Sound Design

Soft Effect

A sound that doesn't necessarily have a visual counterpart.

Hard Effect

A sound that has a visual counterpart to it.

TRAM TR-50

A standard lavaliere mic with a generally flat frequency response that spikes at very high frequencies and dips at low frequencies.

Photophone

A telecommunications device which allowed for the transmission of speech on a beam of light.

Cinerama

A widescreen process that simultaneously projected images from three synchronized 35mm projectors onto a huge, deeply curved screen, subtending 146° of arc.

Time Code

Addressing each frame in video and film with a certain time.

Reverb

Adds characteristics of a certain environment.

Gate

Allowing sound above a certain threshold to pass through and be heard.

Battery Powered Equipment

Allows for more mobile location recording.

DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)

Allows for non-deconstructive audio editing.

Normalizer

Allows you to set the maximum level of an audio file.

CinemaScope

An anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. This marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.

EQ plug-in

An example of a spectrum processor.

TS Phone Jack

An unbalanced (two conductor) phone jack connector. Used for Mono sources.

Ambient Track

At least two minutes of room tone for looping.

Two Main Types of Audio Cables

Balanced and Unbalanced

Digital Audio File

Contains all of the data gathered by the A/D converter. Size is determined by sample rate, bit depth, and overall length.

XLR connector

Contains three pins for three conductors. It is therefore a balanced cable.

Channel Converter

Converts a mono file to a stereo file and vice versa.

Limiter

Device that controls the gain of a signal so as to prevent it from ever exceeding a preset level; Essentially a fast acting compressor with an infinite compression ratio.

Frequency

How many times per second a sound wave completes one full cycle. Perceived as pitch and denoted as Hertz (Hz).

Sound Meters

Illustrate if sounds are in the right range for recording.

Pitch Shift

Increases or decreases the pitch of your sound.

Confidence Monitoring

Listening directly from a recording medium while recording to ensure the program material is being recorded correctly.

Basic Recording Package

Mic, recorder, headphones, and a mixer.

Bit Depth

Number of bits used to define a value.

Pad

Prevents overloading a microphone preamp when recording sounds with high Sound Pressure Levels (SPLs).

Difference Between .WAV and .BWAV

The .BWAV contains metadata whereas a .WAV does not.

Sample Rate

The amount of samples taken per second from the original analog signal.

Dynamic Range

The area between the quietest and loudest sections of a sound.

Shotgun Polar Pattern

The black-colored pattern in the image.

The Jazz Singer (1927)

The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue sequences.

Frequency Response

The highest and lowest possible frequency the mic can reproduce.

Amplitude

The intensity of sound pressure variations that reach our ears and is perceived as loudness.

Mic and Line Level

The line level is stronger than the mic level.

Signal to Noise Ratio

The measure in relation between a desired signal level with the level of background noise. (Often described in decibels)

Phantom Power

The operating power in a condenser microphone that converts an acoustic signal into a digital signal.

Quantization

The process in which the relative amplitude (or loudness) of a sample is captured. Expressed as bit depth.

Sampling

The process of taking discrete readings of a signal at various moments in time.

Cardioid Polar Pattern

The purple-colored pattern in the image.

Waveform

The shape of the vibration that has caused sound.

Balanced Cable

Three conductors (hot, cold, and ground). Phantom power can only be used with this type of cable.

Slating a Take

To make an audio recognition that the recording has begun. Allows easier syncing.

Unbalanced Cable

Two conductors (hot and ground).

Dynamic and Condenser

Two main types of production microphones.

Shotgun Microphone

A mic designed to focus on sounds in front of the mic and reject sounds to the sides and back of the mic.

Condenser Microphone

A more fragile mic that requires 48v phantom power.

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)

A protocol allowing computers and musical equipment to communicate and synchronize.

TRS Phone Jack

A balanced (three conductor) phone jack connector. Used for Stereo sources like headphones.

DAT (Digital Audio Tape)

A digital cassette tape as opposed to the traditional analogue version.

Don Juan (1926)

A film that featured music and sound effects recorded on discs.

Edge Tool, Select Tool, Grab Tool, and Smart Tool.

Pro Tools options for handling tracks.

Closed-ear Headphones

Provide a more isolated environment for listening to sounds.

High Pass Filter (HPF)

Reduces low-end frequencies to a certain point, which is useful in dealing with bass heavy sounds.

Nyquist Theorem

Sample rate must be at least twice the highest frequency desired to be recorded. (Don't record lower than 48kHz)

Clipping

When a signal goes higher than digital zero, which causes distortion.

Proximity Effect

When a voice or instrument is too close to a microphone.

Flat Frequency Response

When all frequencies are reproduced evenly. This is the preferred response.

Sound-on-Film

When the sound accompanying picture is physically recorded onto photographic film (usually the same strip of film carrying the picture).