Audio Recording Terms Glossary

8/2/2019 Audio Recording Terms Glossary

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Audio Recording Terms

Glossary/IndexInteractive Version For Pro Audio Specialist Study ModuleDesigned for Recording Institute Of Detroit Pro Audio Specialiststudents' use in classroom or Study & Development Center orfor home study.A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSelect the first letter of the word from the list above to jump toappropriate section of the glossary.

- A -Absorption - Short for the term Acoustical Absorption (quality of asurface or substance to take in, not reflect, a sound wave ).AC - An abbreviation of the term Alternating Current (electric current which flows back and forth in a circuit; all studio signals runningthrough audio lines are AC).Acoustic / Acoustical - Having to do with sound that can be heard bythe ears.

Acoustic Amplifier - The portion of the instrument which makes thevibrating source move more air or move air more efficiently; this makesthe sound of the instrument louder. Examples of acoustic amplifiersinclude: 1) The body of an acoustic guitar, 2) The sounding board of apiano, 3) The bell of a horn and 4) The shell of a drum.Acoustic Echo Chamber - A room designed with very hard, non-parallel surfaces and equipped with a speaker and microphone; dry signals from the console are fed to the speaker and the microphone willhave a reverberation of these signals that can be mixed in with the drysignals at the console.Acoustical Absorption - The quality of a surface or substance to takein the sound wave and not reflect it or pass it through, or an instance of this.A/D - An abbreviation of Analog to Digital Conversion (the conversionof a quantity that has continuous changes into numbers thatapproximate those changes), or Analog to Digital Converter.ADAT - A trademark of Alesis Corporation designating its modulardigital multitrack recording system released in early 1993.ADSR - The letters A, D, S &R are the first letters of: Attack , Decay ,Sustain and Release . These are the various elements of volumechanges in the sounding of a keyboard instrument.

AES - An abbreviation of Audio Engineering Society.
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AES/EBU Professional Interface - A standard for sending andreceiving digital audio adopted by the Audio Engineering Society andthe European Broadcast Union.Aliasing - A sampler mis-recognizing a signal sent to it that is at afrequency higher than the Nyquist Frequency. Upon playback, the

system will provide a signal at an incorrect frequency (called an aliasfrequency). Aliasing is a kind of distortion.Alternating Current - Electric current which flows back and forth in acircuit .Ambience - The portion of the sound that comes from the surroundingenvironment rather than directly from the sound source.Ambient Field - A term with the same meaning as the termReverberant Field (the area away from the sound source where thereverberation is louder than the direct sound ).Ambient Micing - Placing a microphone in the reverberant field (where the reverberation is louder than the direct sound ) so as to do aseparate recording of the ambience or to allow the recording engineerto change the mix of direct to reverberant sound in recording.Amp - 1) An abbreviation of the term Amplifier (A device whichincreases the level of an electrical signal. 2) An abbreviation of Ampere(the unit of current ). 3) An abbreviation of amplitude (the height of awaveform above or below the zero line).Text Reference (1): Lesson 10Ampere - The unit of current , abbreviated Amp .Amplification - An increasing of signal strength.Amplifier - A device which increases the amplitude (level) of an

electrical signal (making it louder).Text Reference: Lesson 10 - IllustrationAmplitude - The height of a waveform above or below the zero line.Analog (Analogue) - Representative, continuous changes that relateto another quantity that has a continuous change.Analog Recording - A recording of the continuous changes of anaudio waveform .Text Reference: Lesson 40Analog To Digital Converter - The device which does the conversionof a quantity that has continuous changes (usually of voltage) intonumbers that approximate those changes.Assign - To choose to which place an output is going to be sent.Assistant Engineer - A less elevated version of the term SecondEngineer . Experienced seconds often place microphones , operate tapemachines, break down equipment at the session end and keep thepaperwork for the session.Atom - The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It'scomposed of a center around which electrons revolve.Text Reference: Lesson 2 - IllustrationAttack - The rate the sound begins and increases in volume.Attenuation - A making smaller: reduction of electrical or acoustic signal strength.Audio - Most often referring to electrical signals resulting from thesound pressure wave being converted into electrical energy.
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Text Reference: Lesson 2Automatic Gain Control (Automatic Volume Control) - Acompressor with a very long release time used to keep the volume of the audio very constant.Automation - In consoles , a feature that lets the engineer program

control changes (such as fader level) so that upon playback of themultitrack recording these changes happen automatically.Aux Send - Short for the term Auxiliary Send (a control to adjust thelevel of the signal sent from the console input channel to the auxiliaryequipment through the aux buss.Text Reference: Lesson 25Auxiliary Equipment - Effects devices separate from but working withthe recording console .Axis - A line around which a device operates. Example: In amicrophone , this would be an imaginary line coming out from the frontof the microphone in the direction of motion of the diaphragm .Back to Top of Glossary

- B -Baffles - Sound absorbing panels used to prevent sound waves fromentering or leaving a certain spaceBalance - 1) The relative level of two or more instruments in a mix , orthe relative level of audio signals in the channels of a stereo recording.2) To make the relative levels of audio signals in the channels of a

stereo recording even.Balance Control - A control on a stereo amplifier that when movedclockwise will make the right channel louder (and the left channelsofter) and will do the reverse when moved counter-clockwise.Balanced - 1) Having a pleasing amount of low frequencies comparedto mid-range frequencies and high frequencies. 2) Having a pleasingmixture of the various instrument levels in an audio recording. 3)Having a fairly equal level in each of the stereo channels. 4) A methodof interconnecting electronic gear using three-conductor cables.Text References: Lesson33Band - 1) A range of frequencies, sometimes identified by the centerfrequency of the range. 2) One of the selections on a compact disk orDVD. 3) A group of musicians playing together.Band Track - 1) A mixdown of a song without the lead vocal or withoutthe lead and background vocals. 2) A term with the same meaning asthe term Rhythm Track . 3) The recording of the rhythm instruments ina music production.Bandwidth - 1) The range of frequencies over which a tape recorder,amplifier or other audio device is useful. 2) The number of frequencyoctaves affected by an equalization setting.Text Reference: Lesson 21Bank - 1) A collection of sound patches (data as to the sequence andoperating parameters of the synthesizer generators and modifiers) inmemory. 2) A group of sound modules as a unit.
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Bar - A term meaning the same thing as the term Measure (thegrouping of a number of beats in music, most-often four beats).Barrier Micing - A method of placing the head of a microphone asclose as possible to a reflective surface, preventing phase cancellation .Basic Session - The First session in recording an audio production to

record the Basic Tracks .Bass - 1) The lower range of audio frequencies up to approximately250 Hz. 2) Short for Bass Guitar .Text References: Lesson 6 IllustrationBass Roll Off - An electrical network built into some microphones toreduce the amount of output at bass frequencies when close-micing.Text References: Lesson 7 IllustrationBeat - 1) The steady even pulse in music.2) The action of two soundsor audio signals mixing together and causing regular rises &.falls involume.Beats Per Minute - The number of steady even pulses in musicoccurring in one minute and there fore defining the tempo of the song.Bi - A prefix meaning two.Bi-Directional Pattern - A microphone pick up pattern which hasmaximum pick up directly in front and directly in back of thediaphragm and least pick up at the sides.Text Reference: Lesson 5 - IllustrationBiamplification - The process of having of having low-frequency speakers and high-frequency speakers driven by separate amplifiers .Text Reference: Lesson 36Binary - A numbering system based on two. In binary there are two

symbols used ("l" and "0").Bit - The smallest unit of digital information representing a single "0"or 1.Blending - 1) A condition where two signals mix together to form onesound or to give the sound of one sound source or one performance. 2)Mixing the left and right signal together slightly which makes theinstruments sound closer to the center of the performance stage. 3) Amethod of panning during mixing where instruments are not pannedextremely left or right.Board - 1) Another, less formal, term for Console . 2) A set of controlsand their housing which control all signals necessary for recording andfor mixing. 3) A slang shortening of the term Keyboard Instrument.Boom - 1) A hand-held, telescoping pole used to hold the microphone in recording dialogue in film production. 2) A telescoping support armthat is attached to a microphone stand and which holds themicrophone. 3) Loosely, a boomstand .Boomstand - A microphone stand equipped with a telescoping supportarm to hold the microphone.Boost - To increase gain , especially to increase gain at specificfrequencies with an equalizer .Bouncing - Alternate name for Ping-Ponging (playing several tackswith sync playback through a console to mix them together and recordthem on an open track).
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BPM - An abbreviation of Beat Per Minute (the number of steady evenpulses in music occurring in one minute and therefore defining thetempo ).Bulk Dump - Short for System Exclusive Bulk Dump (a method of transmitting data, such as the internal parameters of a MIDI device to

another MIDI device).Buss (Bus) - A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed fromseveral sources.Text Reference: Lesson 13Byte - A grouping of eight information bits.Back to Top of Glossary

- C -Cancellation - A shortening of the term Phase Cancellation (theenergy of one waveform significantly decreasing the energy of anotherwaveform because of phase relationships at or close to 180 degrees).Capacitor - An electronic device that is composed of two platesseparated by an insulator .Text Reference: Lesson 3Capacitance - The property of being able to oppose a change involtage or store an electrical charge .Capsule - 1) The variable capacitor section of a condensermicrophone . 2) In other types of microphones, the part of themicrophone that includes the diaphragm and the active element.

Cardioid Pattern - A microphone pick up pattern , which hasmaximum pick up from the front, less pick up from the sides, and leastpick up from the back of the diaphragm.Text Reference: Lesson 5 - IllustrationCascade - To set and interconnect two mixers so that the stereomixing buss(es) of the first mixer feeds the stereo buss(es) of a secondmixer.CD - An abbreviation of the term Compact Disc (a small optical disk with digital audio recorded on it).CD-ROM - An abbreviation of the term Compact Disc , Read OnlyMemory (A Compact Disc used to store digital data, such as largeprograms, that can be read by a computer).Center Frequency - The frequency of the audio signal that is boosted or attenuated most by an equalizer with a peak equalization curve .Text Reference: Lesson 21Central Processing Unit - 1) The main "brain" chip of a computerthat performs the calculations and execution of instructions. 2) Themain housing of a computer that contains the "brain" chip as opposedto other pieces of the computer system such as keyboards, monitors,etc.Chamber - 1) An Echo Chamber (a room designed with very hard, non-parallel surfaces equipped with a speaker and microphone so thatwhen dry signals from the console are fed to the speaker, themicrophone will have a reverberation of these signals that can be
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mixed in with the dry signals at the console). 2) A program in adelay /reverb effects device that simulates the sound of an EchoChamber.Chase - The automatic adjusting of the speed of a recorder (orsequencer) to be time with another recorder.

Channel - 1) In multitrack tape machines, this term means the samething as the term Track (one audio recording made on a portion of thewidth of a multitrack tape). 2) A single path that an audio signal travelsor can travel through a device from an input to an output.Charge - The electrical energy of electrons. The energy is in the formof a force that is considered negative and repels other like forces (otherelectrons) and attracts oppposite (positive) forces.Chip - 1) A slang term with the same meaning as the term IC (aminiature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housingwith prongs to connect it into equipment). 2) The thread cut away fromthe master lacquer to make the groove, while disc recording.Chord - Three or more musical pitches sung or played together.Chorus - 1) The part of The song that is repeated and has the samemusic and lyrics each time; the chorus will usually give the point of thesong. 2) A musical singing group that has many singers. 3) A delayeffect that simulates a vocal chorus by adding several delays with amild amount of feedback and a medium amount of depth. 4) A similareffect created in some synthesizers by detuning (reducing the pitch of,slightly) and mixing it with the signal that has regular tuning and with aslight delay.Text Reference(3): Lesson 30

Chorusing - 1) A term meaning the same thing as Chorus (Definition 3or 4). 2) In some delay effects devices, a term used to mean the termDepth (the amount of change in the controlled signal by the controlsignal).Text Reference(2): Lesson 30Circuit - 1) One complete path of electric current. 2) Similar todefinition 1, but including all paths and components to accomplish onefunction in a device.Text Reference: Lesson 2 - Illustration PageClicking - Pressing and immediately releasing the switch on acomputer's mouse.Clip - The action of deforming a waveform during overload.Text Reference: Lesson 11 - IlustrationClock Signal - The signal put out by a circuit that generates steadyeven pulses or steady codes used for synchronization.Close Micing - A technique of placing a microphone close to the soundsource (within one foot) in order to pick up mainly the direct sound andto avoid picking up leakage or ambience.Coax - Two-conductor cable consisting of one conductor surrounded bya shield.Coincident Microphones (Coincident Pair) - Two microphoneswhose heads are placed as lose as possible to each other so that thepath length from any sound source to either microphone is for allpractical purposes, the same.
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Comb Filter - 1) The frequency response achieved by mixing a directsignal with a delayed signal of equal strength especially at shortdelays. Diagram 2) Loosely used to also describe effects that can beachieved with comb filtering as part of the processing.Compact Disc - A small optical disk with digital audio recorded on it.

Compact Disc, Interactive - A Compact Disc, usually containingaudio, video, and text, which the user can interact with in that thedisplay or playback changes after the user performs some action.Compact Disc, Read Only Memory - A Compact Disc used to storedigital data, such as large programs, that can be read by a computer.Compact Disc Recordable - A blank Compact Disc that can berecorded on one time.Compander - 1) A two section device that is used in noise reductionsystems. The first section compresses the audio signal, before it isrecorded, and the second section, expands the signal after recording.2) In Yamaha brand digital consoles, a signal processing function thatapplies both compression and expansion to the same signal.Compression Ratio - How many dB the input signal has to rise abovethe threshold for every one dB more output of a compressor or limiter.Text Reference: Lesson 18Compression Driver - The unit that feeds a sound pressurewave into the throat of a horn (in a horn loudspeaker).Text Reference: Lesson 37Compressor - A signal processing device that does not allow as muchfluctuation in the level of the signal above a certain adjustable or fixedlevel.

Text Reference: Lesson 16Condenser - An older term meaning the same thing as Capacitor (anelectronic device which is composed of two plates separated by aninsulator and can store charge ) but sill in common use when referringto a microphone's active element.Text Reference: Lesson 3Condenser Microphone - A microphone which converts soundpressure changes into changes of capacitance . The capacitancechanges are then converted into electrical voltage variations (an audiosignal).Text Reference: Lesson 3 - IllustrationConsole - A set of controls and their housing, which control all signalsnecessary for recording and mixing.Consumer Format (Consumer DIF) - A standard adopted by IEC forsending and receiving digital audio based on The AES ProfessionalInterface.Contact Microphone - A device that senses vibrations and puts outan audio signal proportional to the vibrations.Controller - 1) In MIDI, a device that generates a MIDI signal to controlsynthesizers, sound modules or sample playback units. 2) A remotecontrol unit for a multitrack tape machine which controls transportfunctions as well as monitor selection switching functions and recordready/safe status of each track. 3) Any device generating a controlvoltage or signal fed to another device's control input.
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Corner Frequency - Same as Cut-Off Frequency (the highest or lowestfrequency in the pass band of a filter). (NOUN]CPU - Abbreviation of Central Processing Unit (The main "brain" chip of a computer or the main housing of a computer that contains the "brain "

chip).

Critical Distance - The point a distance away from the sound sourcewhere the direct sound and the reverberant sound are equal in volume.Crossover (Crossover Network) - A set of filters that "split" theaudio signal into two or more bands (two or more signals, each of which have only some of the frequencies present).Text Reference: Lesson 35Crossover Frequency - 1) The frequency that is the outer limit of oneof the bands of a crossover. 2) In the Lexicon 480L delay/reverberationeffects unit, the frequency at which the bass frequency reverb time isin effect rather than the mid frequency reverb time.Text Reference: Lesson 35Crosstalk - Leakage of an audio signal into a channel that iris notintended to be in, from an adjacent or nearby channel.Cue - 1) The signal fed back to the musicians through headphones. 2)

To set the tape or disc so that the intended selection will immediatelyplay when the tape machine or player is started.3) A location pointentered into a computer controlling the playback or recording of a trackor tape. 4) In MCI brand tape machines, a term meaning the samething as Sync Playback (where the record head is used as a playbackhead for those tracks already recorded).Cue Send Control - A control that will adjust the amount of signal sent

to a cue buss from a console channel.Current - The amount of electron charge passing a point in aconductor per unit of time.Cut - 1) One selection (one song) on a pre4ecorded music format. 2) Aterm with the same meaning as Mute (to turn off a channel or a signal).3) To reduce gain of a particular band of frequencies (with anequalizer). 4) To not pass a particular band of frequencies (said of afilter)Text References: (3): Lesson 21 (4): Lesson 35Cut-Off Frequency (Turnover Frequency) - 1) The highest or lowestfrequency in the pass band of a filter. 2) The highest or lowestfrequency passed by an audio device (the cut-off frequency is usuallyconsidered to be the first frequency to be 3 dB lower than a referencefrequency in the middle of the bandwidth of the device)Text Reference: Lesson 35Cut-off Rate (Slope) - The number of dB that a filter reduces thesignal for each octave its frequency past the filter's cut-off frequency(outside of the pass band).Text Reference: Lesson 35Cycle - 1) An alternation of a waveform which begins at a point, passesthrough the zero line, and ends at a point with the same value andmoving in the same direction as the starting point. 2) On a Solid StateLogic Console, a command to have the console computer control thetape machine to play and replay a certain section of the tape.
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Text Reference: Lesson 6 Cycles Per Second - A unit used in the measure of frequency,equivalent to Hertz. Cycles Per Second is an outdated term replaced byHertz in 1948.Text Reference: Lesson 6

Cyclic Redundancy Checking Code - An digital error detection codeused in digital recording.Back to Top of Glossary

- D -D/A - Abbreviation of the term Digital To Analog Converter, a devicethat changes digital data numbers (digital audio signal) into discretevoltage level.Daisy Chain - 1) A hook up of several devices where the audio signalhas to pass through one device to reach the second device and throughthe second device to reach the third device. 2) In MIDI, a hook up of MIDI devices where the MIDI signal has to pass though each device toreach the next device.DAT - An abbreviation of Digital Audio Tape and a standard format forrecording digital audio on specially designed small cassette tapes.Data - 1) Information, usually letters, words and commands. 2) Ananalog signal in early console automation systems made from thecontrol voltages feeding VCA's (voltage controlled amplifiers).DAW - An abbreviation of Digital Audio Workstation (a dedicated

device that is both a recorder and mixer for Digital Audio).dB - An abbreviation of the term Decibel, a unit used in comparingsignal strengths.Text Reference: Lesson 17dBm - 1) Decibels of audio power present compared to one milliwatt of power in a 600 ohm load. 2) Very incorrectly and too commonly used todesignate the reference voltage of .775 volts of audio signal strengthregardless of impedance.dBSPL - The sound pressure level present compared in dB to thestandard sound pressure reference level representing "no" sound (asound pressure level that about 50% of the people would say there wasno sound present).dBu (dBv) - The audio voltage present compared in dB to the level of .775 volts of audio voltage in any impedance.dBx - A Manufacturer (brand) of noise reduction systems, dynamicprocessing equipment and other audio gear.DC - Abbreviation of the term Direct Current (electric current flowing inone direction only).Dead - 1) Referring to an acoustically absorbent area or space. 2) Aslang term for broken.Decay - 1) The rate of reduction of the audio signal generated insynthesizers from the peak level to sustain level (see the term ADSR).2) The fade out of the reverberation of a sound
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Decibel - The ratio of two Levels according to a scale where a certainpercentage change is one unit.Text Reference: Lesson 17De-esser - 1) An audio compressor or limiter with its control, circuitmade more sensitive to the sounds made by a person pronouncing "s."

2) Any device that will reduce the high frequency energy when "s" isloudly pronounced.Definition - 1) The quality of a sound that allows it to be distinguishedfrom other sounds. 2) In Lexicon Reverb Units, a parameter which setsa decrease in reverberation density in the later part of the decay.Degauss - A term with the same meaning as Demagnetize (to removethe magnetism from).Delay - A signal which comes from a source and then is delayed by atape machine or delay device and can be mixed with the original (non-delayed) signal to make it sound fuller, create echo effects, etc.Delay Effects - Any signal processing that uses delay as its basis forprocessing such as echo, reverb delay and special effects like flangingand chorusing.Text Reference: Lesson 27Demo - 1) An inexpensively made recording which gives an idea of some of the musical performances that could be used in a final musicproduction. 2) To make a demo. 3) Any demonstration or trial use of equipment that nay be purchased in the future. 4) The equipmentbeing demonstrated.Detune - To tune slightly flat, especially when double tracking, usuallyto give a fuller sound.

D.I. - An abbreviation of the term Direct Injection or Direct Input.Dialogue - The spoken word recorded in film/video sound,commercials and instructional recordings.Diaphragm - The part of the microphone, which moves because thepressure changes of the sound pressure wave, move it.Digital - Literally "Of Numbers"Digital Controls - 1) Controls that have changing number displayswhen the control is changed. 2) Controls that change the digital controlsignal bits to change the value of some functions.Digital Delay - A delay line or delay effects unit that converts theaudio signal into a digital audio signal, delays it, and converts it back toan analog audio signal before sending it out of the unit.Digital Domain - In a state of being binary numbers or binary numbersignals rather than analog or analog signals.Digital Error - Lost bit information used in the digital words of thedigital audio signal.Digital Interface Format (DIF) - A specification of the number of bits, what the individual bits mean, the voltage, and type of connectorfor digital audio connections.Digital Multimeter - A small hand-held, battery operated, testingdevice that will test voltage, current, and resistance levels as well ascontinuity, giving a digital display.Digital Recording - The process of convening audio signals intonumbers that represent the waveform and storing these numbers.
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Digital Signal Processing - Any signal processing done after ananalog audio signal has been converted into digital audio.Digital To Analog Converter - A device to change digital datanumbers that make up the digital audio into discrete voltage levels thatapproximate the original analog audio waveform.

Digital Word - A number of information bits that will communicate onevalue; each word being a standard length.Dip - To reduce the level of signals in a specific band of audiofrequencies.Direct - 1) Using a direct pickup. 2) Using a direct output. 3) Recordingall musicians to the final two track master without using a multitracktape.Direct Box - An electronic device utilizing a transformer or amplifier tochange the electrical output of an electric instrument (for example, anelectric guitar) to the impedance and level usually obtained from amicrophone.Direct Current - Electric current flowing in one direction only.Abbreviated DC.Direct Input - A term meaning the same thing as the term Direct PickUp (feeding the signal from an electrical output of an electricinstrument to the recording console or tape recorder without using amicrophone but by changing the electrical output of the instrument tothe impedance and level of a microphone).Direct Injection - Same as the term Direct Pick Up (feeding the signalfrom an electric instrument to the recording console or tape recorderwithout using a microphone but by changing the electrical output of the

instrument to the impedance and level of a microphone).Direct Output - 1) On most consoles, an output of the consoleactivated by the direct output switch, which connects a numberedinput module to the same numbered track (for example. the directoutput on input module one feeds to track one of the tape recorder). 2)On some consoles, a jack that is the output of a console input moduleand can be used to patch the signal from this module to any tack inputof a tape machine.Text Reference: Lesson 13Direct Pick Up - Feeding the signal from an electric instrument to therecording console or tape recorder without using a microphone.Direct Sound - The sound which reaches a microphone or listenerwithout hitting or bouncing off any obstacles.Directional Pattern - 1) In microphones, a term meaning the samething as the term Pick Up Pattern (a description or graphic display of the level that a microphone puts out because of sounds arriving fromdifferent directions). 2) In speakers, the pattern of dispersion (the areathat the sound from a speaker will evenly cover in a listening area).Text Reference: Lesson 5Disk (Disc) - 1) A round flat object (usually housed in a protectivesleeve) coated with material that can be magnetized in a similarmanner to tape. 2) Any round flat object capable of storing audiosignals (digital or analog) or digital data, including phonograph recordsand compact discs.


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Disk Operating System - Full name of DOS (the function of storageand handling of data by the computer).Distant Micing - The technique of placing a mic far from a soundsource so that reflected sound is picked up with the direct sound.Distortion - 1) The audio garble that can be heard when an audio

waveform has been altered, usually by overload of an audio device likean amplifier. 2) The similar garbled sound that can be heard when thesound pressure level is too loud for the waveform to be accuratelyreproduced by the human hearing mechanism.Text Reference: Lesson 11Diversity - A system in wireless microphone receivers that switchesbetween two or more antennas to prevent dropouts in the audio.Text Reference: Lesson 9 - IllustrationDolby - The name of a manufacturer (and a trademark) of noisereduction systems and other audio systems, to improve performanceand fidelity of audio recording, playback, and transmission.Doppler Effect - A change in frequency of a delayed signal caused bythe delay time changing while the cycle is being formed.DOS - Short for Disk Operating System, which is the function of storageand handling of data by the computer.Double - 1) To record a second performance, double tracking(recording a second track with a second performance, closely marchingthe first performance). 2) To use a delay line with medium delay tosimulate this.Drive - 1) To control something else, especially mechanical movementof a recording or playback device. 2) The mechanical mechanism used

to Drive (definition 1). 3) To feed a signal to. 4) Short for Disc Drive, themechanism that writes and reads digital data to and from a floppy disk.Driver - The unit that feeds a sound pressure wave into the throat of ahorn (in a horn loudspeaker).Text Reference: Lesson 37Dropout - A very short absence of signal in magnetic recording usuallycaused by dirt or defects in the magnetic coating of tapes and discs orany very short loss of an audio signal.Drum Booth (Drum Room) - An isolation booth/room setup forrecording a drum set.Drum Machine - A sample playback unit (or sound module withsynthesized sounds) with drum sounds that can be sequenced by aninternal sequencer to play drum patterns.Drum Pattern - A sequence of drum soundings during a tune playedby a drummer or sequenced into a drum machine; especially a shortpan used in part of a song.Dry - 1) Having no reverberation or ambience. 2) More loosely used todescribe an audio signal without any signal processing.DSP - An abbreviation for Digital Signal Processing (Any signalprocessing done after an analog audio signal has been convened intodigital audio).Dub - 1) To copy a recording. 2) A copy of a recording. 3) A recordingmade in time with another recording so the final result is a mix of the
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first recording and second recording. 4) To add dialogue to a pictureafter the picture has been filmed or recorded on video tapeDynamic Microphone - 1) A microphone in which the diaphragmmoves a coil suspended in a magnetic field to generate an outputvoltage proportional to the sound pressure level. 2) Occasionally used

to mean any microphone that has a generating element, cuttingmagnetic lines of force to produce an output; a dynamic microphone(definition 1) or a ribbon microphone.Text Reference: Lesson 3 - IllustrationDynamic Processing (Dynamic Signal Processing) - An automaticchange in level (or gain) to change the level relationship of the loudestaudio to the softest audio.Text Reference: Lesson 16Dynamic Range - 1) The level difference (in dB) between the loudestpeak and the softest level of a tune recording etc. 2) The leveldifference between the level of clipping and the noise level in an audiodevice or channel.Text Reference: Lesson 16Dynamics - 1) The amount of fluctuation in level of an audio signal. 2)In music, the playing of instruments loudly or softly at different times.Text Reference: Lesson 16Back to Top of Glossary

- E -

Early Reflections - The first echoes in a room, caused by the soundfrom the sound source reflecting off one surface before reaching thelistener.Earth - The British version of the term Ground (In electronics, a placethat has zero volts).Echo - 1) One distinct repeat of a sound because of the soundreflecting off a surface. 2) Loosely, used to mean reverberation (thecontinuing of a sound after the source stops emitting it, caused bymany discrete echoes closely spaced in time).Text Reference: Lesson 24Echo Chamber - 1) A room designed with very hard, non-parallelsurfaces and equipped with a speaker and microphone. 2) Any artificialor electronic device that simulates the reverberation created in aroom.Echo Return - An input of the console, which brings back the echo(reverberation) signal from the echo chamber or other echo effectsdevice.Text Reference: Lesson 25Echo Send - The output of a console used to send a signal to an echochamber or delay effects device.Text Reference: Lesson 25Echo Send Control - A control to send the signal from the inputmodule to the echo chamber or effects device via the echo buss.Text Reference: Lesson 25
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Editing - 1) Changing the sequence of a recording by cutting therecording tape and putting the pieces together in the new sequencewith splicing tape. 2) Punching in and then punching out on one ormore tracks of a multitrack tape recorder to replace previouslyrecorded performances. 3) Changing the sequence of a digital

recording's playback by computer program.Effects - 1) Various ways an audio signal can be modified by addingsomething to the signal to change the sound. 2) Short for the termSound Effects (sounds other than dialogue, narration or music like doorclosings, wind, etc. added to film or video shots).Effects Track - 1) In film production audio, a recording of the mixdownof all the sound effects for the film ready to be mixed with the dialogueand music. 2) In music recording, one track with a recording of effectsto be added to another track of a multitrack recording.Electret Condenser - A condenser microphone that has apermanently polarized (charged) variable capacitor as its soundpressure level sensor.Electric Current - A more formal term meaning the same as the termCurrent (the amount of electron charge passing a point in a conductorper unit of time).Electric Instrument - Any musical instrument that puts out anelectrical signal rather than an acoustic sound.Electricity - Electrical current (the amount of electron charge passinga point in a conductor per unit of time) or voltage (the force pushingelectrons to obtain electrical current).Text Reference: Lesson 2 - Illustration Page

Electromagnetic Field - Magnetic energy put out because of currenttraveling through a conductor.Electromagnetic Induction or Pick Up - The generation of electricalsignal in a conductor moving in a magnetic field or being close to achanging magnetic field.Electromagnetic Theory - A statement of the principles behindelectromagnetic induction: When a conductor cuts magnetic lines of force, current is induced in that conductor.Electronics - 1) On a tape machine, the housing for and the channelcircuitry which processes the signal to be fed to the heads, providebias, and playback. 2) The branch of science dealing with the behaviorof electrons/charges in vacuums, gases, semiconductors and specialconductors.Electrons - Negatively charged particles, which revolve around thecenter of atoms. The movement of such electrons down a conductorcauses electrical current.Text Reference: Lesson 2 - IllustrationElectrostatic Charge - The excess or deficiency of electrons in agiven area.Engineer - 1) A technician in charge of a recording session; Also calledRecording Engineer. 2) A person with an engineering degree. 3) Aperson with sufficient experience in the field to be equivalent to theeducation one would receive earning an engineering degree.
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Envelope - 1) How a sound or audio signal varies in intensity over atime span. 2) How a control voltage varies in level over time controllinga parameter of something other than gain or audio level.Equal Loudness Contours - A drawing of several curves showing howloud the tones of different frequencies would have to be played for a

person to say they were of equal loudness.Equalization - Any time the amplitude of audio signals at specific setof frequencies are increased or decreased more than the signals atother audio frequencies.Text Reference: Lesson 20Equipment Rack - A cabinet with rails (or free standing rails) thathave holes to accept screws at standard spaces and used to houseoutboard gear.Error Concealment - Putting replacement information bits into adigital audio signal to replace lost bits when the digital recording orprocessing system cannot verify whether the lost bits were l's or 0's butcan make a good guess by comparing the known bits that were close inposition to the lost bits. Error Correct - Exact replacement of lost information bits in digitalaudio.Error Detection - The process of discovery that sonic information bitshave been lost in digital audio.Error Message - A prompt on a computer screen telling the operatorthat an error has occurred.Expander - A device that causes expansion of the audio signal.Text Reference: Lesson 16

Expansion - The opposite of compression; for example, an expandermay allow the signal to increase 2 dB every time the signal inputincreased by 1 dB.Text Reference: Lesson 16Expansion Ratio - How many dB the output signal will drop for every1dB fall in the input signal below the threshold.Text Reference: Lesson 18

- F -Fade - 1) A gradual reduction of the level of the audio signal. 2) Agradual change of level from one pre-set level to another.Fader - A control to control the gain of a channel on the console,thereby determining the level of the signal in that channel.Far Field - The area from 3 feet away from the sound source up to thecritical distance.Fat - Having more than a normal amount of signal strength at lowfrequencies or having more sound than normal (by use of compressionor delay).Feed - To send an audio or control signal to.Feedback - 1) The delayed signal sent back to the input of a delayline, used in repeat-echo effects. 2) The pickup of the signal out of achannel by its input or the howling sound that this produces. 3) In an
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amplifier, the phase reversed output signal sent back to its input,reducing gain but also distortion and noise.Text References: (1): Lesson 27Feedback Control - The control on a delay line or delay effects devicethat controls the amount of feedback.

Text References: (1): Lesson 27Fidelity - The recording or reproduction quality.Field - 1) In video, one half of a frame. 2) In computer-controlleddevices a window display with functions and choices that the operatorcan makeFigure Eight Pattern - Another name for Bi-directional Pattern(microphone pickup pattern picking up best from the front and back of the diaphragm and not picking up from the side of the diaphragm).Text Reference: Lesson 5 - IllustrationFile - A collection of digital data stored in a computer's memory bankor on a floppy disc.Filter - 1) A device that removes signals with frequencies above orbelow a certain point called the cut-off frequency. 2) An equalizersection, used in this sense because filters are used with othercomponents to give an equalizer its frequency response characteristics.3) The action of removing signals of some frequencies and leaving therest. 4) A mechanical device to smooth out speed variations in tapemachines called a Scrape Flutter Filter- more usually called a ScrapeFlutter IdlerText Reference: Lesson 34Final Mix - The two track stereo master tape which was mixed from

the multitrack master.First Generation - A descriptive term meaning original (as opposed toa copy).Flange - An effect caused by an approximately even mix of amodulated (varying) short delay with the direct signal.Text Reference: Lesson 30Flat - 1) Lower in musical pitch. 2) A slang term used to describe thesensitivity to frequency of a microphone, amplifier, etc., as being evenat all frequencies, usually within 2 dB.Fletcher Munson Effect - A hearing limitation shown by FletcherMunson Equal Loudness Contours (as music is lowered in volume, it ismuch more difficult to hear bass frequencies and somewhat harder tohear very high frequencies).Floor - 1) An alternate tam meaning Range (a limit on the amount thesignal is reduced when the input signal is low by an expander or gate).2) A shortening of the term Noise Floor (the level of the noise).Floor Toms - The large toms to the right of the drummer.Floppy Disk (Floppy Disc) - A round flat object (usually housed in aprotective sleeve) coated with material that can be magnetized in asimilar manner to tape.Flutter - 1) High-frequency variations in pitch of a recorded waveformdue to fast speed variations in a recorder or playback machine. 2)Originally, and more formally, any variations (fast or slow) in pitch of arecorded tone due to speed fluctuations in a recorder or playback unit.
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Fly In - 1) To add sounds into a mix or recording that have nosynchronization. 2) An application of this where a performance fromone part of a tune is recorded and then recorded back into therecording at a different time in the recording.Foldback - A European term for the signal sent to the stage monitors

in a live performance.Text Reference: Lesson 26Foot (Foot Drum) - Another name for Bass Drum (the largest drum inthe Drum Kit which puts out bass frequencies and is played with a footpedal).Foot Pedal - 1) An effects device where the amount of the effect canbe controlled by a musician with his foot. 2) The beater mechanism of afoot drum that is activated by the drummer's foot to play the drum. 3)Any device, like a volume control, that can be operated by the foot.Foot Switch - A switch placed on the floor and pressed by a musicianto do various functions.Formant - An element in the sound of a voice or instrument that doesnot change frequency as different pitches are sounded.Format - 1) The number of tracks, their width, spacing and order fortape recording. 2) To prepare a digital storage medium so that it willaccept and store digital information bits.Frame - 1) A division of one second in synchronization and recordingcoming from definition two. 2) The amount of time that one still pictureis shown in film or video.Frequency - The number of cycles of a waveform occurring in asecond.

Text References: Lesson 6Frequency Range - The range of frequencies over which an electronicdevice is useful or over which a sound source will put out substantialenergy.Frequency Response - How sensitive an electronic device (mic,amplifier, speaker, etc.) is to various frequencies; often communicatedwith a graph.Frequency Shift Key / FSK - The full name for FSK (A simple clocksignal that can be used to run a sequencer in time with an audio tape).Full - A quality of the sound of having all frequencies present,especially the low frequencies.Full Step - A change in pitch that occurs when moving up or down twopiano keysFundamental - The tuned frequency and (almost always) the lowestfrequency that is present in the sounding of a pitch by a musicalinstrument.Text Reference: Lesson 19Back to Top of Glossary

- G -Gain - The amount of increase in audio signal strength, oftenexpressed in dB.
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Gain Control - A device that changes the gain of an amplifier orcircuit, often a knob that can be turned or a slide that can be moved uparid down.Gain Reduction - The working of a limiter or compressor reducinggain during high-level passages.

Gain Structure - The way in which the gain varies in the stages orsections of an audio system.Gate - A dynamic processing device that turns a channel off or downwhen the signal drops below a certain level.Text Reference: Lesson 16Generating Element - The portion of the microphone that actuallyconverts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current orvoltage changes.Generation - A term used to describe the number of times that therecorded audio signal has been copied.Generation Loss - The amount of clairity lost in the audio copy, due toadded noise and distortion.Text Reference: Lesson 48Golden Section - A ratio of height to width to length of a room toachieve "good acoustics" and first recommended by the ancientGreeks. The ratio is approximately the width 1.6 times the height andthe length 2.6 times the heightGraphic Equalizer - An device with several slides controlling the gainof audio signal present which is within one of several evenly spacedfrequency bands (spaced according to octaves).Text References In Later Lessons

Ground - In electronics, a place (terminal) that has zero volts.Text References In Later LessonsGround Lift - A switch that breaks the connection between the groundpoint in one circuit and the ground point in another circuit.Ground Lifter - An adapter that takes a three prong power cord andplugs into a two prong outlet, used to disconnect the third (ground) pinof the power outlet. WARNING: It can be VERY DANGEROUS to have noground connection to the case by using a ground lifter and notgrounding the unit by other means.Ground Loop - A double grounding of a line or electronic device at twodifferent "ground" points of differing voltage.Group - 1) A number of channels or faders that can be controlled byone Master VCA slide. 2) A shortening of the term Recording Group (abuss or the signal present on a buss).Group Faders - The VCA faders of individual channels that are allcontrolled by a Group Master Fader (a slide control used to send out acontrol voltage to several VCA faders in individual channels).Group Master - A slide control used to send out a control voltage toseveral VCA faders in individual channels, thus controlling the gain of several channels.Grouping - 1) Controlling the gain of several individual channels with aGroup Fader. 2) The mixing together of several individual audio signalsto send a mixed signal out of the console to record a track on amultitrack tape machine.


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Guitar Controller - An electric guitar or device played like an electricguitar that puts out MIDI signals that can be used to controlsynthesizers and sound modules.Guitar Processor - A unit that will add effects to a direct guitar signal,including a simulated instrument amplifier sound and (often) delay and

reverb effects.Back to Top of Glossary

- H -Haas Effect - Simply stated, a factor in human hearing where delayhas a much bigger effect on human perception of direction than leveldoes.Half Step - A pitch difference of the amount that is present betweenadjacent keys on a piano.Hall - A large building designed for concerts; also called a concert hall.Hall Program - A setting of a digital delay/reverb effects unit thatapproximates concert halls. Hall programs are characterized by pre-delay of up to 25 ms.Hard Disk (Hard Disc) - A storage unit for digital data that has rigiddisks coated with magnetic material in a housing that includes thedrive mechanism.Hard Disk Recording - The recording of digital audio onto a hard disc.

Harmonic Distortion - The presence of harmonics in the output signal

of a device which were not present in the input signal.Text References: Lesson 11 , Lesson 43Harmonics - Whole number multiples of the frequency thatdetermines the timbre recognition of an instrument's sound.Text Reference: Lesson 19Head - 1) In tape recording, the transducer (energy converter) thatchanges the audio energy from electrical energy to magnetic energyand back; also the devices that apply magnetism to the recording tapefor other purposes such as in the erase head. 2) The part of a devicethat immediately includes the transducer to change sound or audiosignals from one energy form to another.Text Reference: Lesson 40Head Amp - British name for Preamplifier (A low-noise amplifierdesigned to take a low-level signal, such as the output of a tape head,and bring it up to normal line level).Headphones - Devices that can be worn on the head with smallspeakers that fit over the ears (or sometimes into the ears).Headroom - 1) The level difference (in dB) between normal operatinglevel and clipping level in an amplifier or audio device. 2) A similar leveldifference between normal tape operating level and the level wherethe distortion would be 3%.Hearing Limitation - An inability of the ear to hear importantcharacteristics of sound under certain conditions. Characteristics thatcan be affected include pitch, level, clarity, presence and direction.
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Hertz - The unit of frequency. Equivalent to cycles per second.Abbreviation: Hz.Text References: Lesson 6Hi-Z - An abbreviation of the term High Impedance (Impedance of 5000or more ohms).

High Frequencies - The audio frequencies from 6000 Hz and above.Text References: Lesson 6High Hat - A double cymbal on a stand which can be played with afoot pedal or by the top cymbal being hit with a stick.High Impedance - Impedance of 5000 or more ohms.High-Impedance Mic - A microphone designed to be fed into anamplifier with input impedance greater than 20 k ohms.High-Pass Filter - A device that rejects signals that are below acertain frequency (called the cut-off frequency) and passes signals withfrequencies that are higher.Text Reference: Lesson 35Highs - Short for the term High Frequencies (the audio frequenciesfrom 6000 Hz and above).Horn - A speaker or speaker enclosure where sound waves are put intoa narrow opening (by a speaker cone or driver ) and the narrow openingflairs out to a larger opening.Text Reference: Lesson 36House Sync - A synchronization signal such as SMPTE time code thatis used by all recorders in the control room.Howlback - British term for the term Feedback (the pickup of thesignal out of a channel by the input of the channel or the howling

sound that this produces).Hum - The 60 Hz power line current accidentally induced or fed intoelectronic equipment.Hypercardioid Pattern - A microphone pick up sensitivity patternwhere the least sensitive pick up point is more than 90 degrees butless than 150 degrees off axis (usually 120 degrees).Text Reference: Lesson 5 - IllustrationHz - An abbreviation for the term Hertz (the unit of frequency).Text References: Lesson 6Back to Top of Glossary

- I -IC - Abbreviation of Integrated Circuit (A miniature circuit of many components that is insmall, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment).Icon - A visual picture or symbol on a computer screen that represents a file, prograrn or disc that can be used.ID - An index signal (digital data that gives the machine information of where selectionsstart, their selection number, etc.) on a DAT or CD.IM Distortion - An abbreviation of the term Internodulation Distortion(Distortion caused by one signal beating with another signal andproducing frequencies that are both the sum and the difference of theoriginal frequencies present).
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Images - The squaring of the waveform that happens in the conversionof digital audio bits into analog signals.Text Reference: Lesson 50Impedence - The opposition to alternating current.Impedance Matching - Having or converting the output impetlance of

a device so thar it matches the impedance of the input it will feed.In - Short For "in the circuit," in other words "active."In-Line Console - A console with modules that have controls for allconsole sections in one long strip.In Port - A jack on a MIDI device or computer that will accept anincoming dnta signal.Infinite Baffle - A baffle so large that the sounds coming from oneside do not reach the other side.Text Reference: Lesson 38Infinite Repeat - A function on some delay lines that establishenough feedback so that the repeat echo will last forever, but not somuch as to cause a howling sound.Information Bits - The bits in the digital signal that make up actualvalues or commands being communicated as opposed to bits that areused for checking & correcting data or other purposes.Initialize - To prepare a digital storage medium (like a floppy disk) sothat it will accept and store digital information bits.Input - 1) The jack or physical location of where a device receives asignal. 2) The signal being received by a device. 3) The action of receiving a signal by a device.Input Impedence - The opposition to current flow by the first circuits

of a device.Input Monitor - A switch position and operational mode of theelectronics of a tape machine where the signal at dtitput of theelectronics will be the same as the signal coming into the electronics.rn this mode, the tape machine's meter will read the input signal.Input/Output Module - A set of controls, on one housing, for an in-line console that has two channels (one for recording and one formonitoring) and has controls for all console sections.Input Overload - Sending too high of a signal level into a device sothat the first amplifler of the device overloads.Text References: Lesson 11Insert - 1) A punch in of the all of the tracks being recorded in arecording session. 2) On Solid State Logic consoles, placing anoutboard piece of gear in the channel by patching

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Audio Recording Terms Glossary