Transcript Audio Terminology

Audio Terminology
ASM30
Garageband
• Software that comes preloaded on most
Macintosh computers
• This program gives the user the ability to
record, compose and edit audio
• Users can either use the built in microphone,
or an audio interface connected through USB
or Firewire
Transport window
Once tracks are activated (armed) the transport window will
begin recording.
Arming a track
• On the left hand side of the screen, you see all
of the tracks that are included in your work.
• In order to record, you must select the record
button on the track. When you have selected
the track, it will light up ‘red’ in colour.
Ducking
• This feature is particularly important in
podcasts.
• On each track, you are given the option to
select an arrow up or an arrow down.
• You would normally select the arrow up for
voices.
– This means that if a song or loop is playing at the
same time as a voice is speaking, the voice will be
heard over the song or loop.
Ducking Continued…
Compression
• Audio compression reduces the dynamic
range of recorded audio.
• It boosts the quiet sections, and reduces the
loud sections.
• Coincidently this also reduces the overall
quality of the audio.
Compression continued…
Vinyl - Records
• The sound is recorded on a very fine line or
groove which goes around and around in a
spiral from the outside edge of the disc to the
center. The phonograph plays the sound with
a needle that touches the groove. A record
usually has different music on each side.
• Purists say that records more accurately
capture the true nature of the recording
• Record companies have seen a decrease in
CD sales, and an increase in Record sales.
Stereo Sound
• Audio that involves two speakers
– Each speaker can have different sounds coming
from them.
– The audio engineer determines what happens in
each speaker.
Stereo sound
Dynamics
• Simply put, dynamics means – volume
• Audio records capture the interest of the
audience by having a variety of dynamics.
• Music hear on the radio has virtually no
dynamics – the music is heavily compressed.
Pitch Shifting
• Sound recording technique in which the
original pitch of sound is either raised or
lowered
• We experimented in garageband with pitch
shifting through the ‘vocal transformer’
• We were able to change a male voice into a
female voice – and visa versa
Beat
• This is the pulse of the music or recording
• In a band setting, the beat is usually
articulated and defined by the bass drum
Automation
• Allows you to change the levels of different
aspects of music at specific points in a
recording
• Most commonly used in volume
Reverb
• Is the most used studio effect
• Reverb creates space within the recording
• It adds echo to the recording, creating an
ambience to the sound.
• Recordings with a lot of reverb sound as if
they were recorded in a large auditorium
Delay
• A very commonly used studio effect
• This is similar to reverb in that it creates
ambience in the recordings
• Delay produces repeats in the notes –
resembles echoes
Looping
• Prerecorded sounds files
• When a recording is looped, it will play
continuously – repeating many times
• In Garageband – we explored the pre loaded
loops by selecting the ‘view loop browser’
feature found in the control icon.
MIDI
• Musical Instrument Digital Interface
• Literally turns musical instruments into
software controllers.
• Most commonly, digital keyboards are
connected to computers via midi cables. The
keyboards now controls various aspects of the
software.
Synthesizer
• Synthesizers use a number of different
technologies or programmed algorithms to
generate signal, each with their own strengths
and weaknesses.
• The original synthesizer was created by the
company “MOOG AUDIO”