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Recording and Mixing techniques > final > Flashcards

final Flashcards

1
Q

What do Fletcher-Munson curves demonstrate?

A

That our perception of frequencies is altered depending on the sound’s loudness.

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2
Q

Complete the following basic DAW recording and playback signal flow:
Microphone > __________ > _____________> _________> Monitoring (speakers and/or headphones)

A

Microphone > pre amp__ > converter/interface/computer > amplifier> Monitoring (speakers and/or headphones)

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3
Q

Signal-to-Noise Ratio can best be described as what?

A

A measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise.

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4
Q

A standard XLR cable is what type of connector?

A

A Balanced Connector

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5
Q

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF A REFERENCE MIX? AND WHAT MAKE A GOOD REFERENCE MIX?

A

A reference mix is used to show the difference between a “known GOOD mix” and the mix that you are working on. It can show discrepencies between frequency response, stereo width, dynamics and depth. A good reference mix should have a wide stereo image, full frequency response, a fair sense of depth and dynamics

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6
Q

What is the difference between an ACTIVE speaker and a PASSIVE speaker?

A

Active speakers have an amplifier built into them. A passive speaker needs an amplifier to work.

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7
Q

In digital audio, “sample rate” is measured in which of the type of units? And what is the standard sample rate for a commercially released CD?

A

44.1 Khz.

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8
Q

In digital audio, “bit depth” is measured in which of the type of units? And what is the standard bit depth for a commercially released CD?

A

16 Bits.

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9
Q

Explain what would happen if we combine of 2 audio signals with an opposing phase relationship what will happen and how could we fix it?

A

Cancelled Signal – Flip the phase on 1 of the audio signals.

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10
Q

What does a Direct Box (DI) do?

A

Converts an unbalanced signal to a balanced signal

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11
Q

Describe, in your own words, why “distortion” or “clipping” happens.

A

Clipping or distortion happens when a signal reaches it’s maximum headroom and starts to square off the tops of the waveforms. This is primarily an affect of too much level or volume.

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12
Q

LIST AND BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE THREE TYPES OF MICROPHONES COVERED IN CLASS.

A

A.) dynamic/moving coil microphone. Warmer sounding and can record loud sounds.
B.) condenser microphone – needs phantom power to work, very detailed. May distort more easily than dynamic mic
C.) ribbon mic – similar to moving coil/dynamic but much warmer and richer sound. Can be fragile and not great for loud sounds or transients. Usually a figure 8 pattern.

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13
Q

IN DETAIL AND IN YOUR WORDS WHAT WILL A “FAST ATTACK TIME” IN A COMPRESSOR DO TO THE SIGNAL AS OPPOSED TO A “SLOW ATTACK TIME”?

A

A fast attack time will affect the signal passing over the threshold of a compressor which will dull the sound of a transient.
A slow attack time will let the initial attack of a signal pass over the threshold before compression happens and therefore will have more high end.

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14
Q

IN DETAIL AND IN YOUR WORDS WHAT WILL A “SLOW RELEASE TIME” IN A COMPRESSOR DO TO THE SIGNAL AS OPPOSED TO A “FAST RELEASE TIME”?

A

A slow release time will add more sustain to the sound of an instrument going through a compressor.
A fast release will not bring out any extra “tone” from an instrument going through a compressor making it sound more natural.

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15
Q

CAN EQUALIZING A SIGNAL ADD GAIN TO IT? EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR YOUR ANSWER.

A

Yes, because you are adding more level from a specific frequency and raising the overall level of a track.

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16
Q

Name three different types of reverb algorithms:

A

a. plate
b. hall/chamber
c. room

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17
Q

Are tempo & marker information contained in a STANDARD MIDI FILE?

A

True.

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18
Q

What is the termination of a standard MIDI File?

A

.MIDI

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19
Q

Describe HEADROOM.

A

The amount of level in decibels between the loudest part of your recording and the onset of distortion.

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20
Q

In your words, describe DYNAMIC RANGE

A

The amount of level between the start of self noise or noise floor and the onset of clipping or distortion.

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21
Q

DESCRIBE WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A BALANCED CABLE

A

A balanced cable has 3 wires, hot, cold and ground. Less prone to radio or electrical interference. Used in professional audio and video connections.

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22
Q

EXPLAIN BIT DEPTH

A

Bit depth determines resolution and dynamic range. The higher the bit depth the better the resolution and dynamic range of a recording. For every 1-bit increase, the dyamic range increases by 6dB.

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23
Q

WHY ON DRUM “ROOM MICS” ARE THE KICK DRUM AND SNARE WAVEFORMS USUALLY A BIT DELAYED FROM THE ORIGINAL DRY SIGNAL? AND SHOULD THIS BE CORRECTED?

A

Because of the time it takes for the sound of the kick or snare to reach the microphone in the distance. They should only be corrected if they are out of phase with the close mic’s.

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24
Q

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMPRESSION AND LIMITING?

A

Compression uses a lower ratio usually under 10:1 and slower attack/release times. Limiting uses higher ratios abover 10:1 with faster attack and release times.

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25
Q

DOES COMPRESSION MAXIMIZE OR MINIMIZE YOUR DYNAMIC RANGE? EXPLAIN WHY.

A

It minimizes the dynamic range as you are lowering the transients and raising the noise floor.

26
Q

EXPLAIN HOW A PARAMETRIC EQ WORKS (WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM A GRAPHIC OR A SHELVING EQ?)

A

A parametric EQ has full control over the center frequency, bandwidth and boost/cut of it’s frequency ranges. A Graphic EQ only has selectable center frequencies and fixed bandwidth.

27
Q

EXPLAIN WHAT DOES “PRE-DELAY” REFER TO IN A REVERB UNIT?

A

Pre-delay delays the original signal before the actual effect.

28
Q

WHAT DOES “POST-FADER METERING” REFER TO AND IS THIS THE BEST WAY TO METER?

A

Post fader metering shows you level after the INSERTS/PLUG INS and Large Fader of a track in Pro Tools. I do not believe that this is the best way to meter as it will not show you level if the fader is down. Pre Fader metering will show you level after the plug ins but before the fader so you can see if a track is playing in the mixer window.

29
Q

IN DETAIL, DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING A “SAVE AS”.

A

“Save as” allows you to create a copy of a Pro Tools session that won’t overwrite the information of the previous sessions. This is a good way of saving your work as a backup while making changes to your session.

30
Q

IN A DAW WHAT DOES “DELAY COMPENSATION” REFER TO?

A

It is correction for the amount of buffer delay that is caused when a plug in is used on a track.

31
Q

True or False: The pitch of instruments changes when you change the tempo of a MIDI file?

A

False.

32
Q

What stereo mic’ing technique has a good center image but is NOT very wide?

A

X/Y

33
Q

What stereo mic’ing technique uses two, figure 8 microphones at a 90 degree angle to each other and 45 degree angle to the sound source?

A

Blumelien

34
Q

What are the four main automation modes in Pro Tools?

A

Read, Write, Touch and Latch.

35
Q

Which automation mode allows you to move a fader to write automation and then snaps back to it’s original written automation when released?

A

Touch

36
Q

True or False: In Pro Tools, if the automation parameter in the automation window is NOT lit up, then automation will be read but you can’t write new automation?

A

True

37
Q

True or False: A cardioid microphone patter picks up sound in all directions?

A

False

38
Q

What microphone polar patter picks up sound equally in the front of the microphone and the back of the microphone?

A

Figure 8 or bi-directional microphone

39
Q

Which has a higher level or voltage; a microphone level signal or an instrument/line level signal?

A

Instrument signal.

40
Q

What range of delay time would be best for a slap back delay?

A

60ms to 120ms

41
Q

True or False: The modulation function on a delay affects delay time?

A

True

42
Q

True or False; Low end perception is lost when you monitor at lower listening levels?

A

True

43
Q

What stereo mic’ing technique has a wide stereo image but a poor center image?

A

Spaced Pair

44
Q

True or False: Bass MIDI notes/data cannot be read by a virtual drum instrument?

A

False but trick question because it would depend on what note it was and what instrument was assigned to that note.

45
Q

Which pitch correction program records audio and references it from another file?

A

Melodyne

46
Q

What does “formant control” affect in a pitch correction program?

A

It controls “timbre” of the voice. This keeps the tuned vocal from sounding like a chipmunk or a robot.

47
Q

Which pitch correction process has the least latency and uses the least amount of CPU power; Melodyne, Autotune or Audiosuite Pitch II?

A

Audiosuite Pitch II

48
Q

Which tuning program can be used “live” to correct pitches while recording?

A

Autotune

49
Q

What is the difference between a sample based audio track and a tick based audio track?

A

Tick based tracks conform to the session tempo, with content on those tracks maintaining a fixed bar and beat position, taking session tempo changes into account. Sample based content maintains a fixed sample position in relation to the session start.

50
Q

True or false; You do NOT have to define measure numbers in order for Beat Detective to properly create warp/edit markers?

A

False. Beat Detective needs to know the number of measures AND the note value in order to correctly generate warp/edit markers

51
Q

What is the command to manually create a tempo map?

A

While using the “selector tool”, select a region of time from one down beat to another (for instance 4 bars), then use either COMMAND “I” or the Identify Beat Command and define your start and ending bar numbers.

52
Q

Which of the following functions can Beat Detective NOT perform:
a. bar & beat / tempo map
b. clip separation on notes
c. edit smoothing of edited notes
d. pitch change

A

pitch change

53
Q

When should you apply “dither” and why?

A

You should apply dither when bouncing from a high bit depth to a lower bit depth. This avoids having the bit word truncated which affects stereo image and frequency response.

54
Q

What is the command to allow you to “overdub” MIDI information to an existing MIDI or instrument track?

A

MIDI Merge

55
Q

What does MIDI Mirror do?

A

When activated, it allows you to “copy” any note changes to a MIDI loop to all other looped clips at the same time.

56
Q

What Pro Tools editing feature allows you to move the cursor from the start of one transient to the next by using the “tab” key?

A

Tab to transient

57
Q

What Pro Tools feature allows you to record separate audio or MIDI data in the same track but keep them as different “takes” or performances?

A

Playlists

58
Q

What does SOL stand for and what does it mean?

A

SOL = Standard Operating Level. It is the optimum average level recommended to pass through the system cleanly. (sounding good, without distortion or background noise from the gear itself).

59
Q

What does MOL stand for and what does it mean?

A

MOL = Maximum Output Level. The loudest level before distortion.

60
Q

Give an example of a uncompressed (not dynamic range) audio file.

A

WAV or AIFF files

61
Q

Give an example of a “loss-less: audio file.

A

FLAC or ALAC

62
Q

What is the difference between pre fader sends and post fader sends and how can I use it in a mix?

A

Most DAW/console aux sends are POST fader. The level of the main large fader affects the send level to an effect (like a reverb). If you turn the main fader down, you also turn the send level down as well.
Pre fader sends are NOT affected by the main fader level. If you turn the main fader down, then you are left with just the sound of the effect in the mix. Example: A pre fader send to a reverb can create the effect of a sound moving away from you by turning DOWN the main fader but leaving the send fader up.

Recording and Mixing techniques (1 decks)

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