This document provides a glossary of terms related to sound design and production for computer games. It includes definitions for over 20 key terms sourced from online references. For each term, the student provided the researched definition and URL source, and in many cases also described how the term relates to their own production practice. The terms cover areas such as foley artistry, sound file formats, audio limitations, recording systems, sampling, and more.

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: Anthony Newman 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 FoleyArtist 'recreates' sound effects for film, televisionandradio
productions ona FoleyStage in a Post Production Studio
http://www.marblehead.net/foley/whatisitman.html
Sound Libraries a collectionof sounds storedon file (for example on CDs, DVDs, or as digital
audiofiles)
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/sound-library
SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed Uncompressedformats like CD Audio, WAV, or AIFF are prettymuchperfect
representations of the audiothat was recorded.
http://www.prx.org/help/posting-audio/compressed-versus-uncompressed
.wav The Wave file format storesinformationabout the file's number of tracks
(mono or stereo), sample rate, bit depth, as well as the uncompressedraw
audiodata.
http://www.coolutils.com/Formats/WAV
.aiff The AIFF format results inan uncompressedPCM(pulse-code modulation)
file meaningit stillhas relativelylarge filesizes, but maintains a higher
qualityof sound.
http://www.freestockmusic.com/audio-formats/
.au AU is a file extensionfor a soundfile format
http://whatis.techtarget.com/fileformat/AU-Sun-NeXT-DEC-UNIX-sound-file

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 SMPfile type is primarilyassociatedwith'Ad Lib GoldSample'.
http://filext.com/file-extension/SMP
Lossy Compression Lossycompressiontechnologies attempt to eliminate redundant or
unnecessaryinformation.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/L/lossy_compression.html
.mp3 MP3 achieves its powerful compressionbystrippingout a lot of the sounds
in a songwhichour ears cannot hear, andusing complex mathematical
algorithms to reduce file sizes further. The result is that MP3 files are
around11 times smaller thanuncompressedmusic tracks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/about-mp3s
AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU) The SPU is the unit responsible for allaural capabilities ofthe psx
http://psx.rules.org/spu.txt
Digital Sound Processor (DSP) DSPworks byclarifying, or standardizing, the levelsor statesof a digital
signal.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/digital-signal-processing-DSP
Random Access Memory
(RAM)
A RAM device makes is possibleto access data inrandom order, which
makes it veryfast to finda specific piece ofinformation.
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/what-is-random-access-
memory-ram-definition-history-quiz.html#lesson
Mono Audio Mono or monophonic describes a systemwhere all the audiosignalsare
mixed together androutedthrough a single audiochannel.
http://www.mcsquared.com/mono-stereo.htm
Stereo Audio True stereophonic soundsystems have two independent audiosignal
channels, andthe signals that are reproduced have a specific level and
phase relationshipto each other sothat when playedbackthrougha
suitable reproductionsystem, there will be anapparent image ofthe
originalsoundsource.
http://www.mcsquared.com/mono-stereo.htm
Surround Sound Surroundsoundaudiois, simplyput, sound that completelysurrounds you.
It means a speaker invirtuallyeverycorner of the room, projecting high-

3. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
3
qualitydigital sound at you fromallanglesjust as though youwere in a
theatre.
http://peripherals.about.com/od/speakersandheadphones/a/whatis_ss.htm
Direct Audio (Pulse Code
Modulation – PCM)
Pulse-code modulation(PCM) is a methodusedto digitally represent
sampledanalogue signals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation
AUDIO RECORDING
SYSTEMS
Analogue Analogue recording is a technique usedfor the recordingof analogue signals
which, amongmanypossibilities, analogue audioandanalogue video for
later playback.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_recording
Digital Mini Disc You can recordanderasefiles ona MiniDisc just as easilyas youcanon a
floppydisk. The big difference betweenthe a MiniDisc and a floppydisk is
that a MiniDisc canhold about 100 times more data (about 140 megabytes
in data mode, 160 megabytes inaudio mode vs. 1.44 megabytes for a
floppy).
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question55.htm
Compact Disc (CD) A compact disc is a small, portable, round medium made of moulded
polymer for electronicallyrecording, storing, and playingback audio, video,
text, and other information indigital form.
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/compact-disc
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) A format for storing music onmagnetic tape
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/digital+audio+tape
MIDI MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol developed inthe
1980's whichallows electronic instruments andother digital musical tools to
communicate witheachother
http://www.instructables.com/id/What-is-MIDI/
Software Sequencers a sequencer is a program ina computer or stand-alone keyboard unit that
puts together a sound sequence froma series (or sequence) ofMusical
Instrument Digital Interface ( MIDI ) events (operations)
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/sequencer

4. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
4
Software Plug-ins A software plug-inis anadd-on for a program that adds functionalityto it
http://techterms.com/definition/plugin
MIDI Keyboard Instruments A MusicalInstrument Digital Interface (MIDI) keyboardis a musical
instrument like a pianokeyboard. The MIDI portionindicates that the
instrument has a communicationprotocol built in that allows it to
communicate witha computer or other MIDI-equippedinstrument.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-midi-keyboard.htm
AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-
depth
Bit depthis the number of bits used to carrythe data ineachsample of
audio
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Bit_Depth
File Size Constraints - Sample
Rate
Sample rate is the number of samplesof audiocarriedper second,
measured in Hzor kHz
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Sample_Rates