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1 Music Technology 2024 > Recording and production techniques > Flashcards

Recording and production techniques Flashcards

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1
Q

What is gain structure, and how does it impact noise and distortion in audio recordings?

A

Gain structure manages signal levels. Too much gain causes distortion; too little increases noise.

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2
Q

What steps optimize gain structure, maximizing signal-to-noise ratio and avoiding clipping, interference, and hiss?

A

Set gain for strong signal, check levels, avoid clipping and interference.

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3
Q

What should be considered when checking input and output levels with multiple effects or hardware in a chain?

A

make sure the input and output levels of each device match to prevent signal problems like distortion or loss.

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4
Q

Dynamic Mic features

A
  • Robust, for live use.
  • Less sensitive, good for high SPL.
  • Often cardioid.
  • No external power needed.
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5
Q

Condenser Mic Features

A
  • Delicate, for studio.
  • High sensitivity, wide freq response.
  • Need phantom power.
  • Various polar patterns.
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6
Q

Ribbon Mic

A
  • Fragile ribbon.
  • Warm, natural sound.
  • Bidirectional pattern.
  • High SPL handling, but delicate.
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7
Q

What is the proximity effect

A

Increase in bass response when close. Adds warmth to recordings.

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8
Q

What is the characteristic polar pattern of a cardioid microphone?

A

Heart-shaped, mainly captures sound from the front, rejects from the sides and rear.

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9
Q

What is the characteristic polar pattern of a hypercardioid microphone?

A

Narrower pickup pattern than cardioid, more directional focus.

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10
Q

What is the characteristic polar pattern of a figure-of-8 microphone?

A

Captures sound from front and rear equally, rejects from the sides.

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11
Q

What does frequency response refer to in microphone specifications?

A

the range of frequencies a microphone can capture accurately, typically measured in Hertz (Hz).

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12
Q

What does transient response refer to in microphone specifications?

A

how quickly a microphone diaphragm responds to changes in sound pressure.

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13
Q

What are the differences between coincident and spaced stereo pairs in microphone techniques?

A

In coincident stereo pairs, microphones are placed close together, capturing sound simultaneously. In spaced stereo pairs, microphones are spaced apart to create a wider stereo image.

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14
Q

Briefly explain how microphones work.

A

Convert sound waves into electrical signals. Vox sing into mic, then picked up by diaphram which then moves coil back and forth into electrical signals

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15
Q

How is synthesis used to create sounds?

A

Creating sounds using waveforms, noise, LFOs, filters, and envelopes.

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16
Q

What waveforms are commonly used in synthesis?

A

Sine, square, and saw, each with unique timbral characteristics.

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17
Q

What role does white noise play in synthesis?

A

Adds randomness and texture to sounds, often used for percussive elements or sound effects.

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18
Q

How does a Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO) contribute to sound synthesis?

A

Modulates parameters over time, creating effects like vibrato, tremolo, or rhythmic modulation.

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19
Q

What are low pass and high pass filters in synthesis?

A

Low pass filters cut high frequencies, high pass filters cut low frequencies, shaping the timbre of the sound.

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20
Q

How do envelopes influence synthesized sounds?

A

Control the evolution of sound over time, comprising attack, decay, sustain, and release stages, crucial for shaping the volume and timbre.

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21
Q

What role does the cutoff frequency and resonance play in shaping synthesiser?

A

Cutoff Frequency: Determines which frequencies pass through the filter, affecting brightness and darkness of the sound.
Resonance: Boosts frequencies near the cutoff point, emphasizing certain harmonics, altering the character of the sound.

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22
Q

What is the difference between monophonic and polyphonic synthesis?

A

Monophonic: Plays one note at a time, suitable for leads.
Polyphonic: Plays multiple notes simultaneously, suitable for chords and harmonies.

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23
Q

What are portamento and arpeggiator functions used for?

A

Portamento: Smoothly glides between pitches, affecting transitions between notes. Arpeggiator: Automatically plays a sequence of notes from a chord, influencing rhythmic patterns and textures.

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24
Q

What is pitch mapping in sampling?

A

Assigning different pitches to sampled sounds

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25
Q

How is transposing utilized in sampling?

A

Changing the pitch of a sample up or down, altering its pitch without affecting its duration.

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26
Q

what are the mark where the loop begins and ends of a sample

A

loop points

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27
Q

What is quantization in sequencing?

A

Aligning notes to a specified grid, correcting timing errors to improve rhythmic accuracy

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28
Q

What are hard quantize values, and what note lengths do they correspond to?

A

Specific grid divisions (e.g., 8th, 12th, 16th, 24th, 32nd notes)

29
Q

How is swing or percentage quantization applied in sequencing

A

Introduces groove or swing by delaying offbeat notes, expressed as a percentage deviation from the straight quantization grid.

30
Q

What editing skills are commonly used in sequencing?

A

Adjusting velocity (volume) and note length (duration) to fine-tune dynamics and articulation.

31
Q

what are some Editing functions for arranging and manipulating MIDI or audio clips within the timeline in sequnecing

A

cutting, looping, and duplicating

32
Q

How can hiss, hum, and plosives be removed from audio recordings?

A

Noise Gate and De-esser plugins or EQ

33
Q

How can inaccuracies in pitch be corrected in audio recordings?

A

Pitch Correction: Use automatic tuning tools to re-tune vocal parts or manually tune individual notes using pitch shift functions

34
Q

What methods are available for correcting inaccuracies in rhythm?

A

Flex Time: Tighten drum parts using audio quantization or manually correct timing issues by cutting and moving notes within the arrangement

35
Q

What parameters offer greater control and creativity in pitch correction?

A

Utilize automatic tuning creatively, adjust response time, select specific notes or scales, and fine-tune pitch in cents for precise control over the tuning effect.

36
Q

What parameters provide enhanced control and creativity in rhythm correction?

A

time-stretching techniques to adjust the tempo and duration of audio clips, allowing for precise rhythmic manipulation and creative experimentation within the arrangement.

37
Q

When do you use compressors and gates in audio production?

A

Compression: Controls dynamic range.
Gating: Reduces background noise.

38
Q

What are common uses of compression and gating?

A

Compression: Smooths vocals, drums, bass.
Gating: Eliminates noise between passages.

39
Q

What are limiting, expansion, and de-essing in dynamics processing?

A

Limiting: Caps maximum output.
Expansion: Widens dynamic range.
De-essing: Reduces sibilance in vocals.

40
Q

What is “pumping” in dynamics processing?

A

uses the amplitude envelope (dynamics profile) of one track as a trigger for a compressor used in another track

41
Q

what are the core aspects of a compressor

A

threshold, ratio, attack , release, make-up gain

42
Q

what do each of the compressor compents do ?

A

Threshold determines when compression begins,

Ratio controls the amount of compression applied,

Makeup Gain compensates for reduced volume,

Attack adjusts how quickly compression is applied,

Release controls how quickly compression stops

43
Q

What are the core parameters of a gate and what do they do?

A

threshold sets the level at which the gate opens,

Reduction/Range determines the amount by which signals below the threshold are attenuated.

44
Q

What is a Low Shelf Filter?

A

lets you boost or cut low-end frequencies in your audio

45
Q

What is a High Shelf Filter?

A

lets you boost or cut high-end frequencies in your audio

46
Q

What is a Band Filter?

A

Allows only a specified range of frequencies to pass through.while attenuating frequencies outside that range

47
Q

What is a Low Pass Filter?

A

It allows frequencies below a specified cutoff to pass through while attenuating frequencies above it, commonly used to remove high-frequency content from audio signals.

48
Q

What is a High Pass Filter?

A

It allows frequencies above a specified cutoff to pass through while attenuating frequencies below it, commonly used to remove low-frequency content from audio signals.

49
Q

What is a Band Pass Filter?

A

It allows only frequencies within a specified range to pass through while attenuating frequencies outside that range, useful for isolating specific frequency bands in audio signals.

50
Q

What are the methods for Correcting Problems in audio recordings?

A

These methods include de-essing to reduce sibilance, noise reduction to eliminate unwanted noise, and resonance filtering to address unwanted resonances or frequencies

51
Q

What is Reverb Time?

A

Reverb time refers to the duration it takes for the reverberant sound to decay by a certain amount, influencing the perceived size and character of the acoustic space.

52
Q

What is Delay?

A

Delay records an audio signal and plays it back after a specified time, creating echoes or spatial effects in audio recordings.

53
Q

What are the types of Reverb?

A

Room, Hall, Plate, Spring, Gated, Reversed.

54
Q

What is Plate Reverb?

A

Simulates the reverberation produced by vibrating metal plates, known for its smooth and dense sound character.

55
Q

What is Spring Reverb?

A

Simulates the reverberation produced by sound waves traveling through metal springs, often used in guitar amplifiers for its characteristic “boing” sound.

56
Q

What is Gated Reverb?

A

Reverb effect where the decay of the reverberation is abruptly cut off, creating a distinctive, short, and controlled ambience.

57
Q

What are the types of Delay?

A

single and Multi-tap, Slapback, Timed, Ping Pong.

58
Q

What is Single and Multi-tap Delay?

A

Single-tap delay has one delay line, while multi-tap delay has multiple delay lines, allowing for complex rhythmic patterns and echoes.

59
Q

What is Slapback Delay?

A

Short delay with a single repeat, typically used to create a sense of depth and spaciousness in audio recordings.

60
Q

What is ping pong Delay?

A

Delay effect where the repeats alternate between the left and right channels, creating a sense of movement and spatial width in audio recordings.

61
Q

What is Automatic Double Tracking (ADT)?

A

ADT creates the illusion of multiple performances of a single track by adding a slightly delayed and modulated version of the original signal, enhancing the stereo width and depth of the sound.

62
Q

What is Distortion?

A

Distortion alters the audio signal, introducing harmonic overtones and clipping, often used to add grit, warmth, or aggression to audio recordings.

63
Q

What are the types of Vocal Effects?

A

Vocoder, Talk Box.

64
Q

What is a Vocoder?

A

Effect that analyzes and synthesizes vocal input, creating robotic or synthesized sounds by modulating one signal with another.

65
Q

What is a Talk Box?

A

Device that allows a performer to shape the sound of a musical instrument, typically a guitar, using their mouth to manipulate a sound generated by the instrument’s speaker.

66
Q

What are Vinyl Surface Noise/Crackle Effects?

A

Simulates the sound of imperfections and surface noise found on vinyl records, adding warmth and nostalgia to audio recordings.

67
Q

What is Bit-crushing?

A

echnique that intentionally reduces the bit depth and sample rate of an audio signal, resulting in a gritty, distorted, and “digital” sound reminiscent of early digital audio technology.

68
Q

What is Mastering in audio production?

A

Mastering is the final stage of audio production where tracks are prepared for distribution, including tasks like adjusting perceived volume, stereo width, and applying EQ and compression for cohesion.

1 Music Technology 2024 (5 decks)

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