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Audio Fundamentals > Midterm Review > Flashcards

Midterm Review Flashcards

1
Q

Define One Cycle

A

One instance of compression and rarefaction

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2
Q

How are cycles related to frequency?

A

Frequency is the measurement of cycles per second

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3
Q

The lowest string on a guitar produces 82.41 vibrations per second. What would be the frequency of this sound?

A

82.41 Hz

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4
Q

What does amplitude tell us about a sound?

A

How much energy / we perceive this as volume

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5
Q

What word describes vibrations transmitted through an elastic medium?

A

Sound

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6
Q

What is a graphic representation of a sound wave?

A

Waveform

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7
Q

What is the range of human hearing?

A

20 Hz - 20kHz

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8
Q

What unit do we measure frequency?

A

Hertz

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9
Q

If the amount of cycles per second increases, what happens to the frequency and pitch?

A

Both get higher

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10
Q

What is the speed of sound (velocity)?

A

1130 ft/sec at 68°F

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11
Q

What is wavelength?

A

Physical distance of cycles

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12
Q

What is the formula to configure wavelength?

A

Velocity/Frequency

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13
Q

What is dB an abbreviation of?

A

Decibel

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14
Q

What is the unit of measure for sound pressure level?

A

dB SPL

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15
Q

What is the Threshold of Hearing?

A

0 dB SPL

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16
Q

What is the Threshold of Pain?

A

140 dB SPL

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17
Q

Define an amplitude envelope and what each letter represents:
A:
D:
S:
R:

A

A: Attack – duration for sound to reach full volume
D: Decay – duration from full volume to sustained level
S: Sustain – duration of ongoing sound
R: Release – duration for sound to reach silence

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18
Q

Define the Harmonic Series:

A

Integer divisions of a fundamental frequency – sonic fingerprint

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19
Q

What is the formula to configure the frequency of harmonic partials?

A

fundamental frequency x partial #

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20
Q

What would be the frequency of the 4th harmonic partial if the fundamental is 1100 Hz?

A

4400 Hz

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21
Q

What would be the frequency of the 5th harmonic partial if the fundamental is 350 Hz?

A

1750 Hz

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22
Q

What is the harmonic makeup of a square wave?

A

Odd partials

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23
Q

What is the harmonic makeup of a triangle wave?

A

Odd partials, half the amplitude in relation to square wave

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24
Q

What is the harmonic makeup of a sawtooth wave?

A

All partials

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25
Q

Define Timbre

A

Characteristics of a sound

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26
Q

What is the fundamental frequency?

A

Lowest frequency of a harmonic sound

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27
Q

What are partials?

A

Divisions of a fundamental frequency

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28
Q

What occurs when air molecules cause vibration of an otherwise still vibratory body of harmonic likeness?

A

Sympathetic Vibration

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29
Q

As audio engineers, why is it important to have an understanding of the Harmonic Series?

A
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30
Q

What are the three bones of the Auditory Ossicles?

A

Malleus (Hammer) , Incus (Anvil) , Stapes (Stirrup)

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31
Q

In one word, what is the ear?

A

Transducer

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32
Q

A tube-like organ containing two fluid filled chambers:

A

Cochlea

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33
Q

When sound travels from the source to the listener:

A

Direct sound

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34
Q

When sounds bounce off a surface and then travel to the listener:

A

Early Reflections

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35
Q

Random and continuous reflections:

A

Reverb

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36
Q

3 perceptual cues that aid in perceiving direction:

A

Interaural Intensity Differences, Interaural Arrival-time Differences, Effects of the Outer Ear

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37
Q

Describe the Fletcher Munson Curve:

A

Frequency response of the human ear

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38
Q

What will we hear if two identical waves are 180° out of phase with one another?

A

Silence

39
Q

Define Transducer

A

Converts one form of energy into another

40
Q

Define Polar Pattern

A

Directionality of the microphone

41
Q

Cardioid Polar Pattern

A

Picks up mostly in front of the microphone

42
Q

Figure 8 / Bi-Directional Polar Pattern

A

Picks up front and rear, but not much on the sides.
* Ribbon mics are mostly Figure-8

43
Q

Omnidirectional Polar pattern

A

360°

44
Q

Define Sine Wave

A

1 Single Frequency

45
Q

Physical, Analog, or Digital:

dbSPL - Decibel sound Pressure Level

A

Physical

46
Q

Physical, Analog, or Digital:

dBv or dBu - Voltage

A

Analog

47
Q

Physical, Analog, or Digital:

dBFS - Decibel Full Scale

A

Digital

48
Q

Define “Peak” in metering

A

Visual representation of the highest level in a short duration. Short-term loudness

49
Q

Define “RMS” in metering

A

Visual representation of average loudness

50
Q

Define “LUFS” in metering

A
  • Loudness Full Scale
  • Found in Digital Realm
  • Measures the perceived loudness
51
Q

We can listen to HOW MANY dB for up to
8 hours before we suffer hearing
damage

A

85 dB SPL

52
Q

When sounds bounce off a surface and then travel to the listener:

A

Early Reflections / Reflective Sound

53
Q

What is 0VU?

A

1.23 Volts = +4dBu

54
Q

What is 0VU in relation to dBFS?

A

-20 dBFS

55
Q

Define Gain Staging

A

Monitoring the gain of your signal across each stage / piece of gear in a signal chain

56
Q

What parameter of sound does sample rate affect?

A

Frequency

57
Q

What parameter of sound does bit depth affect?

A

Dynamic Range

58
Q

What is the Nyquist Theorem?

A

Theorem stating the sample rate must be at least twice as high as the highest frequency to be properly encoded in the digital domain

59
Q

What is the Nyquist Frequency?

A

Frequency that is ½ the sample rate

60
Q

What is the Nyquist frequency at a sample rate of 48kHz?

A

24 kHz

61
Q

What is the benefit of using higher sample rates?

A

A better high-end fidelity

62
Q

How much dynamic range is in 1-bit?

A

6dB

63
Q

How much dynamic range is in a 24-bit system?

A

144dB

64
Q

What does the frequency response tell us about a microphone?

A

A microphone’s sensitivity across a frequency bandwidth, usually 20-20kHz

65
Q

Define Polar Pattern

A

Directional response of a microphone

66
Q

How does the frequency response change based on the proximity of the microphone to the sound source?

A

The closer the microphone is to the sound source, the more low end sensitivity

67
Q

What is the design of a dynamic microphone?

A

A moving conductive coil attached to a diaphragm suspended in a magnetic field

68
Q

What is the design of a condenser microphone?

A

2 conductive plates, one a moving diaphragm, the other a fixed back plate

69
Q

What is the design of a ribbon microphone?

A

A moving conductive ribbon suspended in a magnetic field

70
Q

What is the voltage of phantom power? What type of microphones uses it?

A

+48V. Condenser microphones

71
Q

What does dB SPL sensitivity tell us about a microphone?

A

It’s sensitivity to loudness

72
Q

What is the function of a preamp?

A

To bring microphone level up to line level

73
Q

In one word, what is a microphone?

A

Transducer

74
Q

What is a transducer?

A

A device that converts forms of energy

75
Q

What form of energy is a microphone converting, and what is it converting it into?

A

Physical vibrations into an electrical current

76
Q

What unit do we measure frequency?

A

Hertz

77
Q

What is wavelength?

A

Physical distance of cycles

78
Q

What is the unit of measure for sound pressure level?

A

dBSPL

79
Q

What is the Threshold of Hearing?

A

0 dB SPL

80
Q

What is the Threshold of Pain?

A

140 dbSPL

81
Q

Define an amplitude envelope and what each letter represents:

A:

D:

S:

R:

A

A: Attack - duration for sound to reach full volume
D: Decay - duration from full volume to sustained level
S: Sustain - duration of ongoing sound
R: Release - duration for sound to reach silence

82
Q

Define the Harmonic Series:

A

Integer divisions of a fundamental frequency - sonic fingerprint

83
Q

What is the harmonic makeup of a sine wave?

A

One single frequency

84
Q

What is the suggested dB SPL level for monitoring?

A

85 dBSPL

85
Q

What is an objective measurement of loudness/intensity?

A

Amplitude

86
Q

Define Frequency:

A

cycles per second / we perceive frequency as pitch

87
Q

What is the room mode (in Hz) for a dimension that is 20 ft in length? Formula?

A

Velocity / Dimension. 56.5 Hz.

88
Q

What is 0dBFS?

A

Max level before clipping

89
Q

What type of periodic waveform is each partial of a harmonic spectrum?

A

Sinewave

90
Q

What is another name for tympanic membrane?

A

Eardrum

91
Q

What types of energy does the ear convert?

A

Acoustic energy to neurological impulses

92
Q

When dealing with reflections, what other sonic, time based issues occur?

A

Phasing

93
Q

What tells us a microphone’s sensitivity to loudness?

A

dbSPL Sensitivity

Audio Fundamentals (1 decks)

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