Week 2 - Using Control Signals in Sound Design Flashcards
In thinking about experimenting and creating synthesis sounds, how can you help the synthesizer sound become more musically useful? How can you generally make a sound more interesting?
To help make the synthesizer sound become more musically useful, we need to shape it over time. To do this, we add modules that control parameters in the audio signal path so that the basic elements of sound will change over the course of the note.
What is an example of a module outputs a control signal?
The envelope generator
When creating block diagrams or setting up rack modules, where should audio signal path modules be placed?
Audio signal path modules should be placed at the top, and arranged from left to right.
When creating block diagrams or setting up rack modules, where should control signal generators appear?
Control signal generators should appear below the audio path
What is the musical term for a controller that is used to turn sound on and off?
A gate
How does a gate work in terms of a musical keyboard
A gate signal allows the sound to be heard while a key is depressed and closes it off when the key is released. Sound is heard while the gate is open, and not when closed.
What type of effect is a gate considered?
A gate is considered as a very simple type of envelope generator
True or False: A typical audio signal path will contain at least one low-frequency oscillator.
False
Which of the following is a common control signal path device?
1. Oscillator
2. Filter
3. Envelope Generator
4. Amplifier
- Envelope Generator
When an envelope generator is used to control a VCA, we generally hear a change in:
1. Timbre
2. Pitch
3. vibrato
4. Loudness
- Loudness
Which of the following settings for an envelope generator is not a function of time:
1. Attack
2. Decay
3. Sustain
4. Release
- Sustain
If an envelope generator is used to control a filter, we should hear a change in:
1. Pitch
2. Timbre
3. Vibrato
4. Loudness
- Timbre
True or False: A note-on message triggers the release segment in an envelope generator.
False
True or False: Vibrato is generally the result of using an LFO to control an oscillator
True
True or False: A trill is produced by routing an LFO to an amplifier.
False
True or False: A bipolar signal changes between on and off.
False
Keyboard tracking may be used to control which of the following parameters?
1. Pitch
2. Timbre
3. Loudness
4. All of the above
- All of the above
Velocity is a term used to describe which of the following measurements:
1. The speed of a key depression
2. The loudness of a sound
3. The pressure applied to a key
4. The attack time of an instrument
- The speed of a key depression
Aftertouch is a term used to describe which of the following measurements?
1. The speed of a key depression
2. The pressure applied to a key while a note is held
3. The loudness of a sound
4. The attack time of an instrument
- The pressure applied to a key while a note is held
Block diagrams are used to:
1. Plot frequency against time
2. Plot amplitude against time
3. Plot the signal path for a synthesized sound
4. Plan home remodeling project
- Plot the signal path for a synthesized sound
In block diagrams, audio signal path modules are shown:
1. With signal flow up from the module
2. With signal flow rightward from the right of the module
3. With signal flow down from the bottom of the module
4. With signal flow rightward from the left of the module
- With signal flow rightward from the right of the module
