Digital Sound Design: W2: Music Technology

Question 1

DSD: What is an insert audio effect?

Answer 1

You route the signal through the audio effect, and then back in the mix. Versus send effect.

Question 2

DSD: Explain the difference between pre-fader and post-fader in audio effects?

Answer 2

Pre fader means that the signal goes into the effect unfaded (before the fader). So it is always at full loudness.

Question 3

DSD: What is dynamic range processing?

Answer 3

The dynamic range is the difference between the quietest part of the signal and the loudest.
Usually used as insert effects.
Automatically altering the amplitude of audio in such a way that its dynamic range is changed.
Allows you to compress or expand the dynamic range.

Question 4

DSD: explain compression of sound.

Answer 4

Narrowing the dynamic range by reducing its amplitude after it reaches a threshold value. (often less than 3:1)

Question 5

DSD: explain a limiter audio effect.

Answer 5

A compressor with a very high ratio (>10:1)

Question 6

DSD: explain an expander audio effect.

Answer 6

The reverse of a compressor. Boosts the input faster then normal.

Question 7

DSD: explain Noise Gate audio effect.

Answer 7

Low amplitude is mapped straight to zero, removing noise below a threshold.

Question 8

DSD: What is the sidechain input of an audio effect?

Answer 8

Something that triggers the effect.

Question 9

DSD: What is the ‘ducking’ audio effect?

Answer 9

Reduce the level of one audio signal when another is present. Ducking to reduce music under voice:

• step 1) insert compressor (insert effect) onto music track.
• step 2) create a send on the voice track that routes part of the signal to a bus. This bus is then chosen in the music track’s compressor as the sidechain input.

Question 10

DSD: What is the gating audio effect?

Answer 10

Lets only certain parts of the sound (frequency) through, e.g. you shall not pass zé gate

Question 11

DSD: What is a band pass filter?

Answer 11

A band-pass filter is a device that passes frequencies within a certain range and rejects (attenuates) frequencies outside that range.

Question 12

DSD: What is a NOTCH filter?

Answer 12

In signal processing, a band-stop filter or band-rejection filter is a filter that passes most frequencies unaltered, but attenuates those in a specific range to very low levels. It is the opposite of a band-pass filter. A notch filter is a band-stop filter with a narrow stopband (high Q factor).

Question 13

DSD: What is a peaking filter?

Answer 13

Similar to BPF, except affects only a narrow range of frequencies

Question 14

DSD: What is a shelving filter?

Answer 14

Amplifies or attenuates frequencies above or below a cutoff frequency (like in a car stereo)

Question 15

DSD: What is a time based effect?

Answer 15

A memory space that stores incoming audio for some period of time and combines it with the original dry signal.

Question 16

DSD: What is the echo sound effect.

Answer 16

A delay of more than 50ms

Question 17

DSD: What is the chorus sound effect?

Answer 17

delay of 10-50 ms used to obtain a richer or fattened sound: modulate delay with LFO and mix with dry signal.

Question 18

DSD: What is the flanging sound effect?

Answer 18

A delay of less then 10 ms modulated with an LFO, resulting in shifting peaks/notches as the spacing between them periodically widens and narrows.

Question 19

DSD: what is the phasing sound effect?

Answer 19

Similar to flanging in producing shifting notches in the spectrum, but uses several all-pass filters. APFs pass all frequencies but change the phases of the partials resulting in notches in the spectrum when combined with the dry signal and modulated with an LFO

Question 20

DSD: Discuss reverberation sound effect.

Answer 20

Best used as a send effect.
Three parts:
1) Direct sound
2) early echoes (source of sound bouncing once off walls and ceiling/ high frequency is absorbed)
3) dense echoes (later multiple bounces of the source sound off various surfaces and quieter and darker than early echoes.)

Question 21

DSD: What are the two types of reverb audio effects?

Answer 21

1) Artificial reverb (uses filters and delays to mimic reflected sounds)
2) Convolution (or sampling) reverb: Utilizes impulse response recordings from actual spaces / an impulse response recording was made by making a sharp sound (an impulse) from the stage of a performance hall and then recording the sound. The mathematical technique of convolution results in a sound with the reverb of the hall where the impulse was recorded.

Question 22

DSD: What is sample granulation?

Answer 22

Time domain buffer effects for breaking down signals and reconstructing them in new combinations.