Audio Engineering

Loudness or height of a sound wave

Amplitude

Cycles sound wave makes in a second. 20 C = 20 Hz 20,000 C = 20,000 Hz (20-20,000 average human ear can hear)

Audio Frequency

Speed of sound. 1130 ft/s

Audio Velocity

The relationship of two wave forms

∅ Phase

Shape of sound: Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release (ADSR)

Audio Envelope

-are really rugged... Very sturdy
-Takes a really high SPL level - Good
-Takes a lot of pressure to make it move - Negative
-Drums, Guitar amp, Live singing
-inexpensive

Dynamic Microphones

-needs external power (phantom power 48v) From mixer or mic pre
-quality depends on the Voltage (48v or lower)
-doesn't need as much SPL but is more fragile

Condenser Mic

-Sounds amazing
-ribbon is corrugated but the ribbon can break if too loud
-auto-compress sounds (all sounds will even out)
- output it low,
-Similar to dynamic mics, but use a thin metal ribbon instead of a moving coil.

Ribbon Microphone

The directional response of a mic refers to its sensitivity (output level) at various angles of incidence with respect to the front (on-axis) of the microphone

Directional Response (microphone)

Orb around the microphone can hear from any direction.

Omnidirectional mic

heart shaped: picks up sound from front of microphone only

Cardioid mic

Picks up sound from front and a little from back of microphone

Supercardiod

Picks up sound from front and a little more from back

Hypercardiod

Picks up sound from front and back of microphone but not the sides.

Bidirectional

a type of noise that is produced by combining sounds of all different frequencies together

White Noise

It is used to proportionately reduce the dynamics of a signal that rise above a user-definable level (known as the threshold) to a lesser volume range. (below 4:1)

Compression

If the compression ratio is made large enough, the compressor will actually become a limiter (above 4:1)
(electronics) an nonlinear electronic circuit whose output is limited in amplitude

Limiter