Introduction to Music Production - Lesson One

Unity is:

A gain stage set so that there is no amplification or attenuation

A good all-around studio microphone is:

A large diaphragm condenser

Hertz is:

A measurement of frequency

A gain stage is:

A point in the signal flow where the signal can be boosted or attenuated

A microphone converts:

Air pressure variations to voltage variations

An audio signal is:

Alternating current

A microphone preamp:

Amplifies a low signal up to the standard line level

When possible:

Amplify once and use unity settings from that point on

The degree of compression and rarefaction in air is called:

Amplitude

A microphone is:

An input transducer

An electric guitar pickup is:

An input transducer

A 1/4 inch TS cable is also known as:

An instrument cable

Lowering amplitude is known as:

Attenuation

An XLR cable is:

Balanced

A computer can understand what type of information?

Binary

An omnidirectional microphone is good for:

Capturing the sound of the environment

Which audio effects manipulate dynamic range:

Compressors, limiters, expanders, and gates.

A transducer:

Converts from one form of energy to another

A microphone:

Converts sound pressure variations into an audio signal

An electric guitar pickup:

Converts string movement into voltage variation

Sound pressure is measured in:

Decibels

dBFS stands for:

Decibels of Full Scale

dBSPL stands for:

Decibels of Sound Pressure Level

If you were asked to soften the top end, what would you do?

Decrease the amplitude of the high frequencies

Sound running through the computer will always be:

Delayed

What is commonly used to convert from unbalanced to balanced?

Direct box

Connecting an electric guitar directly into an audio interface is called:

Direct recording

The two most popular microphones are:

Dynamic and condenser

TorF: Sound in air is a transerve wave.

False

TorF: The maximum amplitude inside the computer is 0 dBSPL.

False

TorF: Vowel sounds are primarily variations of amplitude.

False (Vowel sounds are primarily variations of SPECTRUM, not amplitude)

TorF: The more pulses in a sound wave, the higher the frequency and the lower the pitch.

False (the more pulses in a sound wave, the higher the frequency and the higher the pitch)

Which effect category manipulates timbre and spectrum?

Filter effects

The +4/-10 button next to some line inputs is a:

Gain Stage

A condenser microphone will typically:

Have a better high end frequency response than a dynamic microphone

Frequency is:

How often a wave repeats within a fixed amount of time

Which is a directional polar pattern?

Hyper-Cardioid & Cardioid, Super-Cardioid, & Unidirectional

The polar pattern of a microphone:

Is a diagram that shows from what directions the microphone is sensitive

The frequency response of a microphone is:

Is how sensitive the microphone is across the human hearing range

A directional microphone:

Is useful for isolating a sound source from its environment

Once an audio signal has passed through an Analog to Digital Converter:

It is represented as a stream of binary words

Which is the most important skill when placing a microphone?

Listening

Sound in air is what kind of wave?

Longitudinal

Though sound in air is a ___ wave, an oscilloscope diagrams it as a ___ wave:

Longitudinal, Transverse

The human perception of amplitude is:

Loudness

Is a guitar pickup output a line level signal?

No

An improperly set gain stage can cause:

Noise and/or distortion

1 Hertz is:

Once per second

The typical waveform shown in a DAW track is like which display:

Oscilloscope

Which display is like the typical waveform shown in a DAW track?

Oscilloscope

Which displays shows time on the horizontal (X) and amplitude on the vertical (Y)?

Oscilloscope (The display on the oscilloscope shows time on the horizontal [X] and amplitude on the vertical [Y])

Speakers are:

Output transducers

It is best to monitor:

Outside of the computer

To function, a condenser microphone requires:

Phantom power

When air is less dense than atmospheric pressure due to sound traveling through it, the air is:

Rarefied

A balanced cable:

Rejects noise

Binary means:

Represented by ones and zeros

An Analog to Digital Converter:

Samples an audio signal

Analog to digital conversion is also known as:

Sampling

When possible use:

Short runs of unbalanced cables and longer runs of balanced cables

The movement of sonic information through a music studio is:

Signal flow

Which display shows how timbre evolves over time?

Spectrogram/Sonogram

Vowel sounds are primarily variations of:

Spectrum

A 1/4 inch TRS cable can be used in what two ways:

Stereo unbalanced or Mono balanced

Which of the three displays shows X-Time Y-Frequency Z-Amplitude?

The Spectrogram/Sonogram

Dynamic range in a piece of musical equipment is:

The amplitude range in decibels between the noise floor and distortion

Timbre is:

The relative levels of the partials in a sound

Line level is:

The standard operating level used throughout the studio

Monitoring, when recording, means:

To listen to the instrument that is being recorded in real time

Sound traveling through a guitar string is what type of wave?

Transverse

A balanced cable requires:

Two conductors and a shield

A 1/4 inch TS cable is:

Unbalanced

To reduce electrical noise:

Use balanced cables whenever possible

An audio signal is:

Voltage variations

In a typical home studio, where is the A to D converter located?

Within the audio interface

The spectrum analyzer shows:

X-Frequency, Y-Amplitude

The oscilloscope displays shows:

X-Time, Y-Amplitude

The Spectrogram/Sonogram shows:

X-Time, Y-Frequency, Z-Amplitude

A microphone typically converts what type of cable?

XLR

The threshold of hearing is:

0 dB Sound Pressure Level

An electric guitar pickup uses what type of cable?

1/4 inch TS

An electric guitar typically connects via what type of cable?

1/4 inch TS

The range of human frequency perception is roughly

20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz

Which line level should you use when possible?

+4

The two line level standards are:

+4 (Pro) & -10 (Consumer)

What are two ways to record direct while monitoring through an amp?

-Connect the guitar to the amp and use the amps line out to send signal to the computer -Connect the guitar to a direct box, use the XLR out to go to the computer, and use the parallel 1/4 out to go to the amplifier.

Which of the following are part of the timbre for any given instrument? Check all that apply.

-Frequencies (Timbre is comprised of multiple frequencies) -Partials (Partials are part of the timbre for a given instrument) -Sine Waves (Sine waves represent a single frequency. Since timbre is comprised of multiple frequencies, this means that timbre is also comprised of a multitude of sine waves.)

What type of input is necessary when connecting a pickup?

-Instrument -DI -HiZ

Which of the following audio effects manipulate the dyanmic range?

-Limiters -Compressors

When setting levels you should:

-Listen for distortion -Check levels on the exterior of the microphone preamp or interface -Adjust the microphone preamp level -Keep in mind your levels for your final mix

The most important thing when setting levels is:

-Never go into the red

Why are dynamic microphones often used on stage in live settings:

-They are less sensitive than condenser microphones -They are rugged -They are less prone to feedback

The maximum amplitude inside a computer is:

0 dB Full Scale