Glossary Flashcards
Absorption
The process by which an object, material or structure takes in sound energy when hit by a sound wave
ADAT
Alesis Digital Audio Tape: a standard that enables the recording of multitrack digital audio onto a VHS tape
ADSR
Attack decay sustain release: the controls on an envelope generator that are used to shape a sound
Aliasing
Artefacts created by a sample rate that is too low
Ambience
The amount of reverb that sound created naturally from a room or artificially added by an effect
Amplifier
A piece of equipment used to boost a signal
Amplitude
The height of a waveform measured from its mean or zero position to its maximum displacement
Analogue
When a signal or equipment uses a continuously variable physical quantity
Anechoic chamber
A room designed to completely absorb reflections of sound minimising reverb
Arpeggiator
A device that automatically plays the individual notes of a chord as an arpeggio or broken chords
Artefacts
Unwanted sounds created as a by product during audio processing
Attack (dynamics)
The length of time it takes once the threshold is crossed for the processor to apply its process
E.g: when the signal goes above the threshold on a compressor, the attack is the amount of time taken to reduce the signal by the amount specified in the ratio
Attack (synthesis)
The length of time it takes between a note being started and the point at which it reaches its peak
Attentuation
A reduction in volume/gain
Audio interface
A device that connects a computer to audio peripherals such as microphones, speakers and musical instruments
