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AS/A Level Music Technology: Study Guide > Glossary > Flashcards

Glossary Flashcards

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1
Q

Acoustic?

A

A sound that’s produced naturally with no additional amplification.

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2
Q

ADSR?

A

Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release - the controls on an envelope generator that used to shape a sound.

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3
Q

Ambience?

A

The amount of reverb that sound contains either naturally from a room or artificially added by an effect.

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4
Q

Amplifier?

A

A piece of equipment used to boost a signal.

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5
Q

Analogue?

A

When a signal or equipment uses a continuously variable physical quantity.

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6
Q

Attack (dynamics)?

A

The length of time it takes once the threshold is crossed for the process to apply its process.

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7
Q

Attack (synthesis)?

A

The length of time it take between a note being started and the point at which it reaches its peak.

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8
Q

Audio interface?

A

A device that connects a computer to audio peripherals such as microphones, speakers and musical instruments.

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9
Q

Automation?

A

Programming adjustable parameters enters to operate automatically during playback and mixing.

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10
Q

Auto-tune?

A

The trade name for famous piece of software that automatically changed the pitch to the nearest absolute pitch.

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11
Q

Aux/Bus?

A

An additional output channel for routing to effects, monitors or as an alternative output.

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12
Q

Bandwidth (1)?

A

A range of frequencies.

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13
Q

Bandwidth (2)?

A

The amount of data that can be transferred at one time.

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14
Q

Balanced?

A

A connection that has two signals in inversion to one another to reduce noise when put back into phase.

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15
Q

Bit depth?

A

The number of bits used in each sample in analogue to digital conversion.

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16
Q

Cardioid?

A

The pattern by which some microphones capture sound.

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17
Q

Capsule?

A

The element of a microphone that responds to the sound vibrations.

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18
Q

Channels?

A

The individual tracks of music.

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19
Q

Clipping?

A

Overloading a signal so that the top of the waveform becomes squared and causes distortion.

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20
Q

Coincident pair?

A

A pattern for using two directional microphones simultaneously to capture the stereo image of a sound with the capsules 90° apart placed as close together as possible.

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21
Q

Compression (dynamics)?

A

A process for controlling the dynamic range of a sound, reducing the volume of peaks above a threshold by a predetermined ratio.

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22
Q

Compression (data)?

A

The process of encoding a digital audio file to take up less space.

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23
Q

Condenser microphone?

A

A microphone that captures sound by measuring the changes in capacitance as the diaphragm moves.

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24
Q

Convolution reverb?

A

A reverb that adds ambience by applying sampling the reverb tail of a room and calculating the response of sounds within those spaces.

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25
Q

Crossfade?

A

A crossfade creates a smooth transition between audio files by fading one out whilst the other fades in.

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26
Q

DAW (Digital Audio Workstations)?

A

A piece of software for recording, editing and mixing audio and MIDI files.

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27
Q

Decay?

A

The amount of time that it takes from the peak to drop down to the “Sustain” level.

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28
Q

Decibels (dB)?

A

The unit used to measure sound pressure level.

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29
Q

DeEsser?

A

The process of removing overly emphasised sibilant sounds.

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30
Q

Delay?

A

The process of delaying a sound electronically.

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31
Q

Diaphragm?

A

A small flexible piece of material in a microphone that responds to physical vibrations, converting them into electrical signals.

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32
Q

Direct injection (DI)?

A

A unit that converts high-impedance unbalanced signals into low.

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33
Q

Distortion?

A

The unwanted sound created when an audio signal overloads and clips.

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34
Q

Dynamic microphone?

A

A microphone that has a moving coil attached to the diaphragm within a magnetic field that generates a small electric signal.

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35
Q

Dynamic processing?

A

The control of dynamics either manually or with automated devices.

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36
Q

Equalisation (EQ)?

A

The balancing of the amplitude of different frequencies within a sound to alter the treble, mid and bass.

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37
Q

Figure of 8?

A

A polar pattern found on ribbon microphones and some condenser microphones.

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38
Q

Flanger?

A

A modulation based effect created by altering the phase relationship between two signals by modulating a short delay.

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39
Q

Frequency?

A

The pitch of a sound or the number of times a wave repeats in a second, measured in Hertz - Hz or KiloHertz - KHz.

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40
Q

FM (synthesis)?

A

A type of synthesis where one waveform is used to modulate another.

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41
Q

Gate?

A

A process for controlling the dynamics of a sound, reducing volume of a signal once it drops below a threshold.

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42
Q

High pass filter (HPF)?

A

A type of filter that removes only bass frequencies below a set point.

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43
Q

Hyper-cardioid?

A

The pattern by which some microphones capture sound.

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44
Q

Jack leads?

A

A common connector used for audio.

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45
Q

Knee control?

A

The control on a compressor that allows the compression to begin gradually before the threshold or more harshly as the amplitude crosses the threshold depending on whether it’s set to soft/hard knee.

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46
Q

Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO)?

A

A signal that oscillates below audible frequencies.

47
Q

Line level?

A

An audio signal that has a higher level than microphone or instrument level, requiring less amplification at the preamp stage.

48
Q

Low pass filter (LPF)?

A

A type of filter that removes only treble frequencies above a set point.

49
Q

Mastering?

A

The final stage of production before music is released.

50
Q

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)?

A

A universal language used by music technology equipment used to send instrument and controller information.

51
Q

Mid-side pair?

A

A stereo microphone pattern that uses a cardioid and a figure of 8 microphone simultaneously to capture the stereo image of a sound.

52
Q

Mixing desk?

A

A device for changing the relative levels, affecting the EQ and changing the dynamics.

53
Q

Modulation?

A

Meaning “to change”.

54
Q

Monitoring?

A

The equipment used to listen to audio during recording or mixing.

55
Q

Mono?

A

A single sound source.

56
Q

Multiband compressor?

A

A number of channels of compression that affect different bands of the frequency spectrum.

57
Q

Multisampling?

A

Several samples of a single sound source, usually at different pitches and velocities.

58
Q

Multitracking?

A

Recording multiple audio tracks separately and blending them after rather than mixing the channels prior to recording.

59
Q

Nodes (1)?

A

When data points cross.

60
Q

Nodes (2)?

A

The zero crossing of a wave, the point with the minimum displacement.

61
Q

Normalising?

A

The boosting of audio by the same amount so that the relative volumes remain the same.

62
Q

Off-axis?

A

A microphone not positioned directly in front of a sound source commonly at an angle of less than 90°.

63
Q

Omnidirectional microphone?

A

The pattern by which some microphones capture sound.

64
Q

On-axis?

A

A microphone positioned directly in front of a sound source.

65
Q

One-shot sample?

A

A sample that plays without the end being truncated no matter how long the key is pressed for.

66
Q

Oscillators?

A

A device found in a synthesiser that generates waveforms used for sound generation and modulation.

67
Q

Overdubbing?

A

The process of recording additional parts into a recording.

68
Q

Peak meter?

A

A device for measuring the loudest moments of audio at a specific moment.

69
Q

Phantom power?

A

48V provided by a mixing desk or an audio interface to provide power for condenser microphones and DI boxes.

70
Q

Phase cancellation?

A

When two audio signals are out of phase with each other resulting in a reduction in the level of the combined signal.

71
Q

Phase difference?

A

When two waves aren’t in sync with one another.

72
Q

Phase inversion?

A

A control to invert a waveform to counteract the effects of phase cancellation.

73
Q

Phaser?

A

Effect that modulates an audio signal in-and-out of phase to create an aurally pleasing effect of certain frequencies being amplified and reduced.

74
Q

Pitch-mapping?

A

Samples that have been mapped across the MIDI keyboard by changing the pitch and length of a sample so that it can be played as a musical instrument.

75
Q

Pitch bend?

A

A control on synthesisers to bend the pitch of a note up and down by a predetermined amount.

76
Q

Pitch-centre key (1)?

A

The root note of a sample.

77
Q

Pitch-centre key (2)?

A

The key-note in a piece of music (tonic).

78
Q

Plosive?

A

A sound results from letters like “P”, “D” or “B”.

79
Q

Polar (pickup) pattern?

A

The direction which a microphone can capture sound.

80
Q

Pop shield?

A

A device for reducing plosive sounds when recording with a microphone.

81
Q

Preamp?

A

An amplifier for boosting signal to a level suitable for processing and further amplification.

82
Q

Proximity effect?

A

The change in Bass response captured by a directional microphone.

83
Q

Quantise?

A

The rounding of data.

84
Q

Ratio?

A

One value in relation to another.

85
Q

Reflection filter?

A

A device placed behind a microphone to reduce the amount of room noise.

86
Q

Release (synthesis)?

A

The length of time that the note continues after it has stopped being played.

87
Q

Release (dynamics)?

A

The amount of time it takes once the signal falls below the threshold for the processor to stop functioning.

88
Q

Reverb?

A

The ambience found within a sound.

89
Q

Ribbon microphone?

A

A microphone that has a ribbon that moves within a magnetic field and generates a small electrical signal.

90
Q

Sample rate?

A

The frequency with which a sample of analogue information is taken for conversion into a digital signal.

91
Q

Sampling (1)?

A

The conversion of analogue information into digital data.

92
Q

Sampling (2)?

A

Using pre-recorded audio as the stimulus for new musical ideas.

93
Q

Sequencing?

A

Programming note and velocity information to control an electronic instrument.

94
Q

Side-chain?

A

An input that allows the processing to be triggered by an external source.

95
Q

Signal chain?

A

The order in which processing occurs.

96
Q

Signal-to-noise ratio?

A

The difference between the audio that is being captured and the noise captured simultaneously.

97
Q

Sound pressure level (SPL)?

A

A measurement of the sound level against a reference level.

98
Q

Spaced pair?

A

A pattern for using two microphones simultaneously to capture the stereo image of a sound with microphones separated from one another.

99
Q

Stereo field?

A

Placing audio in a mix so they are perceived by the listener as either being central, left or right.

100
Q

Stuttering?

A

When audio is triggered repeatedly and quickly.

101
Q

Subtractive synthesis?

A

A form of synthesis that uses filters and envelope generators to remove elements of a signal and shape the sound.

102
Q

Sustain?

A

Most commonly the volume at which the note is held until the key is released.

103
Q

Syncopation?

A

Rhythms that cross the beats of the bar.

104
Q

Synthesis?

A

Electronically creating musical sounds using oscillators and filters.

105
Q

Threshold?

A

The volume at which dynamic processors begin to operate.

106
Q

Transducer?

A

A device that converts between different types of energy.

107
Q

Transients?

A

The peaks in a waveform of an audio recording.

108
Q

Transistors?

A

An electrical semiconductor that’s used for switching or amplification.

109
Q

Unbalanced?

A

A cable that only has the signal cable and the connection to ground.

110
Q

Velocity?

A

How hard a note has been struck.

111
Q

Velocity layering?

A

The process of triggering a different sample for different note velocities to represent the timbal change when a key is played harder on a piano.

112
Q

Wah-wah?

A

An effect created by the modulation of a band pass filter to adjust the amount of treble/bass within a sound.

113
Q

XLR?

A

A connector commonly found on microphones and other balanced signals.

AS/A Level Music Technology: Study Guide (1 decks)

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