1. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
1
Produce a glossary of terms specific to the methods and principles of sound design and production. Using a provided template, you must
research and gather definitions specific to provided glossary terms. Any definitions must be referenced with the URL link of the website you
have obtained the definition.
You must also, where possible, provide specific details of how researched definitions relate to your own production practice.
Name: Damion Vize RESEARCHED DEFINITION (provide short internet researched definition and URL link) DESCRIBE THE
RELEVANCE OF
THE
RESEARCHED
TERM TO YOUR
OWN
PRODUCTION
PRACTICE?
SOUND DESIGN
METHODOLOGY
Foley Artistry A sound effects technique for synchronous effects or live effects.
http://filmsound.org/terminology/foley.htm
Foley Artistry can
be applied to
recordings
already complete
by using real life
objects to create
in-game noises.
Sound Libraries a collection of sounds stored on file (for example on CDs, DVDs, or as digital audio files)
http://www.planetoftunes.com/digital-audio/digital-audio-files.html#.U1esgfldV8E
This is the area
used to store and
sometimes
backup files.
SOUND FILE
FORMATS
Uncompressed Uncompressed file formats are exact copies of the original data. As such they take up more space than compressed
formats.
http://www.audiostream.com/content/guide-common-music-file-types
Files appear in
this type prior to
rendering.
.wav Waveform Audio File Format (WAVE or WAV) is a popular uncompressed format for music downloads.
http://www.freestockmusic.com/audio-formats/
The compressed
sound files from
field recordings
appear as .wav
files.

2. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
2
.aiff Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF). AIFF is Apple's proprietary uncompressed file format.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Interchange_File_Format
.AIFF is similar to
a .WAV file in
terms of size but
has a higher
quality of sound.
.au Standard audio file format for the Java programming language.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/AU.html
.AU is a file
format used for
audio data.
.smp Music recording and production program uses the ".smp" extension for sampler instrument patches.
http://www.ehow.com/info_12198596_file-smp.html
.SMP in terms of
work can be used
for a sprintbit
playlist manager.
Lossy
Compression
In information technology, "lossy" compression is a data encoding method that compresses data by discarding some of it.
http://uk.ask.com/question/what-is-lossy-data-compression
Lossy
compression
takes out any
unnecessary data
in a file
compressing it to
a smaller size.
.mp3 The original and still most popular and widely supported lossy compressed file format which became an MPEG.
http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/guide/file-formats-and-compression/
MP3 is the
compressed form
of sound mainly
used in CD’s but
is used in other
audio only files as
well.
AUDIO
LIMITATIONS
Sound Processor
Unit (SPU)
Also called a "sound board" or "audio adapter," it is a plug-in card that records and plays back sound.
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/51757/sound-card
This processes
the audio signals
but can be used
to accurately
represent the
characteristics of
a sound.
Digital Sound
Processor (DSP)
Digital audio files contain soundwaves converted into digital form. Sound cards convert the digital samples back into
analog waves for the speakers using digital signal processing (DSP).
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/51757/sound-card
The DSP is used
to calculate the
position of
sounds when
recording them.

3. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
3
Random Access
Memory (RAM)
Random Access Memory (RAM) is a computer storage location that allows information to be stored and accessed quickly
from random locations within DRAM on a memory module.
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/r/ram.htm
RAM affects how
much data can be
stored and the
speed it is saved
and loaded.
Mono Audio A single track of audio.
http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/audacity_tracks_and_clips.html
Some of the mics
used recorded in
mono audio such
as the directional
ones.
Stereo Audio Commonly called stereo sound or just stereo, stereophonic sound divides sounds across two channels (recorded on two
separate sources) then the recorded sounds are mixed so that some elements are channeled to the left and others to the
right.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/stereophonic_sound.html
Stereo is used in
the headphones
we use when
playing back
audio, it is
similarly used in
the handheld
recorders.
Surround Sound A system of sound recording and reproduction that uses three or more independent recording channels and loudspeakers
in order to give the impression that the listener is surrounded by the sound sources.
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/surround-sound
Surround sound
could be used to
improve the
realism of the
sound.
Direct Audio
(Pulse Code
Modulation –
PCM)
Pulse-code modulation (PCM) is a method used to digitally represent sampled analog signals. It is the standard form
of digital audio in computers, Compact Discs, digital telephony and other digital audio applications.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation
Direct audio is
relevant because
our audio would
be in this format
but isn’t through
render settings.
AUDIO
RECORDING
SYSTEMS
Analogue Analog recording is a technique used for the recording of analog signals which among many possibilities include audio
frequency, analog audio and analog video information for later playback.
http://www.answers.com/topic/analog-recording
Analog is a lower
quality sound
recording.
Digital Mini Disc The read-only 2.5" disc stores 140MB compared to 650MB on a CD, but holds the same 74 minutes worth of music due to
Sony's Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding (ATRAC) compression scheme, which eliminates inaudible signals.
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/47064/minidisc
This small disc
can be used to
store compressed
mp3 files.
Compact Disc A small plastic disc on which music or other digital information is stored in the form of a pattern of metal-coated pits from The CD is used for

4. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
4
(CD) which it can be read using laser light reflected off the disc.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/compact-disc
portable storage
as an alternative
to USB drives and
internal storage.
Digital Audio
Tape (DAT)
Acronym for digital audio tape, a type of magnetic tape that uses a scheme called helical scan to record data. A
DAT cartridge is slightly larger than a credit card in width and height and contains a magnetic tape that can hold from 2 to
24 gigabytes of data.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DAT.html
Using DAT makes
the audio appear
in high quality.
MIDI a widely used standard for interconnecting electronic musical instruments and computers.
http://www.memidex.com/musical-instrument-digital-interfaces
I used MIDI in
reaper for my
sounds.
Software
Sequencers
The program, when run, must perform each action in order with no possibility of skipping an action or branching off to
another action.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_three_key_control_structures_in_programming_and_what_are_they_used_for
Reaper manages
the software
sequences
automatically.
Software Plug-
ins
A software plug-in is an add-on for a program that adds functionality to it.
http://www.techterms.com/definition/plugin
A software plug-
in is what we
used e.g VST.
MIDI Keyboard
Instruments
Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, MIDI is a standard for digitally representing and transmitting sounds
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/m/midi.htm
This is what we
used for some of
our soundtracks
and sound
effects.
AUDIO
SAMPLING
File Size
Constraints -
Bit-depth
The number of bits (binary digits) used to represent the colour of a single pixel
http://www.thewonderoflight.com/articles/bits-bytes/
This decides how
large a .bit format
file is.
File Size
Constraints -
Sample Rate
Sampling is the process of measuring an audio signal at specific points in time. The sampling rate or frequency is expressed
in Hertz.
http://stereos.about.com/od/glossaryoftermss/g/sampling.htm
The sample rate
on some audio
tracks has been
modified to get
crisper sounds.