IG2 Task 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: Alex Ballantyne 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 person who recreates non-computerized sound effects for
film,
Television and radio.
http://www.folger.edu/documents/foleynew.pdf
I have used this many times during my work
and many times as have had to go out and
record sounds and then edits them in to
something completely different.
Sound Libraries a collection of sounds stored on file (for example on CDs,
DVDs, or as digital audio files)
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/sound-
library
I have used this to store all of the sound
files that I have recorded for this unit and
other units of the course.
SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed return to its original or usable and functioning condition
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/uncompress
We have used uncompressed file formats in
our work like when we was doing recording
it made the file formats into an file format
.av which is a uncompressed file format also
when we were exporting the files from
reaper it converted the files into a .wav file
format so it was recognisable on media
players.
.wav WAV is a short form for Waveform Audio File Format. It is a
Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard that is used
for storing an audio bitsream on computers and laptops
http://uk.ask.com/question/what-does-wav-mean
We use this quite a lot in lesson for example
when exporting the audio sounds from
reaper and the file format for when we do
the audio recordings on the field recorders.
.aiff Audio Interchange File Format is an audio file format
standard used for storing sound data for personal
computers and other electronic audio devices
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.aiff
We didn’t use this audio file format because
we were using reaper which converts the
files into .wav and .aiff is commonly found
on Apple software which we do not use so
it probably wouldn’t be compatible on

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Window powered computers.
.au This is an audio format developed for Sun workstations and
often used to distribute sound clips via the Web.
http://www.ircbeginner.com/opvinfo/webglossary.html
We didn’t use .au because it is a rare file
format to find so we couldn’t of really used
it and that I don’t think there is any
software that I know of that could open this
file format.
.smp Music file used by Smart Music, a music practice application
for band, orchestra, and voice; saves an accompaniment
that can be used for practicing solos and other musical
parts; includes the sheet music information and can be used
for assessment; replaced by the .SMPX in Finale 2014.
http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/smp
This isn’t really relevant because it isn’t
really high definition therefore we don’t
really want low bit-rate audio we are aiming
for higher audio bit-rate so that the sound
is good and clear.
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. The "lossyness"
of an image file may show up as jagged edges or pixelated
areas. In audio files, the lossyness may produce a watery
sound or reduce the dynamic range of the audio.
http://www.techterms.com/definition/lossy
I haven’t used this as I haven’t had to
compress data so far I in my work.
.mp3 a means of compressing a sound sequence into a very small
file, to enable digital storage and transmission.
I didn’t have to use mp3 as all of my audio
work was using wav so it would not be
necessary to use it.
AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU) A sound card (also known as an audio card) is an
internal computer expansion card that facilitates the input
and output of audio signals to and from a computer under
control of computer. The term sound card is also applied to
external audio interfaces that use software to generate
sound, as opposed to using hardware inside the PC. Typical
uses of sound cards include providing the audio component
for multimedia applications such as music composition,
editing video or audio, presentation, education and
entertainment (games) and video production.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_card
I would of used whilst doing he reaper work
on the computers.
Digital Sound Processor (DSP) A digital sound processor is a tool that incorporates
computer technology to change the technical aspects of
analog sound. Processors can be found in a growing number
of applications, from music to medicine.
We used this in sound recording because
we recorded sounds from life which is
analogue and it converted the file format
into digital so we did use this during the

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periods of recording.
Random Access Memory (RAM) RAM (pronounced ram) is an acronym for random access
memory, 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.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/R/RAM.html
We used RAM when we was on the
computers for when we was making the
audio file if there wasn’t RAM in the
computer, the computer wouldn’t of been
able to open reaper
Mono Audio 1. A single track of audio.
http://www.allynn.org/fcp/node/33
We didn’t use mono sound because it is a
single channel which isn’t that good we
tried for at least stereo sound.
Stereo Audio Stereophonic sound or, more commonly, stereo, is a
method of sound reproduction that creates an illusion of
directionality.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereo_audio
We used stereo on reaper when we were
making the audio files.
Surround Sound a system of stereophony involving three or more speakers
surrounding the listener so as to give a more realistic effect.
I was using surround sound when I was
using the recorder to record my sounds for
editing my sounds.
Direct Audio (Pulse Code
Modulation – PCM)
Pulse code modulation (PCM) is a digital scheme for
transmitting analogue data. The signals in PCM are binary;
that is, there are only two possible states, represented by
logic 1 (high) and logic0 (low). This is true no matter how
complex the analogue waveform happens to be. Using PCM,
it is possible to digitize all forms of analogue data, including
full-motion video, voices, music, telemetry, and virtual
reality (VR).
http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/pulse-
code-modulation-PCM
This pretty much was a digital limiters
which prevented us doing some stuff on
reaper.
AUDIO RECORDING SYSTEMS Analogue elating to or using signals or information represented by a
continuously variable physical quantity such as spatial
position
We used analogue in recording for the
digital recorder.
Digital Mini Disc A small recordable compact disc
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/minidisc
We didn’t use this because we didn’t use a
minidisc recorder.
Compact Disc (CD) a small plastic disc on which music or other digital
information is stored in the form of a pattern of metal-
coated pits from which it can be read using laser light
reflected off the disc.
We didn’t use CDs because we didn’t really
get any audio from CDs because we used
digital sound recorders to get most of the
sound that we used in our work.

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Digital Audio Tape (DAT) Digital Audio Tape is a signal recording and playback
medium developed by Sony and introduced in 1987. In
appearance it is similar to a Compact Cassette, using 4 mm
magnetic tape enclosed in a protective shell.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Tape
We didn’t use DAT because they are kind of
out-dated and that computers don’t use
tapes now.
MIDI a widely used standard for interconnecting electronic
musical instruments and computers.
I have used this in my work to create sound
that I have used in my work.
Software Sequencers A sequencing software package designed to be loaded into a
computer. Software sequencers usually have more features
and have the advantage of showing you a lot more
information at once because they use the computer's screen
and aren't locked into the knobs or buttons.
http://www.wannaplaymusic.com/get-started/keyboard-
terminology
We used this on reaper when we were
editing sounds and creating sounds that we
used this in combination of software
plugins and MIDI keyboard instrument.
Software Plug-ins These are all the different sound effects that you can use to
change and manipulate sound that you have captured or
created.
I have used software plugins to change and
manipulate the sound that I have created
and also captured using recording devices.
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.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI_keyboard
I have used the MIDI keyboard to create
some sound for my work.
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_bit_depth
We tried to produce the sounds in the
highest quality possible but because .wav
has a low bit-rate we couldn’t make them
really high quality
File Size Constraints - Sample
Rate
A frequency of how many times audio is measured per
second, usually measured in kilohertz (kHz); a usual number
you might see is 44.1kHz. This is tied directly to bit depth or
the number of bits measured in each cycle.
http://superuser.com/questions/388382/what-does-the-
sample-rate-and-sample-size-of-audio-means
I tried to get the audio files into a good
sample rate.

IG2 Task 1

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