This document contains a glossary of terms related to sound design and production for computer games. It provides researched definitions for over 20 terms, sourced from websites. For each term, it also describes the relevance to the author's own production practice, such as describing file formats used for storing sounds. The glossary covers areas such as sound file formats, audio hardware, audio recording and sampling techniques, and software used for sound design.

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: 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 soundeffects technique for synchronous effects or live effects"
http://filmsound.org/foley/
Its syncs noises
Sound Libraries is a collectionof digitalsoundrecordings, knownas samples, for
use bycomposers, arrangers, performers, and producers of music.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sample_library
Where you store sounds for later use
SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed ncompressedaudio files are the most accurate digital
representation of a soundwave, but can also be the most resource-
intensive methodof recording and storingdigital audio, bothin
terms of storage and management. Their accuracymakes them
suitable for archivinganddeliveringaudioat high resolution, and
workingwith audio at a professional level, andtheyare the
'master' audio format of choice.
http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/guide/uncompressed-audio-file-
formats
The originalfile before you go andedit it
and make the file smaller
.wav Microsoft's native uncompressedaudioformat for Windows. While
a flexible format, capable ofstoring veryhigh qualityaudio, WAV
has a fewlimitations whichhave become apparent over its lifetime,
and extensions to the format have beendevelopedto address
them. One shortcoming identifiedinWAV is its inabilityto hold any
metadata describing its audiocontents (see BWF).
PCM bitstream audiois storedas a series of standard RIFF
(Resource Interchange File Format)chunks
File size is alsolimitedto 4Gb. This limit derives from the use of a
.wavis one of manysoundfiles, WAV has
manylimitations but WAV is Microsoft file
format.

2. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
2
32-bit address header, which imposes a limit of2^32, or
4,294,967,296 bytes (4
gigabytes).http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/guide/uncompressed-
audio-file-formats
.aiff Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) is an audiofile
format standard used for storing sound data for personal
computers and other electronic audiodevices.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Interchange_File_Format
audiofile format standard used for
storing sound data for personal computers
.au Short for audio, a common format for sound files on UNIX
machines. It is also the standard audio file format for the Java
programminglanguage. AU files generallyendwitha .auextension.
On PCs, two other popular sound formats are WAV and MIDI.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/AU.html
The standardaudiofile for java
programming.
.smp An ".smp" file maybe one of several different types ofaudio file.
For example, it couldbe a SampleVision audiosample file. This 16-
bit audiofile was originallyusedbyTurtle Beach SampleVision;you
can open it with Adobe Auction, SoundForge Pro or Awave Studio.
It could also be a sample file for AdLibGold, a PCsoundcard
released in1992;ScreamTracker, a mid-1990s music editing
program;or Swell. Reason, a music recordingandproduction
program, usesthe ".smp"extension for sampler instrument
patches.
Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_12198596_file-smp.html
his 16-bit audio file was originallyused by
Turtle Beach
Lossy Compression Lossless andlossycompression are terms that describe whether or
not, in the compression of a file, alloriginal data canbe recovered
when the file is uncompressed. Withlossless compression, every
single bit of data that was originallyinthe file remains after the file
is uncompressed. All of the information is completelyrestored. This
is generallythe technique ofchoice for text or spreadsheet files,
where losingwords or financial data couldpose a problem. The
Graphics Interchange File (GIF) is an image format usedon the Web
that provides lossless compression.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/lossless-and-lossy-
compression
Lossless andlossycompression are terms
that describe whether or not, in
the compression of a file, alloriginaldata
can be recoveredwhenthe file is
uncompressed. Withlossless compression,
everysingle bit ofdata that wasoriginally
in the file remains after the file is
uncompressed.

3. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
3
.mp3 a means ofcompressing a soundsequence intoa verysmall file, to
enable digital storage andtransmission.
 a file inMP3 format.
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=.mp3+definition
a means ofcompressing a soundsequence
into a verysmall file, to enable digital
storage and transmission. .mp3 is one of
the most used sounds files.
AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU) A sound card (also knownas an audiocard) is an
internal computer expansioncard that facilitates economicalinput
and output of audiosignals to and froma computer under control
of computer programs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_card
It’s a soundcard. A soundcadproduces
sounds soyou canhear them through
headphones, speakers ect.
Digital Sound Processor (DSP)1. Digital Signal Processor (DSP)- Definition.
A digital signalprocessor(DSP) is a specialized microprocessor
designedspecificallyfor digitalsignal processing, generallyinreal-
time computing. The DSP processes digitalsignals converted(using
an Analog-to-digital converter (ADC)) fromanalog signals.
Digital Signal Processor (DSP) - AudioCodes
is a specialized microprocessor designed
specificallyfor digital signal processing
Random Access Memory
(RAM)
1. RAM (pronounced ramm) is anacronym for randomaccess
memory, a type of computer memorythat can be
accessed randomly;that is, anybyte ofmemorycanbe accessed
without touching the preceding bytes. RAMis the most common
type of memoryfoundin computers andother devices, such as
printers.
What is RandomAccess Memory(RAM)? Webopedia
Ram is a random access memoryunit
Mono Audio 1. Mono Audio. When you're using headphones, youmaymisssome
audioif you're deaf or hardof hearinginone ear. That's because
stereorecordings usuallyhave distinct left- and right-
channelaudio tracks.
Apple - Accessibility- iOS
Mono audiois where you hear sounds from
the direction they’re coming.
Stereo Audio 1. Audio stereo means sound whichis dividedintotwo separate
channels. These twochannelsare playedbacksimultaneouslyvia
separate speakers. The effect is to create a fuller sound, and
provide the abilityto mix certainsounds betweenchannels.
Audio stereo means sound whichis divided
into two separate channels. These two
channels are playedbacksimultaneously
via separate speakers. The effect is to

4. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
4
Stereo - MediaCollege.com create a fuller sound
Surround Sound a system of stereophonyinvolving three or more speakers
surroundingthe listener soas to give a more realistic effect.
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=what+is+Surround+Sound
a system of stereophonyinvolving three or
more speakers surrounding the listener so
as to give a more realistic effect.
Direct Audio (Pulse Code
Modulation – PCM)
Pulse-code modulation (PCM) is a methodused
to digitallyrepresent sampled analog signals. It is the standardform
of digital audio in computers,Compact Discs, digitaltelephonyand
other digital audio applications. Ina PCMstream, the amplitudeof
the analog signal is sampledregularlyat uniform intervals, andeach
sample is quantized to the nearest value within a range ofdigital
steps. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation
It is the standardform ofdigital audio
AUDIO RECORDING
SYSTEMS
Analogue In telecommunications, an analogue signal is one inwhich a base
carrier's alternating current frequencyis modifiedin some way,
such as byamplifying the strength ofthe signal or varyingthe
frequency, inorder to addinformation to the signal. Broadcast and
telephone transmission have conventionallyused analogue
technology.
An analogue signalcanbe representedas a series ofsine waves.
The term originatedbecause the modulationof the carrier wave is
analogous to the fluctuations ofthe humanvoice or other sound
that is being transmitted.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/analog
In telecommunications, ananalogue signal
is one in whicha base carrier's alternating
current frequencyis modified insome way,
such as byamplifying the strength ofthe
signal or varyingthe frequency, inorder to
add informationto the signal. Broadcast
and telephone transmissionhave
conventionallyused analogue technology.
Digital Mini Disc The MiniDisc (MD)is anobsolete magneto-opticaldisc-baseddata
storage device for 74 minutes and, later, 80 minutes, of
digitized audioor 1 gigabyte ofHi-MD data. The Sonybrandaudio
players were onthe market from September 1992 until March
2013.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MiniDisc
data storage device for 74 minutes and,
later, 80 minutes, of digitized audio or 1
gigabyte ofHi-MD data
Compact Disc (CD) 1. Compact disc (CD) is a digital optical disc data storage format. The
format was originallydeveloped to store andplayonlysound
A compact disk is a CD.

5. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
5
recordings but was later adaptedfor storage of data (CD-ROM).
Compact disc - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2.
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) 1. Digital AudioTape (DAT or R-DAT) is a signal recordingandplayback
medium developed bySonyandintroduced in 1987. In appearance
it is similar to a Compact Cassette, using 4 mm
magnetic tape enclosed ina protective shell, but is roughlyhalf the
size at 73 mm × 54 mm × 10.5 mm.
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-
8#q=what+is+Digital+Audio+Tape+(DAT)
This is a cassette, where the music plays off
of the tape.
MIDI 1. MIDI (/ˈmɪdi/;short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface)is a
technical standardthat describes a protocol, digital interface and
connectors andallows a wide varietyof
electronic musical instruments, computers andother related
devices to connect andcommunicate withone another.
MIDI - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2.
3. MIDI (/ˈmɪdi/;short for Musical Instrument
Digital Interface)is a technical standard
that describes a protocol, digital interface
and connectors andallows a wide variety
of electronic musical instruments,
computers and other related devices to
connect andcommunicate withone
another.
Software Sequencers 1. A music sequencer (or simplysequencer) is a device or
applicationsoftware that canrecord, edit, or playbackmusic, by
handling note and performance informationinseveral forms,
typicallyMIDI or CV/Gate, andpossiblyaudioandautomationdata
for DAWs and plug-ins.
Music sequencer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A music sequencer(or simplysequencer) is
a device or applicationsoftware that can
record, edit, or playbackmusic
Software Plug-ins 1. In computing, a plug-in(or add-in/ addin, plugin, extensionor add-
on / addon)is a software component that adds a specific feature to
an existing software application. Whenanapplication
supports plug-ins, it enables customization.
Plug-in (computing) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
is a software component that adds a
specific feature to an
existingsoftware application.
MIDI Keyboard Instruments Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface,MIDI is a standard
for digitallyrepresenting andtransmitting sounds that was first
developedinthe 1980s. The MIDI soundis playedback throughthe
hardware device or computer either through a synthesizedaudio
soundor a waveform storedonthe hardware device or computer.
Short for Musical Instrument Digital
Interface,MIDI is a standardfor digitally
representingandtransmittingsounds that
was first developedinthe 1980s.

6. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
6
The qualityof how MIDI sounds whenplayed backbythe hardware
device or computer depends upon that device's capability.
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/m/midi.htm
AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-
depth
Bit depthis the number of bits used to carrythe data ineach
sample of audio. The bit depthchosen for recording limits the
dynamic range of the recording. (Other factors inthe audiochain
mayalsolimit this, somore bits oftenwill not produce a better
recording.)http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Bit_Depth
Bit depthis the number of bits used to
carrythe data ineach sample ofaudio.
File Size Constraints - Sample
Rate
In signal processing, samplingis the reductionof a continuous
signal to a discrete signal. A commonexample is the conversionof
a soundwave (a continuous signal)to a sequence of samples(a
discrete-time signal).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_%28signal_processing%29
In signal processing, samplingis the
reductionof a continuous signal to
a discrete signal