EQ/Comp Study Guide

Question 1

This microphone is an industry standard, and will be found in recording studios, television studios, and anywhere else that sound needs to be recorded well. What microphone is this?

Answer 1

Shure SM58

Question 2

What is latency in audio recording?

Answer 2

Latency is the delay in hearing the sound source. It is created by the conversion from analogue-digital-analogue in the signal chain.

Question 3

What is the accepted frequency range of human hearing?

Answer 3

20Hz-20kHz (or 20,000Hz)

Question 4

What measurement type is used to measure pitch?

Answer 4

frequency

Question 5

When recording anything/anyone, what is the most important step?

Answer 5

Microphone choice and placement.

Question 6

What are the three goals we might have when using EQ?

Answer 6

1) to repair problems (or “bring back to equal”)
2) to enhance the audio
2) to improve the mix of instruments/vox

Question 7

Frequency is measured in “cycles per second”, otherwise known as (?).

Answer 7

hertz (Hz)

Question 8

The base sound of a note, or the core of a pitch, is known as a pitch’s (?).

Answer 8

fundamental

Question 9

What is meant by the term/concept level in audio?

Answer 9

loudness (volume)

Question 10

The simplest form of eq is a (?)

Answer 10

filter

Question 11

True of false: A filter can only remove bands of frequencies; it never boosts frequencies.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

On a filter, the (?) shows the rate at which a level of frequencies drops.

Answer 12

slope

Question 13

Expanding or reducing the (?) control changes the range of frequencies being affected by eq’ing.

Answer 13

Q

Question 14

What is meant by the “threshold of hearing”?

Answer 14

It is the quietest sound that is perceptible to the human ear.

Question 15

What is the “threshold of pain” in dB SPL?

Answer 15

120-130 dB SPL

Question 16

What is the “threshold of hearing” in dB SPL?

Answer 16

0 dB SPL

Question 17

What is “ambient noise”?

Answer 17

Extraneous sounds associated with room noise

Question 18

Describe a compression ratio of 2:1

Answer 18

When the input level rises above the threshold by 10dB (for example), the output level will only rise by 5dB.

Question 19

If the compression ratio is increased (i.e., from 2:1 to 6:1), will there be more or less compression of the signal?

Answer 19

more

Question 20

Does a compressor change the level of loud sections of a signal, or does it increase the quiet levels?

Answer 20

Set properly, a compressor decreases loud signals. It does not, in itself, have any effect on quiet portions of an audio signal.

Question 21

The (?) is the level which one sets, and this level is the determining point at which a compressor begins to affect a signal.

Answer 21

threshold