Salford City College Eccles Sixth Form Centre BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games IG2 Task 1

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Produce a glossary of terms specific to the methods and principles of sound design and production. Using a provided template, you must research and gather definitions specific to provided glossary terms. Any definitions must be referenced with the URL link of the website you have obtained the definition. You must also, where possible, provide specific details of how researched definitions relate to your own production practice.

Name: Luke Summers RESEARCHED DEFINITION (provide short internet researched definition and URL link)

DESCRIBE THE RELEVANCE OF THE RESEARCHED TERM TO YOUR OWN PRODUCTION PRACTICE?

SOUND DESIGN METHODOLOGY

Foley Artistry A person who recreates non-computerized sound effects for film, television and radio. http://www.folger.edu/documents/foleynew.pdf

This term relates to my own production as I have been creating sounds using various methods of my own to make them sounds like something other than they actually are. For one sound I made I used the sounds of footsteps to make hem sounds like a squishing noise.

Sound Libraries A collection of sounds stored on file (for example on CDs, DVDs, or as digital audio files) http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/sound-library

I have had to sore my own sounds files in sound libraries that I have created so I can access the files I need to listen to and to manipulate using different types of software.

SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed (of data) not compressed. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define+uncompressed+ &oq=define+uncompressed+&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4895j0j8&sourceid= chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

The majority of files that I have stored in m libraries on my computer are uncompressed as I have not needed to reduce their size for any reason as of yet.

.wav WAV - Stands for Waveform Audio Format. This is a high-quality audio file type generally used for applications that require high quality, such as CDs. WAV files are uncompressed, and therefore take up some disk space, unlike MP3s or AACs, which are compressed. http://ipod.about.com/od/filetypes/g/wav_definition.htm

All of my completed and rendered sounds are converted to .wav files upon rendering so they can be played back on music viewing programs such as windows media player and iTunes.

Salford City College Eccles Sixth Form Centre BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games IG2 Task 1

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.aiff Short for Audio Interchange File Format, a common format for storing and transmitting sampled sound. The format was developed by Apple Computer and is the standard audio format for Macintosh computers. It is also used by Silicon Graphics Incorporated (SGI). http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/AIFF.html

In my production work I have not needed to use this file format.

.au A digital audio file format from Sun that is used on the Internet and can be played by a Java program. It provides toll-quality sound and uses the .AU extension. It generally uses the u-Law (mu-Law) encoding method, and raw u-Law files and AU files are the same except for the file header. http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/38149/au-file

In my production work I have not noted any use of this particular file format.

.smp SMP files are GIS Files primarily associated with Reason NN19 Sampler Instrument Patch (Propellerhead Software). SMP files are also associated with Unknown Apple II File (found on Golden Orchard Apple II CD Rom), Sound File, IMail Server Mail Message (Ipswitch Inc.), Sprintbit Playlist Manager Media Playlist (Sprintbit Corporation), PhotoImpactPresets (Ulead Systems Inc.), Scream Tracker Sample, Photo Express Gallery (Ulead), Xionics SMP image, Sample or Samplevision Format, Ad Lib Gold Sample, Screensaver Maker Project File (21hua.com), Swell Audio (Sampled Data) (Hitech Development AB) and FileViewPro. http://www.solvusoft.com/en/file-extensions/file-extension-smp/

I have definitely not come across this file type in my production.

Lossy Compression Lossy file compression results in lost data and quality from the original version. Lossy compression is typically associated with image files, such as JPEGs, but can also be used for audio files, like MP3s or AAC files. The "lossyness" of an image file may show up as jagged edges or pixelated areas. In audio files, the lossyness may produce a watery sound or reduce the dynamic range of the audio. http://www.techterms.com/definition/lossy

I have not came across this myself, though I can see how it could relate to other people carrying out production which involves creating sounds as they could suffer a loss of quality in sounds and need to carry out a certain procedure to return them to their original state.

.mp3 MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3) is a standard technology and format for compressing a sound sequence into a very small file (about one-twelfth the size of the original file) while preserving the original level of sound quality when it is played. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/MP3-MPEG-1-Audio-Layer-3

A fair amount of files I came across in my work had the file format MP3, such as the file format of the sounds that I manipulated into other different sounds.

Salford City College Eccles Sixth Form Centre BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games IG2 Task 1

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AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU)

The SPU is the unit responsible for all aural capabilities of the psx. It handles 24 voices, has a 512kb sound buffer, has ADSR envelope filters for each voice and lots of other features. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://psx.rules.org/spu.txt

I’m not overly familiar with the concept of an SPU, but I believe I would have had to use it during my work whilst I was manipulating different sounds.

Digital Sound Processor (DSP)

A digital sound processor is a tool that incorporates computer technology to change the technical aspects of analog sound. Processors can be found in a growing number of applications, from music to medicine. http://www.ehow.com/facts_5879513_define-digital-sound-processor.html#ixzz304c0jWSK

The DSP is used throughout the process of manipulating sound to alter sound files, which I did many times in my work.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Alternatively referred to as main memory, primary memory, or system memory, Random Access Memory (RAM) is a computer storage location that allows information to be stored and accessed quickly from random locations within DRAM on a memory module. http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/r/ram.htm

The RAM is something that the computer I use accesses regularly to access my data, allowing me to carry out the necessary processes, relevant to my work.

Mono Audio Mono or monophonic describes a system where all the audio signals are mixed together and routed through a single audio channel. http://www.mcsquared.com/mono-stereo.htm

This sound type alters depending on how I manipulate a sounds file.

Stereo Audio Stereophonic sound systems have two independent audio signal channels, and the signals that are reproduced have a specific level and phase relationship to each other so that when played back through a suitable reproduction system, there will be an apparent image of the original sound source. http://www.mcsquared.com/mono-stereo.htm

This sound type alters depending on how I manipulate a sounds file.

Surround Sound Surround sound is a term used to describe a type of audio output in which the sound appears to "surround the listener" by 360 degrees. Surround sound systems use three or more channels and speakers in front and behind the listener to create a surrounding envelope of sound and directional audio sources. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/surround_sound.html

Surround sounds is an aspect of sound I left alone in the creating of my work, as I had limited tools and software.

Direct Audio (Pulse Code Modulation – PCM)

Although abbreviation PCM stands for Pulse Code Modulation, we are understanding it as general digital audio processing with volume samples generated in continuous time periods. http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc/alsa-lib/pcm.html

This process may have been used throughout the creating of my sound files, though I am unaware of any deliberate actions to this processing being used, carried out by myself.

Salford City College Eccles Sixth Form Centre BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games IG2 Task 1

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AUDIO RECORDING SYSTEMS

Analogue A sound recording process in which an audio input is converted into an analogue electrical waveform. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/analogue+recording?s=t

I don’t recall coming across this in my work.

Digital Mini Disc A method of sound recording in which an input audio waveform is sampled at regular intervals, usually between 40,000 and 50,000 times per second, and each sample is assigned a numerical value, usually expressed in binary notation. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/digital+recording

I don’t recall coming across this in my work.

Compact Disc (CD) a small digital audio disc on which sound is recorded as a series of metallic pits enclosed in PVC; the disc is spun by the compact disc player and read by an optical laser system http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/compact+disc?s=t

I don’t recall coming across this in my work, I might have if I imported my media files onto a compact disc.

Digital Audio Tape (DAT) DAT (Digital Audio Tape) is a standard medium and technology for the digital recording of audio on tape at a professional level of quality. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/DAT-Digital-Audio-Tape

I definitely did not use digital audio tape in my work.

MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface: a standard means of sending digitally encoded information about music between electronic devices, as between synthesizers and computers. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/midi?&o=100074&s=t

I used MIDI when using the MIDI keyboard to create some of my sound files, mainly the musical ones.

Software Sequencers In digital audio recording, a sequencer is a program in a computer or stand-alone keyboard unit that puts together a sound sequence from a series (or sequence) of Musical Instrument Digital Interface( MIDI ) events (operations). http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/sequencer

I used sound sequencers when Using the MIDI keyboard and other sound editing software.

Software Plug-ins A software plug-in is an add-on for a program that adds functionality to it. http://www.techterms.com/definition/plugin

I don’t recall using any software plugins when creating my sound files.

MIDI Keyboard Instruments

A Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) keyboard is a musical instrument like a piano keyboard. The MIDI portion indicates that the instrument has a communication protocol built in that allows it to communicate with a computer or other MIDI-equipped instrument. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-midi-keyboard.htm

I used the MIDI keyboard instruments when creating some of my sounds, I mainly used it for musical sounds.

AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-depth

Bit depth is the number of bits of information in each sample, and it directly corresponds to the resolution of each sample. Examples of bit depth include Compact Disc Digital Audio, which uses 16 bits per sample, and DVD-Audio and Blu-ray Disc which can support up to 24 bits per sample. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth

During my work, I came across no situations where I faced problems with file size constraints.

File Size Constraints - Sample Rate

Software stores audio internally using 16-bit uncompressed PCM WAV files. The number of bytes per second needed to store one of these audio recordings depends on the sample rate (also known as frequency) and the number of channels. http://www.nch.com.au/express/kb/1237.html

During my work, I came across no situations where I faced problems with file size constraints.