This document is a glossary of terms related to sound design and production for computer games. It contains definitions for terms like Foley artistry, sound libraries, audio file formats like .wav and .mp3, audio limitations regarding mono/stereo sound, audio recording systems, MIDI, software sequencers, and considerations for audio sampling like bit-depth and sample rate. Each term's definition includes a short description and a citation of the source. Accompanying each definition is a brief explanation from the student of how the term relates to their own production work.

1. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 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: Elliot Black 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 “Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects that are added to film,
video, and other mediums in post-production to enhance audio quality. These
reproduced sounds can be anything from the swishing of clothing and
footsteps to squeaky doors and breaking glass.”
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foley_(filmmaking)
Foley atristry is relevant as During
our coursework it is required that we
make our own sounds that could be
used in various game genres so we
may be required to make a gunshot
by clapping to items together and
making a bang etc...
Sound Libraries “A sample library is a collection of digital sound recordings, known as
samples, for use by composers, arrangers, performers, and producers of
music.”
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sample_library
We use a sample library to see all of
our sounds an d available sounds in
one place and in a way that they are
easily found and used.
SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed “There is one major uncompressed audio format, PCM, which is usually stored
in a .wav file on Windows or in a .aiff file on Mac OS. “
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_file_format#Uncompressed_audio_forma
t
Since we save in .wav most of the
time, uncompressed audio is the
main format we use to save our
audio.
.wav “Waveform Audio File Format is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format
standard for storing an audio bitstream on PCs.”
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wav
Any audio we create is usually saved
as a .wav format as It is the main
format used on Windows systems for
raw and typically uncompressed
audio.
.aiff “Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) is an audio file format standard used for
storing sound data for personal computers and other electronic audio
devices. The format was developed by Apple Computer in 1988 based on
Electronic Arts' Interchange File Format (IFF, widely used on Amiga systems)
.aiff files are very much similar to
.wav files in that they are
uncompressed audio formats. .aiff
however is the mac equivalent to the

2. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
and is most commonly used on Apple Macintosh computer systems.”
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIFF
windows .wav and since we use PC’s
in our work, they aren’t that
relevant.
.au “The Au file format is a simple audio file format introduced by Sun
Microsystems. The format was common on NeXT systems and on early Web
pages. Originally it was headerless, being simply 8-bit µ-law-encoded data at
an 8000 Hz sample rate.”
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Au_file_format
.au is a common format for sound
files on UNIX machines. It is also the
standard file format for the java
programming language. Again, our
machines are windows based
therefore; .au is pretty useless for
our work when we already have
formats like .wav and mp3.
.smp “An "smp" file may be one of several different types of audio file. For
example, it could be a SampleVision audio sample file. This 16-bit audio file
was originally used by Turtle Beach SampleVision; you can open it with Adobe
Auction, Sound Forge Pro or Awave Studio.”
-
http://www.ehow.com/info_12198596_file-smp.html
.smp files are used for various audio
files like sample-vision and have to
be opened in a special programme
like Awave studio, therefore, it is
very impractical in our work where
we have to listen to and edit sounds
constantly.
Lossy Compression “Lossy compression is a data reduction method that reduces
the amount of data during the coding process, but retains
enough information to be useful. For example, an MP3 file is a
lossy music file that discards some of the original data but is
still acceptable for music listening.”
-
http://stereos.about.com/od/stereoscience/a/lossy.htm
Lossy compression is helpful for
when we need to reduce the size of
the audio file, without losing too
much quality as sometimes, files can
be quite large especially when they
need to be uploaded.
.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. It is a common audio format for consumer audio streaming or
storage, as well as a de facto standard of digital audio compression for the
transfer and playback of music on most digital audio players.”
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mp3
.MP3 is the most common format for
saving audio files, as it's lossy
compression doesn’t sacrifice too
much quality, whilst leaving the file
acceptably small.
AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU) “Integrated circuit that generates an audio signal and sends it to a computer's
speakers. The sound card can accept an analog sound (as from a microphone
or audio tape) and convert it to digital data that can be stored in an audio file,
or accept digitized audio signals (as from an audio file) and convert them to
analog signals that can be played on the computer's speakers. On a personal
computer, the sound card is usually a separate circuit board that is plugged
into the motherboard.”
We need sound processing units in
our computers in order to hear the
sound we are creating and using,
through our headphones.

3. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
-
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Audio+processing+unit
Digital Sound Processor
(DSP)
“Short for digital signal processing, which refers to manipulating analog
information, such as sound or photographs that has been converted into a
digital form. DSP also implies the use of a data compression technique.”
-
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DSP.html
A digital sound processor typically
features an input for sending
analogue sound from a source (such
as a microphone) into the processor
and an output, which sends the
transformed digital sound signal to
an ultimate source, such as a
recording software program.
Random Access Memory
(RAM)
Random-access memory is a form of computer data storage. A random-access
memory device allows data items to be read and written in roughly the same
amount of time regardless of the order in which data items are accessed.
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random-access_memory
RAM helps us do many tasks at the
same time, such as using many
sounds in different layers with
different VST's on them whilst
having other windows open such as
chrome.
Mono Audio “Mono or monophonic describes a system where all the audio signals are
mixed together and routed through a single audio channel.”
-
http://www.mcsquared.com/mono-stereo.htm
We use Mono audio for most sounds
when there isn’t any pan In the
actual track as the sound is only
being routed through one audio
channel anyway.
Stereo Audio “True stereophonic sound systems have two independent audio signal
channels, and the signals that are reproduced have a specific level and phase
relationship to each other so that when played back through a suitable
reproduction system, there will be an apparent image of the original sound
source.”
-
http://www.mcsquared.com/mono-stereo.htm
In reaper, we have the ability to
change which speaker a certain audio
stream comes out from, therefore,
stereo audio is a very beneficial
factor in our work.
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/Surround_sound
Using surround sound would allow us
to hear precisely where an audio
source is coming from.

4. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
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
Pulse code modulation digitizes
analog signals to digital signal with
little or no compression. Its uded in
many formats such as cd;'s and dvd
audio so if we needed to render our
sounds to DVD or CD, PCM would do
that.
AUDIO RECORDING
SYSTEMS
Analogue “Analog (or analogue) recording is a technique used for the recording of
analog signals which among many possibilities include audio frequency,
analog audio and analog video information for later playback.”
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_recording
Analogue recording is what we use
when we record real life sounds that
can be converted into digital so we
can edit them.
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”
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MiniDisc
MiniDisk is now obsolete and even if
it wasn't, it would be extremely
impractical since if we were ever to
export it to an external form of
media, it would most likely be a CD
anyway.
Compact Disc (CD) “Compact disc (CD) is a digital optical disc data storage format. The format
was originally developed to store and play back sound recordings only (CD-
DA), but was later adapted for storage of data (CD-ROM). Several other
formats were further derived from these, including write-once audio and data
storage (CD-R), rewritable media (CD-RW), Video Compact Disc (VCD), Super
Video Compact Disc (SVCD), Photo CD, PictureCD, CD-i, and Enhanced Music
CD. Audio CDs and audio CD players have been commercially available since
October 1982.“
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD
If we wanted to export our audio to a
form that could be played elsewhere,
CD's would probably be the easiest
and most useful form.
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) “Digital Audio Tape (DAT or R-DAT) 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,
but is roughly half the size at 73 mm × 54 mm × 10.5 mm. As the name
suggests, the recording is digital rather than analog. DAT has the ability to
record at higher, equal or lower sampling rates than a CD (48, 44.1 or 32 kHz
sampling rate respectively) at 16 bits quantization. If a digital source is copied
then the DAT will produce an exact clone, unlike other digital media such as
Digital Compact Cassette or non-Hi-MD MiniDisc, both of which use a lossy
Digital audio tape is also obsolete
and since we do everything on
computers, and export mostly to
CD's, Digital audio tape is irrelevant
to our own production work.

5. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
data reduction system. “
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Tape
MIDI MIDI (short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard
that describes a protocol, digital interface and connectors and allows a wide
variety of electronic musical instruments, computers and other related
devices to connect and communicate with one another. A single MIDI link can
carry up to sixteen channels of information, each of which can be routed to a
separate device.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI
In order to create our own sounds in
Reaper, we have to create a blank
MIDI item where we can use a
variety of VSTi's to give the MIDI item
different sound effects such as a
drum or a piano.
Software Sequencers A music sequencer (or simply sequencer) is a device or application software
that can record, edit, or play back music, by handling note and performance
information in several forms, typically MIDI or CV/Gate, and possibly audio
and automation data for DAWs and plug-ins.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_sequencer
Our main audio editor, Reaper, is a
Software sequencer that we use to
create , manipulate, save our
produced audio and also export it to
other formats such as .wav, .mp3
etc..
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.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-in_%28computing%29
In reaper, many of the VST's and
VSTi's we use did not come with the
main download and are actually plug
ins that had to be downloaded via
the internet.
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.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI_keyboard
Keyboard instrument recreate sound
from actual instruments, so in our
work in which we have to create
music pieces, its very beneficial.
AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-
depth
“Bit depth (sometimes called also resolution) affects file size. All other things
being equal, a 32 bit file is twice the size of a 16 bit file, and an 8 bit file half
the size of a 16 bit one.
Bit resolution also affects CPU use. If you are recording for immediate export
without editing, 32 bit recording may offer no advantage over 16 bit recording
if you only have a 16 bit sound device. Most built-in consumer sound devices
on computers (and even many cheaper sound cards) are only 16 bit.”
- http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Bit_Depth
The reaper bit depth of which we
usually render at, is the default 24-bit
PCM.

6. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
File Size Constraints -
Sample Rate
“Sample rate is the number of samples of audio carried per second,
measured in Hz or kHz (one kHz being 1 000 Hz). For example, 44 100
samples per second can be expressed as either 44 100 Hz, or 44.1 kHz.
”
- http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Sample_Rates
The Reaper sample rate of which we
sue to render is 44,100HZ which is a
standard sample rate for most audio
as it's maximum frequency is 20Khz,
which is the highest frequency
audible by humans.

7. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
File Size Constraints -
Sample Rate
“Sample rate is the number of samples of audio carried per second,
measured in Hz or kHz (one kHz being 1 000 Hz). For example, 44 100
samples per second can be expressed as either 44 100 Hz, or 44.1 kHz.
”
- http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Sample_Rates
The Reaper sample rate of which we
sue to render is 44,100HZ which is a
standard sample rate for most audio
as it's maximum frequency is 20Khz,
which is the highest frequency
audible by humans.