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: Steph Hawkins 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 effects are sound effects added to the film during post production
(after the shooting stops). They include sounds such as footsteps,
clothes rustling, crockery clinking, paper folding, doors opening and
slamming, punches hitting, glass breaking, etc. etc. In other words,
many of the sounds that the sound recordists on set did their best to
avoid recording during the shoot. http://www.sound-ideas.com/what-
is-foley.html
I have been out to record sound
effects like these such as footsteps,
glass sounds, water sounds and
doors closing,
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
With the sounds I recorded, I have
put them all together in a folder as
as a collection.
SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed restore to its uncompressed form; "decompress data"
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/uncompress
I would do this to get the raw audio
sound.
.wav The format for storing sound in files developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM.
Support for WAV files was built into Windows 95 making it the de facto standard
for sound on PCs. WAV sound files end with a.wav extension and can be played
by nearly all Windows applications that support sound.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/WAV.html
I have rendered sound projects in
this format.
.aiff A standard AIFF file contains 2 channels of uncompressed stereo audio with a
sample size of 16 bits, recorded at a sampling rate of 44.1 kilohertz. This is also
known as "CD-quality audio," since CDs use the same audio specifications. AIFF
audio takes up just over 10MB per minute of audio, which means a 4 minute
song saved as an AIFF will require just over 40MB of disk space. This is nearly
identical to a .WAV file (which uses the same sample size and sampling rate as
an AIFF file. However, it is about ten times the size of a similar MP3 file
recorded at 128 kbps, or five times the size of an MP3 file recorded at 256 kbps.
http://www.techterms.com/definition/aiff
I would use this format if I wanted
really good audio quality.

2. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
2
.au Short for audio, a common format for sound files on UNIX machines. It is also
the standard audio file format for the Java programming language. AU files
generally end with a .au extension . On PCs, two other popular sound formats
are WAV and MIDI. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/AU.html
I would use this file extension if I
was using a Java programming
language.
.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. It could also be a
sample file for AdLib Gold, a PC sound card released in 1992; Scream
Tracker, a mid-1990s music editing program; or Swell. Reason, a music
recording and production program, uses the ".smp" extension for sampler
instrument patches. http://www.ehow.com/info_12198596_file-smp.html
I would save in this file format if I
was using Adobe Auction, Sound
Forge Pro or Awave Studio.
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
After converting the format of a
sound and manipulating it with
effects, I have found that the audio
lacks quality.
.mp3 The name of the file extension and also the name of the type of file for MPEG,
audio layer 3. Layer 3 is one of three coding schemes (layer 1, layer 2 and layer
3) for the compression of audio signals. Layer 3 uses perceptual audio coding
and psychoacoustic compression to remove all superfluous information (more
specifically, the redundant and irrelevant parts of a sound signal. The stuff the
human ear doesn't hear anyway). It also adds a MDCT (Modified Discrete Cosine
Transform) that implements a filter bank, increasing the frequency resolution
18 times higher than that of layer 2.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/MP3.html
I have used many songs that are in
this format in various programs to
edit.
AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU) An expansion board that enables a computer to manipulate and output sounds.
Sound cards are necessary for nearly all CD-ROMs and have become
commonplace on modern personal computers. Sound cards enable the
computer to output sound through speakers connected to the board, to record
sound input from a microphone connected to the computer, and manipulate
sound stored on a disk. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/sound_card.html
I have a sound card in my laptop.
Digital Sound Processor
(DSP)
Short for digital signal processing, which refers to manipulating analogue
information, such as sound or photographs that has been converted into a
digital form. DSP also implies the use of a data compression technique.
When used as a noun, DSP stands for digital signal processor, a special type of
coprocessor designed for performing the mathematics involved in DSP. Most
DSPs are programmable, which means that they can be used for manipulating
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3. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
3
different types of information, including sound, images, and video.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DSP.html
Random Access Memory
(RAM)
S: (n) random-access memory, random access memory, random memory, RAM,
read/write memory (the most common computer memory which can be used
by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on; an integrated
circuit memory chip allows information to be stored or accessed in any order
and all storage locations are equally accessible)
http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=random-access%20memory
I have had issues with RAM whilst
rendering certain files which
resulted in me having to change the
amount of RAM used to render
meaning a larger file size.
Mono Audio A single track of audio. http://www.allynn.org/fcp/node/33 I have used one track of audio to
put along side videos
Stereo Audio Stereophonic sound or, more commonly, stereo, is a method of sound
reproduction that creates an illusion of directionality and audible perspective.
This is usually achieved by using two or more independent audio channels
through a configuration of two or more loudspeakers (or stereo headphones)in
such a way as to create the impression of sound heard from various directions,
as in natural hearing.[1] Thus the term "stereophonic" applies to so-called
"quadraphonic" and "surround-sound" systems as well as the more common
two-channel, two-speaker systems. It is often contrasted with monophonic, or
"mono" sound, where audio is in the form of one channel, often centred in the
sound field (analogous to a visual field). Stereo sound is now common in
entertainment systems such as broadcast radio and TV, recorded music and the
cinema. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereophonic_sound
Most of the songs I have used to
edit are stereo.
Surround Sound Surround sound is a term used to describe a type of audio output in which the
sound appears to "surround the listener" by 360 degrees. Surround sound
systems use three or more channels and speakers in front and behind the
listener to create a surrounding envelope of sound and directional audio
sources. The term surround sound has become popular in recent years and
more commonly used since the advent of home theatre systems. Surround
sound can be either an analogue or digital system.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/surround_sound.html
I have made a stereo mp3 audio file
surround but I found there was a
drastic change in quality making it
sound distorted.
Direct Audio (Pulse Code
Modulation – PCM)
Short for pulse code modulation, a sampling technique for digitizing analogue
signals, especially audio signals. PCM samples the signal 8000 times a second;
each sample is represented by 8 bits for a total of 64 Kbps. There are two
standards for coding the sample level. The Mu-Law standard is used in North
America and Japan while the A-Law standard is use in most other countries.
PCM is used with T-1 and T-3 carrier systems. These carrier systems combine
the PCM signals from many lines and transmit them over a single cable or other
medium.
PCM is also the usual digital method used for music audio playback of music
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4. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
4
CDs. While supported by DVDs, DVDs have a greater volume so they use Linear
PCM, which has a higher sampling rate - up to 24-bit at a sampling rate of 96
kHz. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/pulse_code_modulation.html
AUDIO RECORDING
SYSTEMS
Analogue Analogue sound has information stored as varying strength magnetic fields or
heights of grooves or electronic signals which can be amplified and fed directly
to speakers without decoding. Making a copy always involves at least some
changes in the signal shape.
https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081211061505AAmwR7n
N/A
Digital Mini Disc A music medium designed by Sony as a portable replacement for music
Compact Discs. In 1994 Sony announced a data version which can hold 140 MB
or about 100 MB using error correction. These will be competitive with 128 MB
magneto-optical disks. Mini Discs may be either a re-writable or mass-produced
read-only type. Sony have also announced a standard data format.
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Mini+Disc
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Compact Disc (CD) Known by its abbreviation, CD, a compact disc is a polycarbonate with one or
more metal layers capable of storing digital information. The most prevalent
types of compact discs are those used by the music industry to store digital
recordings and CD-ROMs used to store computer data. Both of these types of
compact disc are read-only, which means that once the data has been recorded
onto them, they can only be read, or played.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/compact_disc.html
I have used CDs to rip audio from
and to also burn audio onto (blank
CDs)
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) Magnetic tape on which sound is recorded digitally, giving high-fidelity
reproduction. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/digital+audio+tape
N/A
MIDI Stands for "Musical Instrument Digital Interface." It is a connectivity standard
that musicians use to hook together musical instruments (such as keyboards
and synthesizers) and computer equipment. Using MIDI, a musician can easily
create and edit digital music tracks. The MIDI system records the notes played,
the length of the notes, the dynamics (volume alterations), the tempo, the
instrument being played, and hundreds of other parameters, called control
changes. http://www.techterms.com/definition/midi
I have used MIDI to record what I
was playing on the keyboard.
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 or display of a hardware
sequencer. http://www.wannaplaymusic.com/get-started/keyboard-
terminology
I have used this whilst editing music
in various programs.
Software Plug-ins A hardware or software module that adds a specific feature or service to a
larger system. The idea is that the new component simply plugs in to the
I have used plug-ins for video
editing such as film effects and

5. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
5
existing system. For example, there are number of plug-ins for the Netscape
Navigator browser that enable it to display different types of audio or video
messages. Navigator plug-ins are based on MIME file types.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/plug_in.html
overlays.
MIDI Keyboard Instruments A Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) keyboard is a musical instrument
like a piano keyboard. The MIDI portion indicates that the instrument has a
communication protocol built in that allows it to communicate with a computer
or other MIDI-equipped instrument. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-midi-
keyboard.htm
I have used a MIDI keyboard to
create certain music and sounds .
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
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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
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