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