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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
Define Timbre
Characteristics of a sound
26
What is the fundamental frequency?
Lowest frequency of a harmonic sound
27
What are partials?
Divisions of a fundamental frequency
28
What occurs when air molecules cause vibration of an otherwise still vibratory body of harmonic likeness?
Sympathetic Vibration
29
As audio engineers, why is it important to have an understanding of the Harmonic Series?
30
What are the three bones of the Auditory Ossicles?
Malleus (Hammer) , Incus (Anvil) , Stapes (Stirrup)
31
In one word, what is the ear?
Transducer
32
A tube-like organ containing two fluid filled chambers:
Cochlea
33
When sound travels from the source to the listener:
Direct sound
34
When sounds bounce off a surface and then travel to the listener:
Early Reflections
35
Random and continuous reflections:
Reverb
36
3 perceptual cues that aid in perceiving direction:
Interaural Intensity Differences, Interaural Arrival-time Differences, Effects of the Outer Ear
37
Describe the Fletcher Munson Curve:
Frequency response of the human ear
38
What will we hear if two identical waves are 180° out of phase with one another?
Silence
39
Define Transducer
Converts one form of energy into another
40
Define Polar Pattern
Directionality of the microphone
41
Cardioid Polar Pattern
Picks up mostly in front of the microphone
42
Figure 8 / Bi-Directional Polar Pattern
Picks up front and rear, but not much on the sides. * Ribbon mics are mostly Figure-8
43
Omnidirectional Polar pattern
360°
44
Define Sine Wave
1 Single Frequency
45
Physical, Analog, or Digital: dbSPL - Decibel sound Pressure Level
Physical
46
Physical, Analog, or Digital: dBv or dBu - Voltage
Analog
47
Physical, Analog, or Digital: dBFS - Decibel Full Scale
Digital
48
Define "Peak" in metering
Visual representation of the highest level in a short duration. Short-term loudness
49
Define "RMS" in metering
Visual representation of average loudness
50
Define "LUFS" in metering
- Loudness Full Scale - Found in Digital Realm - Measures the perceived loudness
51
We can listen to HOW MANY dB for up to 8 hours before we suffer hearing damage
85 dB SPL
52
When sounds bounce off a surface and then travel to the listener:
Early Reflections / Reflective Sound
53
What is 0VU?
1.23 Volts = +4dBu
54
What is 0VU in relation to dBFS?
-20 dBFS
55
Define Gain Staging
Monitoring the gain of your signal across each stage / piece of gear in a signal chain
56
What parameter of sound does sample rate affect?
Frequency
57
What parameter of sound does bit depth affect?
Dynamic Range
58
What is the Nyquist Theorem?
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
What is the Nyquist Frequency?
Frequency that is ½ the sample rate
60
What is the Nyquist frequency at a sample rate of 48kHz?
24 kHz
61
What is the benefit of using higher sample rates?
A better high-end fidelity
62
How much dynamic range is in 1-bit?
6dB
63
How much dynamic range is in a 24-bit system?
144dB
64
What does the frequency response tell us about a microphone?
A microphone's sensitivity across a frequency bandwidth, usually 20-20kHz
65
Define Polar Pattern
Directional response of a microphone
66
How does the frequency response change based on the proximity of the microphone to the sound source?
The closer the microphone is to the sound source, the more low end sensitivity
67
What is the design of a dynamic microphone?
A moving conductive coil attached to a diaphragm suspended in a magnetic field
68
What is the design of a condenser microphone?
2 conductive plates, one a moving diaphragm, the other a fixed back plate
69
What is the design of a ribbon microphone?
A moving conductive ribbon suspended in a magnetic field
70
What is the voltage of phantom power? What type of microphones uses it?
+48V. Condenser microphones
71
What does dB SPL sensitivity tell us about a microphone?
It's sensitivity to loudness
72
What is the function of a preamp?
To bring microphone level up to line level
73
In one word, what is a microphone?
Transducer
74
What is a transducer?
A device that converts forms of energy
75
What form of energy is a microphone converting, and what is it converting it into?
Physical vibrations into an electrical current
76
What unit do we measure frequency?
Hertz
77
What is wavelength?
Physical distance of cycles
78
What is the unit of measure for sound pressure level?
dBSPL
79
What is the Threshold of Hearing?
0 dB SPL
80
What is the Threshold of Pain?
140 dbSPL
81
Define an amplitude envelope and what each letter represents: A: D: S: R:
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
Define the Harmonic Series:
Integer divisions of a fundamental frequency - sonic fingerprint
83
What is the harmonic makeup of a sine wave?
One single frequency
84
What is the suggested dB SPL level for monitoring?
85 dBSPL
85
What is an objective measurement of loudness/intensity?
Amplitude
86
Define Frequency:
cycles per second / we perceive frequency as pitch
87
What is the room mode (in Hz) for a dimension that is 20 ft in length? Formula?
Velocity / Dimension. 56.5 Hz.
88
What is 0dBFS?
Max level before clipping
89
What type of periodic waveform is each partial of a harmonic spectrum?
Sinewave
90
What is another name for tympanic membrane?
Eardrum
91
What types of energy does the ear convert?
Acoustic energy to neurological impulses
92
When dealing with reflections, what other sonic, time based issues occur?
Phasing
93
What tells us a microphone’s sensitivity to loudness?
dbSPL Sensitivity

Audio Fundamentals (1 decks)

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