Music Tech Ch. 5

Midrange

Mid

Audio Interface

A device that is designed to allow input and output of audio from a personal computer running DAW or other digital audio software.

Microphone

A transducer that converts acoustic energy into analog electrical energy.

Gain knob

Allows you to boost the signal by a variable amount to accommodate different microphone levels and different material being recorded (on mic preamps).

Tweeter

High

Polar pattern

Indicated by a standard name and a diagram, it shows the sensitivity of the microphone to sound waves coming from various directions.

Electret microphone

A form of condenser mic commonly found in camcorder mics, computer mics, and lapel. They have a permanent charge between plates, instead of using phantom power or a battery to create the charge.

Ribbon microphone

A microphone that consists of a thin piece of corrugated, conductive metal - the ribbon - placed between two magnets.

Omnidirectional pattern

Basic polar pattern, can accept sound from all directions more or less equally.

Mic level

Electrical signal type

Digital audio interface

For audio recording and playback, the ADC and DAC form the core of this.

End-address/side-address microphone

For the first microphone, zero degrees is straight into the end of the mic. For the latter, zero degrees is directly into the side of the mic.

Mixer

Function is to combine signals from various sources (like mics, synths, and processors) and route the combined output to a recording device

Woofer/subwoofer

Low/very low

Bidirectional (figure-8) pattern

Microphone that accepts sound largely without change from the front and back of the capsule - zero degrees and 180 degrees - but reduces sound from the sides - 90 degrees and 280 degrees.

Dynamic microphone

Microphone that uses a diaphragm attached to a coil that is suspended near a magnet.

USB Microphone

Microphones available to connect directly to you computer via a USB cable.

Balanced signal

Microphones produce a small electrical signal that is send out as a _________________________ down a cable that has XLR connectors.

Instrument signal

Often associated with the output of a guitar or bass guitar, the output is an unbalanced signal carried on a cable with 1/4-inch TS connectors,

Unbalanced signals/cables

Semipro line level signals (-10dBV) are typically ___________________________ carried on cables with 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) connectors, 3.5mm TS mini plugs, or RCA connectors.

RCA connectors

Semipro line level signals (-10dBV) are typically unbalanced signals carried on cables with 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) connectors , 3.5mm TS mini plugs, or ___________________________.

TS (tip-sleeve) connectors

Semipro line level signals (-10dBV) are typically unbalanced signals carried on cables with 1/4-inch ___________________________ , 3.5mm TS mini plugs, or RCA connectors.

Control surface

Since it's difficult to control the many aspects of a mix with just a computer keyboard and a mouse, use this to solve that problem. Instead of actively routing and processing audio, a _____________________ just sends MIDI messages to the software.

Small/large diaphragm

Since the size of the diaphragm impacts the resultant sound, the moving-coil dynamic mics are often classed as _______________________________.

Coaxial/fiber-optic cables

The two standard cable/connector types. The first with RCA connectors, the latter with TOSLINK connectors.

Wireless microphone

There are a variety of _____________________ ranging from lapel mics to regular hand-held or stand-mounted microphones used for live performance.

Preamplifier (Preamp)

Takes the small analog electrical signal and turns it into a larger analog electrical signal that can then be digitized.

Amplifier

The analog electrical signal output from the DAC is sent to a/an ________________________ to makes the small electrical signal larger.

Phantom Power

The charge across the plates in a condenser mic's capsule is typically supplied by a signal from the preamp, called ________________________, which flows along the same cable as the microphone signal.

Driver

The combination of the magnet, coil, and cone.

Analog to digital converter (ADC)

The device that converts an analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal.

Capsule

The diaphragm, coil, and magnet in the microphone.

Signal types

The electrical signals to and from certain devices (like guitars, synthesizers, and effects processors) are transmitted as various ___________________ and may require different cables and connectors to integrate them into the recording path.

Cardioid/hypercardioid patterns

The first is a microphone that accepts sound largely without change from the front, but reduces it from the back and somewhat from the sides. The latter rejects sound better from the sides than the first, but picks up sound directly from the back of the microphone.

Speaker level

The output of a power amplifier that is sent to a passive speaker. It's higher than any of the other levels discussed in both voltage and power.

Balanced cable

Three conductors , two signal conductors and one shield that wraps around them. This allows equipment at the "receiving" end of the signal to eliminate any noise picked up by the cable over a long cable run.

Digital to analog converter (DAC)

When digital audio is played back, the signal is first sent through a __________________________________.

Digital domain

When something is done in the digital domain, it implies that the original data (images, sounds, video, etc.) has been converted into a digital format and is manipulated inside the computer's memory. The possibilities for editing, processing, and mixing are nearly endless.

Pad

A switch that reduces the decibel level of the incoming signal by some amount (on mic preamps).

Speaker cone

the part of the speaker that makes sound by pushing the air and creating sound waves.

Transducer

A device that converts energy from one form to another (Ex. Once an instrument or voice has produced vibrations in the air, a _______________________ carries out the conversion of these acoustic vibrations into an analog electrical signal.

Speaker

After the amplifier, the analog electrical signal output goes to a transducer, in this case a __________________, to convert the electrical energy back into acoustic energy.

XLR connectors

Common male and female microphone plugs with a three-pin connector.

Line level

Higher than mic signals, these can be plugged directly into the line level inputs of an audio interface or mixing board.

High impedance (high-Z)

If a guitar or bass guitar is plugged directly into a regular line level input on a mixer or audio interface, its sound will be weak and of poor quality. This is because the output signal of the instrument has a _____________________________.

TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) connectors

Professional line level signals (+4dBu) are typically balanced signals carried on cables with XLR connectors or 1/4-inch ______________________________. Since these are balanced signals, cable runs can be fairly long without the signal acquiring additional noise.

TOSLINK connectors

Related to plastic fiber-optic cables.

Control app

Runs on a tablet or laptop, serves a similar function to a control surface in that it gives you access to multiple DAW parameters at once without having to use a mouse.

Direct injection (DI) box

To capture the output of a guitar or bass guitar directly, it needs to be converted to a Low-Z signal by using a ________________________________. This converts an instrument signal into a mic signal that is carried on a mic cable and connected to a preamp on a standalone preamp, audio interface, or mixing board.

Banana plug connectors

Used by speaker wires.

Condensor/capacitor microphone

Uses a diaphragm that vibrates back and forth when sound waves hit it (the diaphragm is metal-coated and suspended in proximity to another metal plate. When a charge is applied across the plates they form the latter, which is an electronic element once called a condenser.

AES/EBU (AES3)

Usual professional level standard for transmitting stereo digital data.

S-PDIF

Usual semipro standard for transmitting stereo digital data (Sony/Philips Digital Interface)

Powered speakers/active monitors

combine the amplifier and speaker into one unit