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: Lewis
Brady
RESEARCHED DEFINITION
(provide short internet
researched definition and URL
link)
DESCRIBE THE RELEVANCE OF THE
RESEARCHED TERM TO YOUR
OWN PRODUCTION PRACTICE?
SOUND DESIGN
METHODOLOG
Y
Foley Artistry Foley is the reproduction of everyday
sound effects that are added to film,
video, and other mediums in post-
production to enhance audio quality
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foley_(fi
lmmaking)
I will be using this technique when
adding a sound effect to a game
that I will be producing this will
help improve the quality of my
audio if I add sound effects.
Sound
Libraries
A sample library is a collection of
digital sound recordings, known
as samples, for use by composers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sample_
library
When using “Soundcloud” it has
collection of digital sound
recordings which allows me to add
them easily to my blog account.
SOUND FILE
FORMATS
Uncompresse
d
Uncompressed video, also
called Clean HDMI, is
digital video information that has not
been compressed, or was not
processed with compression on it
when the video was captured directly
via video capture (e.g. from a digital
camera.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncomp
ressed_video
An uncompressed means file that
still has a lot of documents which
it doesn’t necessarily needs which
makes the file larger.
.wav The format for storing sound
in files developed jointly by Microsoft
and IBM.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/
W/WAV.html
A “.wav” shows up when using a
sound file which signifies when
you’re using that type of file.
.aiff AIFF is short for Audio Interchange
File Format, which is an audio format
initially created by Apple Computer
for storing and transmitting high-
quality sampled audio data.
http://www.abyssmedia.com/formats
/aiff-format.shtml
An “aiff.” is only known to be used
on a Macintosh computer for
audio recordings so I rarely see
that type of file format.
.au .au is the Internet country code top-
level domain (ccTLD) forAustralia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.au
The “au.” is a file format for the
domain of Australia.
.smp (Symmetric MultiProcessing) A
multiprocessing architecture in which
multiple CPUs, residing in one
cabinet, share the same memory.
SMP systems provide scalability. As
business increases, additional CPUs
can be added to absorb the increased
transaction volume.
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedi
A “.smp” file format uses the
same memory of a multiple of
CPU's.
2. a/term/51559/smp
Lossy
Compression
Lossy file compression results in lost
data and quality from the original
version. Lossy compression is typically
associated with image files, such
as JPEGs, but can also be used for
audio files, like MP3s or AAC files.
http://www.techterms.com/definitio
n/lossy
A "lossy" file typically means a
form of JPEG or most commonly
known for being used stored as a
MP3 file format.
.mp3 MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer
III, more commonly referred to
as MP3, is an encoding format
for digital audio which uses a form
of lossy data compression.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP3
An “.mp3” or also known as a
"lossy" file is an encoded format
of audio.
AUDIO
LIMITATIONS
Sound
Processor
Unit (SPU)
The SPU is the unit responsible for all
aural capabilities of the psx. It handles
24 voices, has a 512kb sound buffer,
and has ADSR envelope filters for
each voice and lots of other features.
http://psx.rules.org/spu.txt
Digital Sound
Processor
(DSP)
A Digital Signal Processor, or DSP, is a
specialized microprocessor that has
an architecture which is optimized for
the fast operational needs of digital
signal processing. A Digital Signal
Processor (DSP) can process data in
real time, making it ideal for
applications that can’t tolerate delays.
http://www.futureelectronics.com/en
/microprocessors/digital-signal-
processors.aspx
Random
Access
Memory
(RAM)
AM (pronounced ramm) is
an acronym for random accessmemor
y, a type of computer memory that
can be accessed randomly; that is,
any byte of memory can be accessed
without touching the preceding bytes.
RAM is the most common type of
memory found in computers and
other devices, such as printers.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/R
/RAM.html
Random-access memory or most
commonly known as RAM is a
form of computer data storage. a
random- access device allows
stored data to be accessed
directly in any random order.
Mono Audio Monaural or monophonic sound
reproduction (often shortened
tomono) is single-channel. Typically
there is only one microphone, one
loud speaker, or (in the case
of headphones and multiple
loudspeakers) channels are fed from a
common signal path.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monaur
al
Mono audio is a signal that is
through one channel which
basically means it comes through
one microphone or one speaker.
Stereo Audio Stereophonic sound or, more
commonly, stereo, is a method of
sound reproduction that creates an
illusion of directionality and audible
perspective. This is usually achieved
by using two or more
independent audio channels through
stereo audio is achieved with a
configuration of two or more
speakers which allows for the
sound to be heard from different
directions of where it is playing
through each speaker.
3. a configuration of two or
more loudspeakers (or
stereo headphones)in such a way as
to create the impression of sound
heard from various directions, as in
natural hearing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereop
honic_sound
Surround
Sound
Surround sound is a technique for
enriching the sound reproduction
quality of an audio source with
additional audio channels from
speakers that surround the listener
(surround channels), providing sound
from a 360° radius in the horizontal
plane (2D) as opposed to "screen
channels" (centre, [front] left, and
[front] right) originating only from the
listener's forward arc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surroun
d_sound
Surround sound is a better quality
of audio with less speakers but a
larger number of audio channels
which causes for a 360 degree
angle of the audio being heard
from.
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. In a PCM stream, the
amplitude of the analog signal is
sampled regularly at uniform
intervals, and each sample is
quantized to the nearest value within
a range of digital steps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-
code_modulation
This type of audio is used for a
large quantity of computers and
CD's and can be mass produced.
AUDIO
RECORDING
SYSTEMS
Analogue Analog device is usually a
combination of both analog machine
and analog media that can together
measure, record, or reproduce
(emit[disambiguation needed])
continuous information, for example,
the almost infinite number of grades
of transparency, voltage, resistance,
rotation, or pressure. In theory, the
continuous information (also analog
signal) has an infinite number of
possible values with the only
limitation on resolution being the
accuracy of the analog device.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_
device
Analog device is most commonly
known to be used in a gaming
controller and is known as an
"analog stick".
Digital Mini
Disc
The MiniDisc (MD) is an obsolete
magneto-optical disc-based data
storage device for 74 minutes and,
later, 80 minutes, of digitized audio or
1 gigabyte of Hi-MD data. The Sony
brand audio players were on the
market from September 1992 until
March 2013.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MiniDisc
An MD is a smaller version of a
compact disc but stores more
than a CD.
Compact Disc
(CD)
Stands for "Compact Disc." CDs are
circular discs that are 4.75 in (12 cm)
in diameter. The CD standard was
A compact disc also known as a
CD is a circular disc that stores
4. proposed by Sony and Philips in 1980
and the technology was introduced to
the U.S. market in 1983. CDs can hold
up to 700 MB of data or 80 minutes of
audio. The data on a CD is stored as
small notches on the disc and is read
by a laser from an optical drive. The
drives translate the notches (which
represent 1's and 0's) into usable
data.
http://www.techterms.com/definitio
n/cd
data which is read by a laser inside
a computer or laptop.
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. It
can support data transfer rates of
about 2 MBps. Like other types of
tapes, DATs are sequential-access
media.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D
/DAT.html
A “DAT” also known as a cassette
is an older way to store or record
data which is caused by a form of
magnetic tape.
MIDI Stands for "Musical Instrument Digital
Interface." It is a connectivity
standard that musicians use to hook
together musical instruments (such as
keyboards and synthesizers) and
computer equipment. Using MIDI, a
musician can easily create and edit
digital music tracks. The MIDI system
records the notes played, the length
of the notes, the dynamics (volume
alterations), the tempo, the
instrument being played, and
hundreds of other parameters, called
control changes.
http://www.techterms.com/definitio
n/midi
Is used to easily create tracks of
audio.
Software
Sequencers
An electronic device or software
program that can be instructed to
order and modify digitally stored
musical sounds for playback, as
through a synthesizer.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/se
quencer
Software sequencers are a
program that sorts through
digitally stored audio tracks.
Software
Plug-ins
In computing, a plug-in (or plugin,
extension, or add-on / addon) is a
software component that adds a
specific feature to an existing
software application. When an
application supports plug-ins, it
enables customization. The common
examples are the plug-ins used in web
browsers to add new features such as
search-engines, virus scanners, or the
ability to utilize a new file type such
as a new video format. Well-known
browser plug-ins include the Adobe
Flash Player, the QuickTime Player,
and the Java plug-in, which can
I an application on a computer
which allows customization of
certain features of web browser
or a new video viewing format.
5. launch a user-activated Java applet on
a web page to its execution a local
Java virtual machine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-
in_(computing)
MIDI
Keyboard
Instruments
A MIDI keyboard is typically a piano-
style user interface keyboard device
used for sending MIDI signals or
commands over a USB or MIDI cable
to other devices connected and
operating on the same MIDI protocol
interface. This could also be a
personal computer running software
such as a digital audio workstation
(DAW) that listens to and sends MIDI
information to other MIDI devices
connected by cable or running
internal to the personal computer
system. The basic MIDI keyboard does
not produce sound.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI_ke
yboard
A MIDI keyboard allows to create
audio tracks but with a keyboard
interface which also allows you to
select different tone of a sound to
create a variety of unique sound
effects.
AUDIO
SAMPLING
File Size
Constraints -
Bit-depth
In digital audio using pulse-code
modulation (PCM), bit depth is the
number of bits of information in each
sample, and it directly corresponds to
the resolution of each sample.
Examples of bit depth include
Compact Disc Digital Audio, which
uses 16 bits per sample, and DVD-
Audio and Blu-ray Disc which can
support up to 24 bits per sample.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bi
t_depth
The bit depth basically means the
number of bits of information in
each of the samples including a
CD's and DVD's.
File Size
Constraints -
Sample Rate
In signal processing, sampling is the
reduction of a continuous signal to a
discrete signal. A common example is
the conversion of a sound wave (a
continuous signal) to a sequence of
samples (a discrete-time signal).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samplin
g_(signal_processing)