other music tech info

• What is overdubbing?


  Recording the same instrument part over the original tape to create a fuller and clearer sound
• What else can you do with overdubbing?


  Add effects like reverb on multitrack recordings and equalise it
• What is compression for?


  Used to reduce dynamic range (difference between the quietest and loudest part)
• What is modulation?


  Something changing in real time
• What are accidentals in music?


  Accidentals are alterations of a pitch to one that is not in the key signature.
• What does the term 'acoustic' refer to?


  Acoustic refers to a sound that is produced naturally with no additional amplification.
• What does ADSR stand for in sound synthesis?


  ADSR stands for Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release.
• What is aliasing in audio processing?


  Aliasing refers to artefacts created when a frequency has not been correctly recreated by an A/D converter and back to a D/A converter.
• How is ambience defined in audio?

  Ambience is the amount of reverb that sound contains, either naturally from a room or artificially added by an effect.
• What is the purpose of an amplifier?


  An amplifier is used to boost a signal.
• What does amplitude measure in a waveform?


  Amplitude measures the height of a waveform from its mean or zero position to its maximum displacement.
• What does 'analogue' mean in audio equipment?


  Analogue refers to a signal or equipment that uses a continuously variable physical quantity.
• What is an arpeggiator?


  An arpeggiator is a device that automatically plays the individual notes of a chord as an arpeggio or broken chord.
• What are artefacts in audio processing?


  Artefacts are unwanted sounds created as a by-product during audio processing.
• What does 'attack' refer to in dynamics?


  Attack refers to the length of time it takes for the processor to apply its process once the threshold is crossed.
• How is attack defined in synthesis?


  Attack is the length of time it takes between a note being started and the point at which it reaches its peak.
• What is the function of an audio interface?


  An audio interface connects a computer to audio peripherals such as microphones, speakers, and musical instruments.
• What is automation in audio production?


  Automation is programming adjustable parameters to operate automatically during playback and mixing.
• What is Auto-Tune?


  Auto-Tune is software that automatically changes the pitch to the nearest absolute pitch.
• What are alternatives to Auto-Tune?


  Alternatives to Auto-Tune include Melodyne, FlexPitch, and VariAudio.
• What is an Aux/Bus in audio production?


  An Aux/Bus is an additional output channel for routing to effects, monitors, or as an alternative output.
• What is a backing track?


  A backing track is a pre-recorded piece of music to be performed over.
• What does bandwidth refer to in audio?


  Bandwidth refers to a range of frequencies.
• What is the second definition of bandwidth?


  The second definition of bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transferred at one time.
• What does 'balanced' mean in audio connections?

  Balanced refers to a connection that has two signals in inversion to one another to reduce noise when put back into phase.
• What is bit depth in audio processing?


  Bit depth is the number of bits used in each sample in analogue to digital conversion.
• What does 'bouncing down' mean in audio production?


  Bouncing down is the process of converting sounds to a new audio file embedding all processing applied to them.
• What is a cardioid microphone pattern?


  A cardioid microphone pattern is roughly heart-shaped and picks up sound from the front and sides.
• What is capacitance in relation to microphones?


  Capacitance is the storage of an electrical charge in a capacitor.
• What is the capsule in a microphone?


  The capsule is the element of a microphone that responds to the sound vibrations.
• What does 'capture' refer to in audio recording?


  Capture refers to the initial stage of recording in which the sounds are input to the recording device.
• What are the individual tracks of music in a stereo mix called?


  Left and right tracks
• What does a modulation effect simulate?


  It simulates multiple instruments or voices performing simultaneously
• What is the purpose of slightly delaying a copy of the signal in modulation effects?


  To create a shimmering or thickening effect
• What happens when a signal is clipped?


  The waveform becomes squared and causes distortion
• What is coarse-tuning on a synthesizer or sampler?


  A control that moves the tuning of a note in semitones
• What is a coincident pair in microphone technique?


  A pattern using two directional microphones to capture stereo image
• What does colouration refer to in audio equipment?


  The effect that equipment has on the tonal characteristics of audio
• What is comping in audio recording?

  The process of combining takes into one master take
• What does compression (dynamics) do to a sound?


  It reduces the volume of peaks above a threshold