This document contains a glossary of terms related to sound design and production for computer games. It provides definitions for terms like Foley artistry, sound libraries, uncompressed and lossy file formats (WAV, AIFF, AU, MP3), limitations of early audio technology like mono and stereo sound, digital audio recording and storage methods (CD, DAT, MIDI, software sequencers), audio sampling constraints like bit depth and sample rate, and more. Each term's definition includes a short description and link to the source, as well as commentary on how the term relates to the author's own production practice.

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: Joshua O. Ridett 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 Foleyeffects are soundeffects addedto the film during
post production
http://www.sound-ideas.com/what-is-foley.html
Foleyartistryis the act of adding sound
effects to a product after it is finishedbeing
produced
Sound Libraries A collectionof sounds storedon file (for example on
CDs, DVDs, or as digital audio files)
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/so
und-library
A sound libraryis a collectionof sounds
stored ina certain place
SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed (Of data)not compressed.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/u
ncompresseda
Uncompressedformat is a format where the
relevant files have not been
shrunk/compressedto save room, thoughthe
file will retail its full quality
.wav Short for WAVeform Audio Format, it is normallyusedin
an uncompressed format onthe Microsoft Windows
platform.
http://mp3.about.com/od/glossary/g/WAV_def.htm
A WAV file is a file type usedmost commonly
for uncompressed audio filesfor Microsoft
Windows.
.aiff Stands for "Audio Interchange File Format." AIFFis a file
format designedto store audiodata. A standard AIFFfile
contains 2 channels of uncompressedstereoaudiowith
a sample size of 16 bits, recorded at a sampling rate of
44.1 kilohertz.
http://techterms.com/definition/aiff
An AIFF file is a file type that uses 2 channels
of uncompressedstereoaudio, created to
store audiodata.
.au The Au file format is a simple audio file format
introduced bySunMicrosystems. The format was
common on NeXT systems andonearlyWebpages.
https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/d
ocs/Au_file_format.html
An AU file was createdfor earlyweb pages,
and was simple in design.

2. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
2
.smp The file extension".smp" shows uponseveral different
types of files used for verydifferent programs including
audiofiles, images andemail messages.
http://www.ehow.com/info_12198596_file-smp.html
The SMPfile format is a multi-purpose
format, used inmultipleaudio mediums.
Lossy Compression Lossycompressionis a type of compressionwhere a
certainamount of information is discarded.
http://www.dictionary.reference.com/browse/lossy
Lossycompressionis usedto reduce a file by
a significant amount at the cost ofdata loss.
.mp3 Stands for "MPEG-1 AudioLayer-3." MP3 files are
typicallyabout one tenththe size of uncompressed
WAVE or AIFF files, but maintainnearlythe same CD-
qualitysound.
http://techterms.com/definition/mp3
MP3 files are the most modern ofthe file
types, being able to not take upmuchspace
but stillretainits audioquality.
AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU) A sound card converts digital data to sound. This allows
you to listento music from your computer using
speakers or headphones.
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-
sound-card-definition-function-types.html#lesson
A sound card converts data intosound,
allowing for music to be playedfrom storage.
Digital Sound Processor (DSP) Digital signal processors take a digital signal and process
it to improve the signal intoclearer sound, faster data or
sharper images.
http://www.futureelectronics.com/en/microprocessors/
digital-signal-processors.aspx
DSP’s are usedto improve wireless data
quality, the most sensible use beingina
radio.
Random Access Memory (RAM) Random Access Memory(RAM) is a computer storage
locationthat allows informationto be stored and
accessed quicklyfrom random locations withinDRAMon
a memorymodule.
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/r/ram.htm
RAMis essential computer storage usedfor
storing andquicklyaccess data from
applications.
Mono Audio Commonlycalledmonosound, mono, or non-stereo
sound, thisearlysoundsystem useda single channel of
audiofor soundoutput. Inmonophonic soundsystems,
the signal sent to the soundsystem encodes one single
streamof sound and it usuallyusesjust one speaker.
www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/monophonic_sound.ht
ml
An earlymethodof single channel sound
output.
Stereo Audio A piece ofelectronic equipment that plays the radio,
CDs, etc., andthat uses twospeakers for the sound.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stereo
A more modernaudiodevice, using 2
speakers to transmit sound.
Surround Sound A system of soundrecording andreproductionthat uses Surroundsoundutilizes multiple speakers

3. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
3
three or more independent recordingchannels and
loudspeakers in order to give the impressionthat the
listener is surroundedbythe sound sources
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/surround+soun
d
arounda room to create a sense of being
more in the filmsince the soundis heard
from the locationit wouldcome frominthe
film/audio.
Direct Audio (Pulse Code
Modulation – PCM)
Pulse code modulation (PCM) is a digital representation
of an analogue signal that takessamples of the
amplitude ofthe analogue signal at regular intervals. The
sampledanalogue data is changed to, andthen
representedby, binarydata.
http://www.techopedia.com/definition/24128/pulse-
code-modulation-pcm
A confusing piece oftechthat probablyhas
its uses.
AUDIO RECORDING SYSTEMS Analogue An analogue recordingis one that is made bychanging
the soundwaves intoelectricalsignals ofthe same type.
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/analo
gue
Digital Mini Disc A digital disc mediumfor storing music or data where a
small disc is housedin a cartridge andis either
recordable or playback
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/minidisc?s=ts
Compact Disc (CD) Abbreviatedas CD, a compact disc is a flat, round
storage medium that is read bya laser in a CD-ROM
drive that was inventedbyJames Russellandfirst
createdat a Philips factoryin Germanyon August 17,
1982.
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/compactd.ht
m
The compact disc is a flat object, usedto
store data whichcanbe readvia laser, but
has beenout-datedbymore compact and
effective data storage.
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) DAT (Digital AudioTape)is a standard mediumand
technologyfor the digital recordingof audioon tape at a
professional level of quality.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/DAT-Digital-
Audio-Tape
MIDI Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, MIDI is a
standardfor digitallyrepresentingandtransmitting
sounds that was first developedinthe 1980s.
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/m/midi.htm
MIDI is a veryoldaudiotransmitting format,
and is unable to uphold a shredof modern
music due to it being intended for anolder
generationof music.
Software Sequencers In digital audiorecording, a sequencer is a program in a
computer or stand-alone keyboardunit that puts

4. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
4
together a sound sequence froma series (or sequence)
of MIDI events.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/sequencer
Software Plug-ins A software plug-inis anadd-on for a program that adds
functionalityto it. For example, a Photoshopplug-in
(such as Eye Candy) mayaddextra filters that you can
use to manipulate images.
A plugin is a helpful additionto a piece of
software to customize and enhance a user’s
experience withit.
MIDI Keyboard Instruments A MIDI keyboard is a musical instrument similar to a
pianokeyboard that can communicate witha computer.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-midi-keyboard.htm
AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-depth In digital audio, there has to be a certainvalue set for
describing the resolutionof the sound data (samples)
that is to be capturedandstoredinanaudiofile -- this
attribute is calledBit Depth.
http://mp3.about.com/od/glossary/g/Bit-Depth-
Definition-What-Does-Bit-Depth-Mean.htm
Bit depthis a measure ofthe samples that
need to be capturedandstored inanaudio
file.
File Size Constraints - Sample Rate In developing an audio soundfor computers or
telecommunication, the sample rate is the number of
samples ofa sound that are takenper secondto
represent the event digitally.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/sample-rate
Sample rate is the amount ofsamples that
need to be takenper secondto represent the
event on a digital basis.