is known as what?
Threshold of hearing
Sound travels through air at approximately which speed?
340m/s
With reference to the relative phase of waveforms, which of the following is equivalent to 180 degrees.
π
What is a complex tone containing frequencies in non-integer relationships known as?
Inharmonic
What plot would you use to analyse the frequency of a sound that varies over time?
Sonogram
Vibrato in musical performance is equivalent to which kind of modulation?
Frequency modulation
Give 3 uses for multi-sampling in sample-based synthesis.
- Making multi-channel recordings of instruments
- Capturing variations of timbre across pitch and velocity
- Representing different playing styles
Give an example of resynthesis.
Vocoding
Give 3 examples of uses to communicate note data between musical devices.
MIDI
CV
OSC
In sound synthesis, what term describes the evolution of a particular sound parameter over the duration of sound or musical note?
Envelope
