chapters 1-8 Flashcards
Waveform
A continuous line showing air pressure or voltage over time
Axis
Fixed reference line for the measurement of coordinates
Cycle
Waveform displacement from equilibrium to maximum displacement back through the equilibrium point to minium displacement and back to equilibrium
Displacement
When a waveform deviates from equilibrium
Phase
A measure of the starting point of a waveform compared to another waveform or reference point
Compression
Increase in air pressure cause by the displacement of air molecules
Rarefraction
Decrease in air pressure caused by the displacement of air molecules
Period
Amount of time required for a waveform to complete one cycle
Frequency
Number of waveform cycles occurring each second (cps)
Pitch
Subjective perception of frequency
Hertz
Abbreviation for cycles per second
Amplitude
Measure of the size of displacement
Loudness (or volume)
Subjective perception of amplitude
Duration
Measure from one time point to another
Length
Subjective perception of duration
Spectrum
Measure of all frequencies and their amplitudes in a sound
Timbre
Subjective perception of the spectrum of a sound
Sympathetic vibration
Indirect excitation of a body due to matching resonant frequencies
Simple waveform
Waveform with only one frequency component
Complex waveform
Waveform with more than one frequency component
Fundamental
The lowest frequency in a complex waveform
Natural number
Positive integer (no fractions or decimals)
Harmonic
Frequency which is a positive integer multiple of the fundamental frequency
Overtone
Harmonic occurring above the fundamental
Partial
Any frequency (including non-integers) occurring in the spectrum
Speed of sound
344 m/sec (at 15oC at sea level)
Lambda
λ - greek symbol for wavelength
Domain
Values graphed along the X-axis
Range
Values graphed along the Y-axis
Time domain
Representation where time is along the X-axis
Frequency domain
Representation where frequency is along the X-axis
Onset
Beginning point in time of an event
Envelope
Description of how a parameter (ie. volume or timbre) changes over time
Attack
The TIME it takes from the onset of a sound to grow to its loudest point
Decay
The TIME it takes for a sound to fall from its maximum level to its sustain level
Sustain level
a measure (ie. of loudness) of the constant amplitude of a sound following the decay
can be measure in dB
Sustain duration
portion of an envelope where where the amplitude is nearly constant
release
the TIME it takes for a sound to fall from the sustain level to zero
- in sounds with no decay down to a sustain level, the release may occur directly after the attack
ADSR
abbreviation for a common envelope
Resonance
tendency of an object or enclosed space to amplify or emphasize acoustic energy at a particular frequency/frequencies
Eigentone
a resonant frequency (ie tone) of an enclosed space or object
- A tone that will cause resonance in a particular space
standing wave
wave where each point has an unchanging amplitude ranging from zero at the nodes to a maximum at the antinodes
occurs when two waves of the same frequency and amplitude are moving in opposite directions and interfere with each other. It has certain points (called nodes) where the amplitude is always zero, and other points (called antinodes) where the amplitude fluctuates with maximum intensity.
Absorption coefficient
measure of the attenuation (reduction) in the energy of a waveform striking the material
Reflection
unabsorbed sound energy that is thrown back from a surface
echo
duplicate of a sound where the onset is clearly audible, generally occurring at least 40 ms after the first onset
Reverberation
when multiple copies of a sound overlap so that each onset is not distinct
Reverberation time
amount of time it takes for a single sound to drop 60 dB in intensity
Helmholtz resonator
any enclosed space with rigid walls that supports eigentones such as bass trap, ocarina, glass pop bottle
Bass trap
constructed enclosed space with dimensions designed to resonate at (and so reduce the energy of) specific frequencies
Formants
area of emphasized (louder) frequencies in a sound spectrum
Fast Fourier Transform
a method of analyzing complex sounds to examine their frequency content
Frequency theory of hearing
our perception of pitch is based on the firing rate of neurons
Volley principle
for high frequencies neurons will fire in synchronized volleys allowing time to recharge while still sending stimuli matching the excitation frequency to the brain
Place theory of hearing
we perceive pitch based on the point of maximum excitation on the basilar membrane
Neuron
nerve cell that transmits energy using chemical and electrical means
Bone conduction
when sound vibrations travel through bone to reach the hearing processes rather than through air
Decibel
1/10 of a bel
measure of the intensity of a sound
Tinnitus
constant ringing or high frequency heard in the ears in the absence of any external stimula (post-temporary hearing loss?)
Threshold of pain
decibel level above which pain is felt in the hearing process
Presbycusis
age related hearing loss
Temporary threshold shift (TTS)
outer hair cells on basilar membrane have been over simulated and require time to recover
Associated with tinnitus
Permanent threshold shift
hairs of hair cells damaged or broken off no recovery possible
Conductive hearing loss (CHL)
hearing loss attributable to physical problems in the outer and middle ear
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL)
hearing loss attributable to damage in the cochlea or neural pathways (inner ear)