PRAXIS Audio

MIDI

Musical Instrument Digital Interface

DAW

Digital Audio Workstation

EQ (equalization)

A big tone control; also known as a filter; used to adjust the tone of an individual sound or change the entire mix

Quantization

Precision of note, timing

TIFF

Tagged Image File Format

JPEG

A format for compressing image files.

WAV

(Waveform Audio File Format) an audio coding format standard for storing an audio bitstream of uncompressed audio data.

MP3

A standard format for music files sent over the Internet that compresses music.

Channels

Typically a MIDI has 16 channels
They allow you to hear each instrument individually, only 1 instrument per channel

Sampler

A synthesizer which records sounds from actual external sounds such as instruments or non-musical sounds so you can use those sounds as sound effects

AIFF

Audio Interchange File Format- high quality audio saved in an uncompressed, lossless format. Used often by Apple

Compressor

Reduces the dynamic range of an audio signal

ADC

Analog to digital converter

DAC

Digital to Analog Converter

Overtone Series

The fundamental pitch and a simultaneously sounding series of progressively higher overtones present in one tone. Harmonic series.

Partials

In music, partials are non-fundamental tones that are sine waves with stable frequencies and are multiplied by fractional amounts, not whole numbers. They are also known as partial tones or inharmonic overtones. Partials are components of a complex tone, such as a note played on a trumpet or a plucked guitar string.

Sound Reverberation

The persistence of a sound after its source has stopped

Sound Refraction

Another important case in which sound waves bend or spread out is called refraction. This phenomenon involves the bending of a sound wave owing to changes in the wave's speed. Refraction is the reason why ocean waves approach a shore parallel to the beach and why glass lenses can be used to focus light waves.

Sound Reflection

Sound reflection is that portion of the original sound wave that will stay contained to within your room. If the reflection is separated from the original sound signal by less than . 1 seconds, human ear will hear the sound as one prolonged signal known as reverberation.

Frequency

The frequency of music is measured in Hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz is equal to one cycle per second. The current standard for tuning musical instruments is A = 440 Hz.

Sound Amplication

ACOUSTIC: Non electronic or “acoustic” instruments amplify sounds by using the principle of resonance. Acoustic instruments usually have more than one element that vibrates to create sound. For example, a string instrument like a piano has a soundboard that is connected to strings.

ELECTRONIC: Amplifiers are the main electronic component used for sound amplification. Amplifiers take an input audio signal and increase its amplitude (loudness) before sending it to speakers. Different types of amplifiers include analog and digital.

Sound Reinforcement

A sound reinforcement system is the combination of microphones, signal processors, amplifiers, and loudspeakers in enclosures all controlled by a mixing console that makes live or pre-recorded sounds louder and may also distribute those sounds to a larger or more distant audience.

Audio Interface Program

An audio interface is a piece of hardware used to send audio signals to and from a computer or recording device. Audio interfaces convert analog audio signals from sources such as microphones and instruments into digital audio signals that can be interpreted by a computer and audio software. 

By the same token, audio interfaces can also convert digital audio—such as computer system sounds or playback—into analog signals played from headphones or speakers. Most consumer audio interfaces include a level-control knob for their speaker outputs as well as for any headphone outputs

Types of Audio Cables

Bidirectional microphone

Microphone that picks up sound from two opposite directions

Omnidirectional microphone

Microphone that captures equally from all directions

Cardioid microphone

Microphone that will pick up sound in front of the subject and some to the sides of the microphone.

Supercardioid Microphone

A directional mic with a narrower pick-up pattern than a hypercardioid mic.

Hypercardioid Microphone

Similar to Cardioid but the response from the sides is less, which makes it more directional. Used when isolation of sound sources is important. They are less sensitive to off-axis sounds and will not pick up near-by sources as easily. Due to their more directional nature, they are less likely to pick up feedback.

Shotgun Microphone

A directional mic with an extremely narrow pick-up pattern.