Beat Dictionary

STUDIO GLOSSARY

2-TRACK-A song and/or beat in a stereo format.

AC-Alternating Current

Accapella- Music that contains a vocal without additional instrumentation.

ADSR- Abbreviation for Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release. These are the four parameters found on a basic synthesizer envelope generator. An envelope generator is sometimes called a transient generator. 

The Attack, Decay, and Release parameters are rate or time controls. Sustain is a level. When a key is pressed, the envelope generator will begin to rise to its full level at the rate set by the attack parameter, upon reaching peak level it will begin to fall at the rate set by the decay parameter to the level set by the sustain control. The envelope will remain at the sustain level as long as the key is held down. Whenever a key is released, it will return to zero at the rate set by the release parameter.

Ad-Lib- Adding extra vocals to a lead vocal track. To emphasize all or part of a vocal performance.

AFL-After Fade listen; a system used within mixing consoles to allow specific signals to be monitored at the level set by their fader of level control knob. Aux sends are generally monitored AFL rather than PFL

After Touch-The amount of velocity a key has in the negative direction after the key has been released.

Augmentation- The lengthening of note values used in a theme to alter the melody without changing the pitches.

Allegretto- In a moderately quick tempo usually considered to be slightly slower than allegro but faster than andante. Used chiefly as a direction.

Ambiance- The result of sound reflection being added to the original sound.

Amplifier- An electronic component for amplifying power, current, voltage and sound.

Analog- A signal presented in a non-digital, continuous form.

Analog Synthesizer-A synthesizer that uses voltage controlled analog modules to create non-digital sound. Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO), Voltage Controlled Filter (VCF), and Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA) are all effects associated with analog synthesize.

Arpeggiator-A module or computer program that sequentially moves a pattern of notes over a range of the keyboard. The speed of the Arpeggiation can be adjusted and the pattern can usually be varied depending on the order or relationship of the notes pressed.

ASIO-Audio driver compatible with most high-end software and sound cards, enabling a much more stable and fast latency response.

Attack-The first parameter of an ADSR envelope generator, which determines the rate or time, it will take for the event to reach the highest level before starting to decay. Basically it creates a “fade in” effect to your sound, the higher the attack parameter is set to.

Attenuator-Attenuate means to reduce in force, value or amount. An Attenuator is a device that reduces the value of something, usually the amplitude of a signal.

AUX- An additional line designed to route a proportion of the channel signal to the effects or cue mix outputs (Aux Send).

B
Balance- A pair of audio signals comparable in loudness. It is usually set by a control (balance control) on the amplifier or receiver.

Balance Cables- A wiring cable, which uses two out-of-phase conductors and a common screen to reduce the effect of interference. For balancing to be effective, both the sending and receiving device must have balanced output and input stages respectively.

Band Pass Filter-A filter, which allows only a selected band of frequencies to pass through while rejecting all other frequencies above and below the cutoff point.

Bandwidth-A means of specifying the range of frequencies passed by an electronic circuit such as an amplifier, mixer or filter. The frequency range is usually measured at the points where the level drops by 3dB relative to the maximum.

Bias- A high frequency signal generated by a oscillator used in recording to improve the accuracy of the recorded signal and to drive the erase head.

Bounce- To combine or mix several tracks together and record them on another track.

Breath Controller-Device that converts breath pressure into MIDI controller data.

Buffer- A temporary storage area of computer’s memory that stores data.

Buss- An electrical signal path usually on mixing consoles. A buss can carry the stereo mix, the groups, the PFL signals as well as aux sends.

Byte-A computer measurement made up of eight bits of data.

C

C Clef: A clef that indicates which line represents C on a staff, as opposed to a G clef, or an F clef.

Cadence: The melodic or harmonic ending of a piece, or the sections or phrases within a piece. A chord progression that gives a feeling of resolution, or conclusion.

Channel (Mixer)- A single strip of controls in a mixing console relating to either a single input or a pair of main/monitor inputs.

Channel (Midi)- An information pathway through which MIDI information is sent. MIDI provides for 16 available channels, each of which can address one MIDI instrument.

Channel (Output)- The path that an instrument outputs individual notes through a device and/or module.

Chord-Three or more different musical notes played at the same time.

Chorus-A voice doubling effect created by layering two identical sounds with a slight delay (20-50 mS) and slightly modulating the frequency of one or both of the sounds.

Clipping- A severe form of distortion which occurs when a signal attempts to exceed the maximum level which a piece of equipment can handle.

Compressor-Device designed to reduce the dynamic range of audio signals by reducing the level of high signals or by increasing the level of low signals.

Computer Interface-Hardware, which enables a computer to communicate with other devices. A common example is a MIDI interface, which allows a computer to communicate with a musical instrument.

Condenser Mic-A microphone which converts sound pressure level variations into variations in capacitance and then into electrical voltage.

Console- Also referred to as a mixer.

Crossfade-To gradually fade out one sound while fading in another so that a seamless transition is made between the two sounds.

Cutoff Frequency-The frequency above which a low pass filter will start attenuating signals present at its input. Abbreviated Fc

CV-Control Voltage used to control the pitch of an oscillator or filter frequency in an analogue synthesizer. Most analogue synthesizers follow a one-volt per octave convention, though there are exceptions. To use a pre-MIDI analogue synthesizer under MIDI control, a MIDI to CV converter is required.

Cycle- One complete vibration of a sound source or its electrical equivalent. One cycle per second is expressed as 1Hertz (Hz).

D

Daisy Chain-A continuous or serial electrical connection between devices or modules.

DAW- An acronym for Digital Audio Workstation. A computer-based recording/editing system for audio

Dbx-A commercial encode/decode tape noise reduction system that compresses the signal during recording and expands it by an identical amount on playback.

De-esser-A mix of EQ and compressor effects with the purpose of killing the unwanted “SSSS” pronunciation in vocals.

DC-Direct Current.

Decibel-A reference for the measurement of sound energy. The minimum change in volume that the human ear can perceive. Named after Alexander Graham Bell. A decibel is 1/10th of a Bel. 

Decibel- the unit of volume of a sound. The system of decibels works in a system of powers of ten.

Delay-A controllable time parameter giving the ability to start an event only after a predetermined amount of time.

Digital-Equipment that uses quantities represented as binary numbers. In a digital synthesizer every aspect of the sound generation is handled as a numeric calculation. The digital information is not audible and so must be converted to analog form by a DAC before it is output.

Digital Delay- Digital processor for generating delay and echo effects.

Digital Reverb- Digital processor for simulating reverberation.

Digital/Analog Converter-A device, which interprets Digital information and converts it to Analog form. All digital musical instruments must have a DAC so that we can hear their output.

DIN Connector-Consumer multi-pin signal connection format, also used for MIDI cabling. Various pin configurations are available. It is generally round

Distortion-“See Clipping”

Dolby-An encode/decode tape noise reduction system that amplifies low level, high frequency signals during recording, then reverses this process during playback. There are several different Dolby systems in use: types B, C and S for domestic and semi-professional machines, and types A and SR for professional machines. Recordings made using one of these systems must also be replayed via the same system.

Dump (Midi)- To transfer digital data from one device to another. A Sysex dump is a means of transmitting information about a particular instrument or module over MIDI, and may be used to store sound patches, parameter settings and so on.

Dynamic Range-The range of the softest to the loudest sound that can be produced by an instrument. Or the range of the low and high signal levels obtainable by a velocity sensitive keyboard. The greater the Dynamic Range, the more sensitive the keyboard.

DRUM MACHINE- An electric device that produces drum sounds and sequences.

E

Edit-To change or modify information. To change parameters or alter existing data.

Effects Return-Additional mixer input designed to accommodate the output from an effects unit

Envelope Generator-A circuit, usually triggered by pressing a key on a keyboard, that generates a changing voltage with respect to time. This voltage typically controls a VCF or VCA. An AHDSR and ADSR are two types of Envelope Generators. See ADSR.

Equalizer-A device, which allows attenuation or emphasis of, selected frequencies in the audio spectrum. Equalizers usually contain many bands to allow the user a fine degree of frequency control over the sound.

Exciter- An enhancer that works by synthesizing new high frequency harmonics.

Expander (effect)- A device designed to decrease the level of low-level signals and increase the level of high-level signals, thus increasing the dynamic range of the signal.

Expander (module)¬Synthesizer with no keyboard, often rack mountable or in some other compact format.

EAR (referred to as “The Ear”)- The art of listening and identifying elements

F

Fader-Sliding potentiometer control used in mixers and other processors

Filter-A device used to remove unwanted frequencies from an audio signal thus altering its harmonic structure. Low Pass filters are the most common type of filter found on music synthesizers. They only allow frequencies below the cutoff frequency to pass (Low Pass). High Pass filters only allow the high frequencies to pass, and Band Pass filters only allow frequencies in a selected band to pass through. A Notch filter rejects frequencies that fall within its notch

Firewire-A high-performance serial bus, that transports all types of digital data. Transfers audio at 400 Megabits a second.

Fly (on the)- has the same definition as “bounce”

Feedback- The process of returning part of the output of a circuit, system, or device to the input, either to oppose the input (negative feedback) or to aid the input (positive feedback).

Frequency-The number of cycles of a waveform occurring in a second

Frequency Modulation-The encoding of a carrier wave by variation of its frequency in accordance with an input signal

Frequency Response-A measurement of the frequency range that can be handled by a specific piece of electrical equipment or loudspeaker.

FSK- Frequency Shift Keying. An audio tone (frequency) modulated by a square wave, which is used both for data transfer and also for sequencer and drum machine synchronization.

G

Gain-The factor by which a device increases the amplitude of a signal. Negative gain will result in the attenuation of a signal

Gate-An electrical signal that is generated whenever a key is depressed on an electronic keyboard. This is used to trigger envelope generators and other events that need to be synchronized to key action

General MIDI-An addition to the basic MIDI spec to assure a minimum level of compatibility when playing back GM format song files. The specification covers type and program number of sounds, minimum levels of polyphony and multit-timbral response to controller information and so on

Graphic Equalizer-An equalizer, which has several narrow segments of the audio spectrum controlled by individual cur/boost faders. The name comes about because the fader positions provide a graphic representation of the EQ curve.

Ground Loop-Hum caused by currents circulating through the groundside of a piece of equipment or system. This is due to grounding it at points of different voltage potential.

H

Harmonic Distortion-The presence of harmonics in the output signal of a device which were not present in the input signal

Headroom-The safety margin in dbs between the highest peak signals being passed by a piece of equipment and the absolute maximum level the equipment can handle

High Fidelity- Or hi-fi, is a term which generally refers to high audio quality

High Pass Filter-This type of filter allows high frequencies to pass through unaffected, whilst filtering out lower frequencies. The effect, depending on the filter’s settings, will be to remove the fundamental, resulting in a thin, nasal sound

Hiss-Noise caused by random electrical fluctuations

Hum-Signal contamination caused by the addition of low frequencies, usually related to the mains power frequency

I

I/0- Input/Output

IEEE-1394-Known as FireWire of iLink, this is a serial bus found on computers and various peripherals. This bus has high bandwidth (400kbps), with 1394b having 800kbps capacity.

Impedance-Can be visualized as the ‘AC resistance’ of a circuit which contains both resistive and reactive components

Inductor-Reactive component that presents increasing impedance with frequency

Intermittent-

Interval- A musical space between any two notes.

J

Jack (Ear phone)-

Just Intonation-A system of tuning in which the distances between pitches are based on the natural harmonic series instead of the octave being equally divided

K

KHz- Kilo Hertz

L

Latency-A delay generally in Milliseconds of your signal from any hardware device to another. EG. Hard Drive to Sound Card/ Sampler/keyboard.

Layering-The ability to place or stack two or more sounds on the same area of the keyboard to create a denser sound.

LCD-Liquid Crystal Display

LFO-Low Frequency Oscillator. An oscillator used for modulation, whose range is below the audible range (20 Hz). LFO can be assigned to modulate any other parameter on a synthesizer

Limiter-A device that controls the gain of a signal to prevent it from ever exceeding a preset level. A limiter is essentially a fast acting compressor with an infinite compression ratio

Line In/ Mic In-

Line Level-A nominal signal level that is around -10dBV for semi-pro equipment and +4dBu for professional equipment

Linear-A device where the output is a direct multiple of the input

Local ON/OFF

Looping-Looping is the process of repeating a portion of a sample over and over in order to create a sustaining sound. The looped sound will continue as long as the key is depressed. A sound is usually looped during a point in its evolution where the harmonics and amplitude are relatively static in order to avoid pops and glitches in the sound.

Low Note Priority-When more than one note is played on a monophonic synthesizer; only the lowest note will sound

Low Pass Filter-A filter whose frequency response remains flat up to a certain frequency, then rolls off (attenuates signals appearing at its input) above this point

LSB-Least Significant Byte. If a piece of data has to be conveyed as two bytes, one byte represents high value numbers and the other low value numbers, much in the same way as tens and units function in the decimal system. The high value, or most significant part of the message is called the Most Significant Byte or MSB

M

Mic Level-The low level signal generated by a microphone. This must be amplified many times to increase it to line level

Midi-Acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. MIDI enables synthesizers, sequencers, computers, rhythm machines, etc. to be interconnected through a standard interface. MIDI is an asynchronous, serial interface, which is transmitted at the rate of 31.25 KBaud or 31,250 bits per second.

Midi Bank Change-A type of controller message used to select alternate banks of MIDI Programs where access to more than 128 programs is required

Midi Clock-Allows instruments interconnected via MIDI to be synchronized. The MIDI Clock runs at a rate of 24 pulses-per-quarter-note

Midi Control Change-Also knows as MIDI Controllers or Controller Data, these messages convey positional information relating to performance controls such as wheels, pedals, switches and other devices. This information can be used to control functions such as vibrato depth, brightness, portamento, effects levels, and many other parameters.

Midi Controller-A term used to describe the physical interface by means of which the musician plays the MIDI synthesizer or other sound generator. Examples of controllers are keyboards, drum pads, wind synths and so on.

Midi Implementation Chart-A chart, usually found in MIDI product manuals, which provides information as to which MIDI features are supported. Supported features are marked with a 0 while unsupported feature are marked with a X. Additional information may be provided, such as the exact form of the Bank Change message

Midi Merge-A device or sequencer function that enables two or more streams of MIDI data to be combined

Midi Note Number-Every key on a MIDI keyboard has its own note number ranging from 0 to 127, where 60 represents middle C. Some systems use C3 as middle C while others use C4

Midi Program Change-Type of MIDI message used to change sound patches on a remote module or the effects patch on a MIDI effects unit
Midi Sync-A description of the synchronization systems available to MIDI users - MIDI Clock and MIDI Time Code

Module Identifier-The screen that displays information about what module is currently activated

Monitor-A reference loudspeaker used for mixing

MTC-MIDI Time Code-a MIDI sync implementation based on SMPTE time code

Mic Pre-Amplifier- A Microphone preamplifier (preamp) is an electronic amplifier, which precedes another amplifier to prepare an electronic signal for further amplification or processing.

Mixer- Audio. An electronic device, which is used for blending, fading, substituting and combining sounds from various sources.

Multi-Sample-The creation of several samples, each covering a limited musical range, the idea being to produce a more natural range of sounds across the range of the instrument being sampled. For example, a piano may need to be sampled every two or three semitones in order to sound convincing

Multi-Timbral-The ability of a musical instrument to produce two or more different sounds or timbres at the same time

Multi-Timbral Module-MIDI Sound Source capable of producing several different sounds at the same time and controlled on different MIDI channels

Mix Down-

N

Non-Linear Recording-

Normalize-A digital processing function that increases the amplitude of a sound file until the peak amplitude of its loudest sample reaches 100% of full scale

NRPM-An addition to the basic MIDI spec that allows Controllers 98 and 99 to be used to control non-standard parameters relating to particular models of synthesizer. This is an alternative to using System Exclusive data to achieve the same ends, though NRPNs tend to be used mainly by Yamaha and Roland instruments.

O

Octave- an octave (sometimes abbreviated 8ve or P8) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency.

Omni-Meaning all, refers to a microphone that is equally sensitive in all directions, or to the MIDI mode where data on all channels is recognized.

Oscillator-The Oscillator is the part of a synthesizer that generates a sound (waveform). The most common waveforms are Triangle, Square (+Pulse), Saw, and Noise. The rate at which it generates each cycle of the waveform is what we hear as pitch. Oscillators are Voltage Controlled (VCO) or Digital Controlled (DCO)

Overdub-To add another part to a multitrack recording or to replace one of the existing part

Overload- Distortion caused by exceeding the dynamic range of a circuit.

P

Panning-To move an audio signal from one output to the other. Panning a sound between two speakers changes the apparent position of the sound

Parallel-A means of connecting two or more circuits together so that their inputs are connected together, and their outputs are all connected together

Parameter-A variable value that affects some aspect of a device’s performance

Patch Bay-A system of panel-mounted connectors used to bring inputs and outputs to a central point from where they can be routed using plug-in patch cords

Patch Cord-Short cable used with patch bays

Peak-Maximum instantaneous level of a signal

PFL-Pre Fade Listen; a system used within a mixing console to allow the operator to listen in on a selected signal, regardless of the position of the fader controlling that signal.

Phantom Power-48V DC supply for capacitor microphones, transmitted along the signal cores of a balanced mic cable

Phase-The timing difference between two electrical waveforms expressed in degrees where 360 degrees corresponds to a delay of exactly one cycle.

Pitch-Musical interpretation of an audio frequency

Pitch Bend-A special control message specifically designed to produce a change in pitch in response to the movement of a pitch bend wheel or lever. Pitch bend data can be recorded and edited, just like any other MIDI controller data, even though it isn’t part of the Controller message group

Pitch Shifter-Device for changing the pitch of an audio signal without changing its duration.

Poly Mode-The most common MIDI mode that allows and instrument to respond to multiple simultaneous notes transmitted on a single MIDI channel.

Polyphonic-A musical instrument that is able to play more than one note at the same time.

Polyphony-An instrument with the ability to play two or more notes simultaneously. An instrument, which can only play one note at a time, is described as monophonic

Portamento-A gliding effect that allows a sound to change pitch at a gradual rate, rather than abruptly, when a new key is pressed or MIDI note sent.

Post Fade-Aux signal taken from after the channel fader so that the aux send level follows any channel fader changes. Normally used for feeding effects devices.

PPQN-Pulsed Per Quarter Note. Used in the context of MIDI Clock derived sync signals.

PQ Coding-Process for adding Pause, Cue and other sub-code information to a digital master tape in preparation for CD manufacture

Pre-Fade-Aux signal taken from before the channel fader so that the channel fader has no effect on the aux send level. Normally used for creating Foldback or Cue mixes.

Preset-A preprogrammed sound and control setup on a sampler or synthesizer. Presets can be made up in advance of a performance, stored in memory, then recalled instantly when desired

Pressure Sensitivity-The ability of an instrument to respond to pressure applied to the keyboard after the initial depression of a key. Sometimes called aftertouch

Pulse Wave-Similar to a square wave but non-symmetrical. Pulse waves sound brighter and thinner than square waves, making them useful in the synthesis of reed instruments. The timbre changes according to the mark/space ratio of the waveform.

Pulse Width Modulation-A means of modulating the duty cycle (mark/space ratio) of a pulse wave. This changes the timbre of the basic tone; LFO modulation of pulse width can be used to produce a pseudo-chorus effect

Punch In-When recording, punching in over-writes a previously recorded track starting at the punch in point.

Punch Out-When recording, punching out stops the recording process started by a punch in, thus preserving the previously recorded track starting at the punch out point.

Q

Quantize-A function on some sequencers which modifies the information in its memory to improve the rhythmic accuracy and correct playing errors.

R

RAM- The digital storage area in a computer. Data is stored temporarily while you are using the computer.

Realtime Controls- Controllers on hardware and/or software devices that allow users to create and record controller movements in actual time or live.

Resolution- The tone of chord to which a dissonance is resolved.

Resonance-A frequency at which a material object will vibrate. In a filter with resonance, a signal will be accentuated at the cutoff frequency

Ribbon Microphone-A microphone where the sound capturing element is a thin metal ribbon suspended in a magnetic filed. When sound causes the ribbon to vibrate, a small electrical current is generated within the ribbon.

Ring Modulator- A signal processor that creates amplitude
modulation or frequency mixing, performed by multiplying two signals

RMS- (Root Mean Square) A method of specifying the behavior of a piece of electrical equipment under continuous sine wave testing conditions

RS 422-A high-speed serial communication port, which allows data to be transferred to and from an external computer at a high rate (500K baud)

RT-60-In reverb, this is the time it takes from the initial reverb signal to hit -60dB

S

S/PDIF- The name stands for Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format (more commonly known as Sony Philips Digital Interface), the two companies being the primary designers of the S/PDIF format.

Sample- The act of taking a portion or part of one sound recording and re-using it as an instrument or element of a new recording.

Sample Rate- The sampling rate, sample rate, or sampling frequency defines the number of samples per second (or per other unit) taken from a continuous signal to make a discrete signal.

Sampler- Rack, module, or software which enables you to record short (or long) audio clips and assign these sounds to keys on your keyboard. Samplers can be used to playback a loop of music (very basic use) or they can be used to create a very realistic piano or violin. In the case of the piano, there may be hundreds of sounds assigned to the keyboard. The more samples, the more realistic the piano is.

Sampling-The process of recording a sound into digital memory

Sawtooth Wave-So called because it resembles the teeth of a saw, this waveform contains both odd and even harmonics

Scratch-The art of making noises with a turntable and a record.

SCSI-Acronym for Small Computer Systems Interface. An industry standard interface that provides high-speed access to peripheral devices such as hard disk drives, optical discs, WORM drives, etc

SCSI Port-The port to which SCSI devices are connected

Sequencer-A device that records data from keyboards, program changes, or real-time modulation data to be played back later much like a tape recorder or player piano. Digital sequencers use memory on the basis of events (key on, key off, etc.) while a tape recorder uses memory (tape) on the basis of time.

Serial Interface- A computer interface in which data is passed over a single line, one bit at a time. The MIDI interface is an example of a serial interface.

Signal-Electrical representation of input such as sound

Signal Processing-The art of modifying an existing sound through the use of electronic circuitry

Sine Wave-The waveform of a pure tone with no harmonics

Slave-A device under the control of a master device

SMPTE-Acronym for Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers who adopted a standard time code in order to synchronize video and audio. SMPTE information is in the form of Hours, Minutes, Seconds, and Frames. There are two types of SMPTE time code, Longitudinal Time Code, which can be recorded on audiotape, and Vertical Interval Time Code that is recorded on videotape.

Software-The programs or sets of instructions describing the tasks to be performed by a computer.

Software Synthesizers-Programs emulating hardware synthesizers, for a fraction of the price. As computers are getting faster and more powerful, software synths are starting to match the performances of real machines.

Rebirth, Reason and Reaktor are software synthesizers

Soundfonts-Instrument format used in most soundcards to store samples and parameters. A SoundFont bank (bank.sf2) contains up to 127 instruments and 1 drum set. In general people use a program called Vienna to create sf2 files

Square Wave-A symmetrical rectangular waveform. Square waves contain a series of odd harmonics

Stacking- To overlap vocals or ab-lib a vocal performance. This will create a full sound and add expression to a vocal performance.

Step Time- A sequencer mode where events are entered one at a time

Sub Bass-Frequencies below the range of typical monitor loudspeakers. Some define sub-bass as frequencies that can be felt rather than heard

Sustain-Part of the ADSR envelope that determines the level to which the sound will settle if a key is held down. Once the key is released, the sound decays at a rate set by the Release parameter. Also refers to a guitar’s ability to hold notes, which decay very slowly.

Sweet Spot-The optimum position for a microphone, or for a listener relative to monitor loudspeakers

Synchronization-When a musical part has the same tempo as another musical part in sequence. A guitarist jamming along to a drum beat would be considered as synchronized. Sequencers, synthesizers and anything with MIDI can usually be synchronized to one another. Usually one unit would be the Master and would send Time Code or MIDI Clock Data to all the others. \’in sync\’ is a common phrase for the above

Synthesizer-Electronic musical instrument designed to create a wide range of sounds, both imitative and abstract.

SysEx-SYStem EXclusive. Data messages unique to each hardware manufacturer. These data messages can be used to access specific parameters that would not normally be available via standard editing tools

T

THD-Total Harmonic Distortion.

Tempo-The rate of the ‘beat’ of a piece of music measured in beats per minute

Timbre-Tone color. The quality of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds with the same pitch and volume.

Time Measures-a measure, in music is music a measurement of time that contains a specific number of pulse defined by a time signature

Time Stretching-Time Stretching a Sample will Change the Length without affecting the pitch, although it can also give an unwanted ‘echo-ey’ effect

Track (Mix)- An alternate name for a song, beat or other distinct section of a sound recording.

Track (Multi)- The term dates back to multitrack tape where the tracks are physical stripes of recorded material, located side by side along the length of the tape

TRS Jack- Stereo type jack with Tip, Ring and Sleeve connections

Truncate-When manipulating a sample, truncation shortens a sample’s length by trimming off parts of the beginning and/or end.

Turntable-Circular horizontal rotating platform of a phonograph on which the record is placed

U

Unbalance Connection-A 2-wire electrical signal connection where the inner or hot or +ve (positive) conductor is usually surrounded by the cold or -ve (negative) conductor, which forms a screen against electrical interference

Unison-To play the same melody using two or more different instruments or voices

V

Valve-Vacuum tube amplification component, also known as a tube

VCA-Voltage Controlled Amplifier. A circuit whose gain is determined by a control voltage

VCF-Voltage Controlled Filter. A filter whose cutoff frequency or resonant frequency is determined by a control voltage

Velocity Sensitivity-A keyboard which can respond to the speed at which a key is depressed; this corresponds to the dynamics with which the player plays the keyboard. Velocity is an important function as it helps translate the performer’s expression to the music.

Vibrato-A cyclic change in pitch, usually in the range of 7 to 14 Hz.

Vocoder-Signal processor that imposes a changing spectral filter on a sound based on the frequency characteristics of a second sound. Taking the spectral content of a human voice and imposing it on a musical instrument can create talking instrument effects

Voice (Synth)- The capacity of a synthesizer to play a single musical note. An instrument capable of playing 16 simultaneous notes is said to be a 16-voice instrument

VST Instruments-VST instruments are software devices (samplers, drumboxes, synthesizers, effects…) running from inside a VST 2.0 compatible host, such as Cubase VST (3.7 or later). More and more companies are enabling their sequencers to run VST instruments.

VU Meter-Meter designed to interpret signal levels in roughly the same way as the human ear, which responds more closely to the average levels of sounds rather than to the peak levels

W

Warmth-objective term used to describe sound where the bass and low mid frequencies have depth and where the high frequencies are smooth sounding rather than being aggressive or fatiguing. Warm sounding tube equipment may also exhibit some of the aspects of compression

WATT- Unit of electrical power.

Waveform-A graphic representation of the way in which a sound wave or electrical wave varies with time

White Noise-A random signal with an energy distribution that produces the same amount of noise power per Hz

Word Clock-The precise and accurate timing of digital audio samples is critical to the correct operation of interconnected digital audio equipment. The ‘metronome’ that governs sample timing is called the Word Clock (sometimes conjoined to ‘Wordclock’, or abbreviated to ‘Wclk’). However, word clock does more than merely beat time; it also identifies the start and end of each digital word or sample, and which samples belong to the left or right channels. Digital interfaces such as the AES-EBU and S/PDIF embody clock signals within the data stream, but it is often necessary to convey a discrete word clock between equipment as a square wave signal running at the sampling rate. Dedicated word clock inputs and outputs on digital equipment generally use BNC connectors (the kind of terminals commonly used for video).

X

XG-Yamaha’s alternative to Roland’s GS system for enhancing the General MIDI protocol so as to provide additional banks of patches and further editing facilities

XLR-Type of connector commonly used to carry balanced audio signals including the feeds from microphones.

Y

Y Lead- A cable and/or adapter that splits so that one source can feed two destinations.

Z

Zero Crossing-The point where the polarity of an electrical or sampled signal changes from positive to negative (or vice-versa) as it passes through zero. A zero crossing provides convenient points to splice two sounds because the levels of the two splice points are the same at zero volts.

Zipper Noise-Audible steps that occur when a parameter is being varied in a digital audio processor

Disclaimer: Definitions many not be 100 percent accurate and left for interpretation. All definitions are courtesy of Wikapedia.com, Dictionary.com, outside contributors and producers.

Self-Contained: Open Lab’s MiKo™ (Timberland Special Edition)

Self-Contained: Open Lab’s MiKo™ (Timberland Special Edition)
Written By Eric “E.P.” Sakla

The new wave of technology is upon us and I must say I’m impressed. Emerging on to the scene is new hardware/software that is making the job of producers much easier in the realm of efficiency. However, this does not mean the art of production is becoming easier. Unfortunately (for you overnight beat smiths who want a get-rich-quick scheme), you still need an ear for music and of course, talent. When discussing efficiency, it is not the idea that instrumentals can be composed in five minutes that’s impressive (though some beat makers tend to think so). The “efficiency” lies in the ability to have all hardware / software at your fingertips at once. No more leaning over to the MPC for drum programming and turning around to play some chords on the Triton. And when it’s time to bring the elements into Pro tools, no more sliding the chair over to work on the computer. If you have the “Timberland Special Edition” MiKo™ workstation by Open Labs, well, you have it all.
Open Labs collaborated with Timberland on this unique product that makes production a comfortable experience, preventing the grunt work from interfering with the creative process. Running on Windows XP (Where’s the Apple version at?) with 4GB of Ram, the Timbo version is packed with 7,000 instruments handpicked by the genius himself. A host of sounds contributed from Ensoniq™ including the new Urban Legends™ Sound Library will be sure to keep any producer content. With too many presets, sounds, and bundles to count, producers are going to have a hard time being bored. It is stated on their website (www.openlabs.com) that the value of sounds in the MiKo™ is equivalent to over $60,000 worth of keyboards (if purchased individually). This is the weapon used for hitting the industry with a “sonic boom”!
With this product, I can see myself handling a lot of mainstream Rap, R&B and Pop production. The sounds (and their quality) are amazing for that futuristic, epic production. This is a machine for innovators who want to get to the point and craft their ideas with ease. Too many times the creative juices have been hindered or lost by setting up sessions, programming on numerous pieces of equipment and importing software. The only drawback for producers such as myself who deal with sample based gritty production, is the loss of the hands-on feel. With the MiKo™, there is no more impressive producer set up that has MPC’s, Keyboards, Turntables and other hardware laying around with the wiring running haphazard throughout the studio. There is a certain essence to crafting grimy rap records with dusty crates full of records and chopping on the MPC that is lost with the MiKo™. It’s a bit too clean and accessible. The idea of having a shrine full of equipment is now being replaced with one module that does all the work. But hey, “to each his own”. There is nothing wrong with simplicity.