Prelims: Sound Flashcards
1
Q
- more on the creative aspect
- Background music, sound effects, voiceover, narration, folly sounds.
- Sounds are already made.
A
SOUND DESIGN
2
Q
- more on the technical aspect
- usually involves the operation of audio equipment in any of various roles: in recording studios, live sound venues, TV, radio, and broadcast, and more.
- They can be the ones mixing music or video, or they can be systems ops who keep the studios or venues in working order.
- Bottomline, the application of scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the design, manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes, and systems about sounds
A
SOUND ENGINEERING
3
Q
is the process by which sound information is captured onto a storage medium
A
Audio recording
4
Q
3 examples of storage mediums:
A
o magnetic tape
o optical disc
o solid-state drive (SSD)
5
Q
The captured information, also known as _____, can be used to reproduce the original sound if it is fed through a playback machine and loudspeaker system.
A
audio
6
Q
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SOUND QUALITY
A
- Captures interest of the audience.
- Let’s you visualize the story well even without video.
7
Q
_____ is anything audible, from any format or instrument.
A
Sound
8
Q
A sound is made when air molecules vibrate and move in a pattern called ______
A
waves, or sound waves.
9
Q
_____ is simply waving of compressed air that move out from its source, similar to dropping a stone in water.
A
Sound
10
Q
Properties of sound
A
- Wavelength,
- Frequency,
- Amplitude,
- Pressure,
- Intensity,
- Speed of Sound and
- Direction.
11
Q
____ is the distance between successive crests of a wave, especially points in a sound wave or electromagnetic wave.
A
Wavelength
12
Q
___ is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. It is is the number of waves that pass a fixed point in a given amount of time.
A
Frequency
13
Q
___ is the maximum extent of a vibration or oscillation, measured from the position of equilibrium.
A
Amplitude
14
Q
___ is the local pressure deviation from the ambient (average or equilibrium) caused by a sound wave.
A
Pressure
15
Q
___ is defined to be the power per unit area carried by a wave. Power is the rate that energy is transferred by a wave. Sound intensity levels are quoted in decibels (dB) much more often than sound intensities in watts per meter squared.
A
Intensity
16
Q
[T/F] Time lag, wave length and tone - all these factors play important parts for the brain when determining the direction of sound.
A
True
17
Q
It is of particular importance when determining so-called impulse sounds like a click or a bang.
A
Time Lag
18
Q
It is the length of successive soundwaves.
A
Wavelength
19
Q
in acoustics, sound that can be recognized by its regularity of vibration.
A
Tone
20
Q
A ___ only one frequency, although its intensity may vary.
A
simple tone
21
Q
A ___ consists of two or more simple tones, called overtones.
A
complex tone
22
Q
The tone of lowest frequency is called the_____; the others, ____.
A
fundamental; overtone
23
Q
[T/F] The frequencies of the overtones may be whole multiples of the fundamental frequency, in which case they are called the second, third, fourth, and so on, harmonics of the fundamental tone, itself known as the first harmonic).
A
True
24
Q
A combination of harmonic tones is pleasant to hear and is therefore called a ___
A
musical tone
25
A ___ is one of an ascending series of sonic components that sound above the audible fundamental frequency.
harmonic
26
___ is anything audible that has been produced, recorded or processed by something electronic or digital. This could also be referred to as a "sound signal".
Audio
27
___ is the number of samples per second that are taken of a waveform to create a discrete digital signal.
SAMPLE RATE
28
[T/F] The higher the sample rate, the less snapshots you capture of the audio signal.
False (more snapshots)
29
[T/F] The higher the sample rate, the clearer the information / audio
True
30
The audio ___determines the number of possible amplitude values we can record for each audio sample.
bit depth
31
[T/F] The lower the bit depth, the more amplitude values per sample are captured to recreate the original audio signal.
False (The higher)
32
The most common audio bit depths are
16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit.
33
- is the relative strength of sound waves (transmitted vibrations), which we perceive as loudness or volume.
amplitude
34
___ is measured in decibels (dB), which refer to the sound pressure level or intensity.
Amplitude
35
[T/F] The higher the amplitude the lower the sound.
False
36
the main unit of volume measurement
- Decibel (or dB)
37
The loud and soft points of a sound over time
- Dynamics (or dynamic range)
38
The unit of measurement for frequencies.
- Hertz (or Hz)
39
equal to 1000 of the unit of measurement for frequencies.
- Kilohertz (or kHz)
40
2 Types of Audio
Analog Audio
Digital Audio
41
is recorded by using some property of the original sound to reproduce the signal.
Analog Audio
42
[T/F] Often when analog sound is recorded, external interference, called noise, can get recorded each time the sound is re-recorded, resulting in each generation of the recording losing quality.
True
43
is sound that has been stored as numerical data which can be easily reproduced and manipulated. It can also be reproduced numerous times without losing quality.
Digital Audio
44
Why is Sound important?
Sound is important because it can express about the character, place, and time. It’s important because it informs and deliver in ways visuals cannot, and because certain combinations of sound and visuals can evoke what neither can do alone. It’s also potentially important because it can help to emphasize visuals. But why be shy? Visuals are sometimes important because they help to determine what we HEAR.
45
RULE OF THUMB IN SOUND EDITING:
1. Try to collect sound as natural as possible. Relying on free sound repositories and libraries will not blend on the kind of recording that you have in the field.
2. Usage of ambient sound environments
3. 5 Layer at max rule
46
Laws in Sampling – Copyright: Ways to avoid using Sampling Copyright
1. Create own samples, record own samples with the use of available instruments like: microphones built-in the phone.
2. Creative commons – it’s a way to create things to use an open-source or imply copyleft, e.g. org
47
it’s a way to create things to use an open-source or imply copyleft, e.g. org
Creative commons
48
[T/F] Engineers cannot be involved in the design, repair, or adaption of hardware used for audio applications.
False
49
can involve a number of things as well: assembling sounds effects and music for games, movies, or other entertainment.
It can also be designing the combination of audio systems (speakers, amplifiers, microphones and processing) & hardware used for live sound applications like concerts, theater, broadcast and recording studios.
Sound design
50
is the creative construction and manipulation of sound.
Sound design
51
____ are the ones who not only create new and original sounds, but they also can be responsible for selecting appropriate the sound systems that let you hear them.
Designers
52
The Essential Tools in Recording:
1. A Computer
2. Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) / Audio Interface Combo
3. Studio Monitors
4. One or Two Microphones
5. Headphones
6. A Few Cables
7. One Mic Stand
8. A Pop Filter
9. Ear Training
53
It is the biggest expenditure by far. Factors to consider such as:
budget
processing speed
portability
Computer
54
Reasons why Desktop computers are recommended:
They’re generally faster
They have more INs/OUTs
They offer greater customization
They solve the noise problem
55
Despite all these advantages, the ONE thing that desktop computers lack is… ____ which the laptop has.
PORTABILITY
56
are a type of transducer (Analog > Digital): a device which converts energy from one form to another.
Microphones
57
is a software program used for composing, producing, recording, mixing and editing audio and MIDI. It is audio recording and editing software that allows you to record multiple tracks, which you then mix together to create a final audio file.
A digital audio workstation (DAW)
58
facilitate mixing of multiple sound sources on a time-based grid.
digital audio workstation (DAW)
59
Audio Interface: The 5 Key Features to Look For:
1. DAW Compatibility
2. Interface Connectors
3. Input / Output (I/O) Count
4. Input Channel Types
5. Form Factor
60
are loudspeakers in speaker enclosures specifically designed for professional audio production applications, such as recording studios, filmmaking, television studios, radio studios and project or home studios, where accurate audio reproduction is crucial.
Studio Monitors
61
Compared to consumer speakers, which typically accentuate certain frequency bands in order to improve the listening experience for certain audiences.
Studio monitors are designed with the opposite goal of providing a perfectly ____ frequency response, so engineers can hear a mix as it truly is, flaws and all…so they can adjust accordingly.
Flat
62
a transducer – that converts sound into an electrical signal.
used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and public events, motion picture production, live and recorded audio engineering, sound recording, two-way radios, megaphones, radio and television broadcasting, and in computers for recording voice, speech recognition, VoIP, and for non-acoustic purposes such as ultrasonic sensors or knock sensors.
microphone
63
used when recording multiple people or in places where there is plenty of noise. It is best for the source to be very close to the mic.
These mics do not pick up background noise as much, so they are ideal for live performances, talks and podcasts.
This is because they are not as sensitive to the surrounding, thus they can just pick up the audio of the person or source closest to the mic.
They are durable in design and great for minimizing feedback since they are not too sensitive.
Dynamic microphones
64
are more sensitive but precise Mic. It is ideal for high fidelity sound recording with a good frequency response. It will require a quiet room though, due to the sensitivity of its components. Due to its features, condenser mics are more expensive.
Condenser microphones
65
defines how much of the signal will be picked up by the microphone from different directions.
polar pattern
66
[T/F] By selecting the right polar pattern, you can avoid unwanted sound sources to bleed into your signal, adjust the mix between dry and room sound, or change the frequency response, and influence the proximity effect.
True
67
7 Polar Patterns
1. Omnidirectional
2. Subcardioid
3. Cardioid
4. Supercardioid
5. Hypercardioid
6. Bi-directional
7. Shotgun
68
headphones which offer optimal isolation at the expense of lesser sound quality.
Closed back headphones for tracking
69
headphones which offer optimal sound quality at the expense of lesser isolation.
Open back headphones for mixing
70
It is the one responsible of connecting almost all of the essential devices and setups in the production.
Cables
71
Cable has 2 types:
Analog cables
Digital cables
72
cables that work by transmitting information through stream of electricity, and…
Analog cables
73
cables that work by transmitting information through a long string of 1’s and 0’s (aka binary code).
Digital cables
74
there are 2 types of analog cables:
Balanced and Unbalanced
75
[T/F] Balanced cables are relatively not immune to noise from interference such as radio frequencies, electronic equipment, etc. Which is why they’re not the standard for pro audio.
In terms of design:
False (immune to noise and standard for pro audio)
76
BALANCED cables have 3 wires
Signal (+)
Signal (-)
Ground
77
UNBALANCED cables have only 2:
Signal
Ground
78
[T/F] The addition of the 3rd wire in a balanced cable is exactly what makes noise-cancellation possible.
True
79
types of analog cables transfer 3 levels of audio signal
Mic level (balanced)
Instrument Level (unbalanced)
Line Level (balanced)
80
signals, which come from the mics, are sent though a standard microphone cable, which is then boosted to line level using a mic preamp.
Mic level (balanced)
81
signals, which come from electric guitar/bass, are sent through a standard guitar cable, which is then boosted to line level using a direct box.
Instrument level
82
is the standard signal strength used with all pro audio equipment. Which is why mic/instrument level signals are first boosted to line level before entering the signal chain.
Line level
83
Analog cables has 3 Analog connectors:
XLR Male –
XLR Female –
TRS – which connects to both inputs AND outputs.
84
Analog cable which connects to various hardware inputs.
XLR Male
85
Analog cable which connects to the microphone, and various hardware outputs.
XLR Female –
86
Analog cable which connects to both inputs AND outputs.
TRS
87
Each of these connectors has 3 contact points which carry signals from the positive, negative, and ground wires previously mentioned.
XLR male has 3 pins
XLR female has 3 holes
TRS has 3 surfaces known as Tip, Ring, and Sleeve
88
[T/F] XLR male has 3 holes
False (pins)
89
[T/F] XLR female has 3 pins
False (holes)
90
[T/F] TRS has 3 surfaces known as Tip, Ring, and Sleeve
True
91
___ analog cables typically only use one connector, which is the TS connectors commonly seen on instrument/guitar cables.
unbalanced
92
[T/F] The balanced wiring for TRS goes:
Tip= Positive
Ring= Negative
Sleeve= Ground
True
93
[T/F] While the unbalanced wiring for TS goes
Tip= Positive
Sleeve= Ground
True
94
When audio enters a balanced cable, both the (+) and (-) wires receive identical versions of the signal. The only difference is, polarity of the (-) wire is INVERTED. As the two signals travel along the cable, BOTH wires gather noise, the same way unbalanced cables do, however…Before re-combining them at the opposite end of the cable, the polarity of the negative wire is flipped BACK, to once again match the positive signal. With the noise patterns now on OPPOSITE polarities, they cancel each other out, leaving the original signal noise-free.
95
The advantage about digital cables is,
unlike analog cables, it is not really that much of a need to understand much about how they work, in order to use them.
96
The disadvantage is,
there’s A LOT more of them, and the current ones are constantly being replaced as newer technologies develop.
97
The Three Interface Cables:
1. USB
2. Firewire
3. Thunderbolt
98
cable that is the standard for budget interfaces, it has the slowest data transfer of the 3, but still works well enough for home studios.
USB
99
Cable that is typically seen on pricier interfaces, it offers significantly faster speeds than USB.
Firewire
100
Cable that is only seen on newer high-end interfaces, it offers unprecedented data transfer rates, previously only seen on dedicated PCIe processing cards.
Thunderbolt
101
____ transfer data between various electronic instruments and related digital devices. Using a language known as MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
MIDI Cables
102
(aka lightpipe cables), can carry multiplechannels of digital audio through a single cable.
Optical Cables
103
The 2 signals Optical cables accepts are:
ADAT
S/PDIF (aka TOSLINK)
104
signal which carries 8 channels at 48kHz, or 4 channels at 96kHz
is commonly used to send all 8 channels of a multi-channel mic preamp to the audio interface.
ADAT
105
signal which carries 2 channels of audio
is commonly used to output your stereo mix from the audio interface to an external source such as a cheaper pair of monitor speakers.
S/PDIF (aka TOSLINK)
106
cables that are used in the studio to sync the internal clocks of multiple digital devices, whenever two or more are connected.
BNC Cables
107
cables use the XLR connectors of an analog mic cable, to transmit the S/PDIF signal of a digital optical cable.
AES/EBU cables
108
[T/F] The term “AES/EBU” is actually an audio signal (NOT cable), that can work with several different connectors including: Optical, BNC, RCA and XLR.
True
109
cables that work great in the studio as well, because of their ability to send BOTH a power source, and multiple channels of digital audio, through a single line, as well as their ability to stretch LONG DISTANCES with extremely LOW LATENCY TIMES.
This combination of features makes them perfectly suited to meet the needs of many high-end headphone distribution systems.
Cat5e cables
110
a solid ____ is one of the most worthwhile investments a new home studio can make.
mic stand
111
A ___ has a purpose (besides looking cool) is to filter-out an unpleasant vocal artifact known as “popping”, which is a low frequency blast of air caused by the pronunciation of “P” and “B” sounds.
It serves to reduce or eliminate popping sounds caused by the mechanical impact of fast-moving air on the microphone from plosives during recorded speech and singing.
pop filter
112
5 Steps to Set Up Your Recording Room
STEP 1: Choose the Best Room
STEP 2: Clear Out the Room
STEP 3: Add Acoustic Treatment
STEP 4: Arrange Your Workstation
STEP 5: Arrange Your Recording Stations
113
Top 4 things to avoid in choosing the best room:
1. Small Spaces
2. Noise
3. Poor Flooring
4. Poor Acoustics
114
[T/F] The general rule of thumb is: the bigger the room, the worse the audio quality.
False (The bigger the room, the better)
115
[T/F] Ideal recording room should have hard flooring such as concrete, tile, or hardwood
True
116
[T/F] Hardwood floors often cause problems for two reasons:
studios get a lot of foot traffic, and carpet wears out quickly.
carpet absorbs high frequencies, but not low ones, which hurts the acoustics.
False (Carpeted Floors)
117
[T/F] Ideally for a recording room, a large room with high ceilings, asymmetrical walls, and lots of irregular surfaces.
True
118
Another type of acoustic treatment known as ___. It will allow a few reflections to remain, and to scatter them. It works by scattering reflections so nothing gets trapped, and the natural tone is preserved.
diffusion
119
Remove the natural reverb of the room and add acoustic treatment like ____ by installing foam panels or egg trays on the wall. Their REAL purpose is to absorb sound reflections.
acoustic absorption
120
2 types of acoustic treatment
Absorption and diffusion
121
2 general recording stations
a desk/mixing area for the engineer (Workstation)
a recording area for the musicians / voice artists
122
- is an electronic component that turns one form of energy into another.
Transducer
123
[T/F] A microphone is one kind of transducer because it turns electrical energy into sound-wave energy.
False (Sound-wave to electrical energy)
124
[T/F] a speaker is the opposite kind of transducer because it turns electrical energy into sound-wave energy.
True
125
[T/F] Gone are the days of storing audio magnetically using analog audio tape or digital audio tape (DAT). For the foreseeable future, audio will be digital and stored on SSDs.
True
126
Often take the form of a smartphone and a set of headphones.
PLAYBACK MACHINES AND LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEMS
127
Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music are today’s ___, and
devices like smartphones and headphones are today’s ___
playback machines
loudspeaker systems.
128
Preparation for recording
1. Equipment Needed
2. Microphone Types
3. Room Acoustics
4. Audio Interfaces
5. Recording Software
129
An ___ simply takes both digital and analog signals — like those that come from guitars, microphones, MIDI keyboards, etc. — and converts them into a format that your computer can recognize and then back to analog so you can monitor them from your headphones or speakers.
audio interface
130
5 Functions of a Digital Audio Workstation
1. Record and edit audio.
2. Play virtual instruments.
3. Experiment with audio effects.
4. Mix and master audio tracks.
5. Work on sound design and non-musical audio.
131
____ is the field of acoustics that describes how sound propagates in a closed or semi-closed space.
Room Acoustics
132
Each space has its own sound ____ which affects the quality of a sound, whether this is speech, music or any kind of noise.
fingerprint
133
[T/F] Acoustic designs can amplify your voice
True
134
A ____ aims to control what goes on around the microphone as much as possible by isolating the microphone from the outside world and ensuring that sound doesn't bounce around and back into the microphone.
vocal booth
135
____ act as filters, minimizing unwanted background noise while also reducing sound-wave reflection for a more balanced recording of your vocals.
By isolating your microphone from its surrounding environment, the shield enhances the quality of your voice and prevents distortions.
VOCAL SHIELD
136
[T/F] It is best practice to position yourself between 3 – 5 inches from the mic (depending on the type of mic).
True
137
Position the mic slightly down and point it towards your mouth to reduce ___ and ___
Plosives
Sibilance
138
___ are “popping” P or T sounds
Plosives
139
___ is high, harsh S sounds
sibilance
140
Two ways to increase audio intelligibility are to apply ____ or ____ to the audio file during post-production.
equalization or normalization
141
can highlight the strong frequencies in your voice and minimize any harsh or unwanted frequencies. Another useful process for improving audio quality is audio normalization.
Audio equalization
142
is a process that will increase the volume of the audio file by setting a peak target that determines the amount of audio gain needed to reach the set level.
Audio normalization
143
or audio signal processing, are tools that manipulate how an audio signal sounds. They can either come in software form (plugins and computer programs) or as hardware (guitar effect pedals, rack-mounted machines, etc).
example:
Autotune, Autopitch, Harmonizer
- Audio effects
144
[T/F] Audio effects is also known as sound processing
False (Signal processing)
145
- These modify the source audio signal with another signal, in general are something that effect pitch, motion and/or amplitude.
- Most modulation effects can be defined into five blanket categories:
o chorus
o phase
o flanger
o tremolo
o vibrato
MODULATION EFFECTS
146
- These include processes where some form of time manipulation occurs to the signal.
- Includes:
o reverb
o delay
o echoes.
TIME-BASED EFFECTS
147
alter the frequency information of an audio file or the position of these files in a stereo or multi-channel mix.
- Includes:
o Equalization (ex: add bass) and
o Panning (audio moves left or right)
SPECTRAL EFFECTS
148
- These alter the dynamics of an audio signal- the change in amplitude over time.
- Changing the signal amplitude will also change the shape of the signal waveform, which is signal distortion.
- This includes: distortion.
DYNAMIC EFFECTS
149
- Includes: band-pass filters, bell curve filters, envelope filters, high-pass filters, high shelf filters, low-pass filters, low shelf filters, and notch filters.
FILTERS
150
- is the process of fixing damage and imperfections in audio. Includes Noise Reduction/Denoiser, De-Clicker, De-crackler, De-clipper, De-Buzzer
AUDIO RESTORATION EFFECT
151
OTHER EFFECTS
- Pitch Shifter, Pitch correction (Autotune), Harmonizer, Vocoder,
152
7 popular audio file types
- MP3
- WAV
- M4A
- FLAC
- MP4
- WMA
- AAC
153
FORMULA FOR AUDIO FILE SIZE
AFS = (SR ×BD × T ×C) / 8
= Bytes / B
AFS = [(SR ×BD × T ×C)/8] ÷ 1024
= Kilobytes / Kb
AFS = ([(SR ×BD × T ×C)/8] ÷1024) / 1024
= Megabytes / Mb
* AFS = Audio File size
* SR = Sample rate (Hz)
* BD = Bit depth (Bits)
* T = Time (Seconds)
* C = Channel
* Unit = bytes / kb / mb
154
Channels and Units Conversion:
Mono =
Stereo =
Surround =
1 kHz = ____
1
2
6
1000 Hz
155
SR: 48,100Hz Bd: 16 bit T: 4mins C: MONO
* BYTES:
* KB:
* MB:
* BYTES: 23,088,000 B
* KB: 22,546 KB
* MB: 22.09 MB
