Audio Principles with Eric and J

Audio II

Signal Processing

Review for exam:

How is a VGA like a valve?

What do the terms VST, DirectX, RTAS, and TDM mean when talking about plug-ins?

What is an “Algorithm” when talking about reverb?

What is the difference between plate and spring reverb?

What is the difference between Inline routing and sidechain routing?

What does EQ (equalization) refer to?

What’s the difference between a graphic EQ and a parametric EQ?

What is the Mix control and what does it do on a delay plugin?

What is meant by Wet and Dry?

Define Bandwidth and Q

Know the following terms: EQ Shelf filter, Rolloff frequency, Highpass filter, notch filter, Lowpass filter

Why would RMS be a better way of measuring signal strength than just looking at peaks?

Describe the function of the audio compressor.

What setting determines when a compressor will go into action?

What setting determines the extent of compression?

What are the three components making up reverberation cues?

Narrow bandwidths of sound may be attenuated with which filter (Shelf, low-pass, high-pass, or notch)?  Which would remove the low frequency spectrum of sound?

Other terms:

Headroom

VU Meter

Threshhold

Knee

Soft-knee

De-esser

Limiter

Multiband compressor

Linking compressor (or “Key” input)

Expander

Noise Gate

Phasing

Flanging

Chorus

Slapback

Doubling

Reverberation

Direct signal

Early reflections

Hall

Chamber

Room

Live (Stage)

Reverse

Gated reverb

Impulse response reverb

Convolution reverb

Deconvolution

Spatialization

Due Oct. 20th. Bring your CD to class! Studio B Project- Requirements – 1. Have at least 4 tracks. 2. Total length must exceed 60 seconds. 3. Loops and imported audio are permitted (use Import Audio from file menu) 4. At least one track must be audio that you recorded in Studio B. Finished product should be bounced to disk and burned on a CDR using Itunes (or any other thing). (A blank CDR can be found in my office, if you don’t have one). How to bounce to disk: Look under file menu. Choose FILE – then – BOUNCE TO DISK A dialog box appears. Verify that all your settings are as below: Bounce source = Analog 1 & 2 File type = *.wav Format = Stereo Interleaved Resolution = 16 Sample Rate = 44100 Convert during bounce = either during or after (This doesn’t matter) When your settings match those above, then click the BOUNCE button on the dialog box. Protools will then ask you to save your file. Name it something relevant. Since this is the only file you’ll save, I’d recommend you save it in a place you’ll easily find it. I save to the Root folder (the one above the Audio Files folder, which is the default). Sometimes the Desktop is the easiest place to find your bounce, assuming you’ll be cleaning it off immediately after your CD is burned. You will have to listen to Protools compact the audio and interleave it. If you used any inserts (EQ, REVERB, etc…) this is the point where it actually gets applied to the mixdown and everything is summed into one stereo file. When finished, close and save the protools file (actually, you may delete it, since you have your bounce for this grade). Start I-tunes, make a new playlist and burn your bounce onto a CDR.

Folks,  there are a log of good people out there organizing information in ways designed to help you succeed.  Before you take the next test, you owe it to yourself to check out this: http://www.audiogeekzine.com/?p=630 . 

Quite possibly the most insightful post you’ll read on aux busses and sends.  Bravo

This week we’re having fun with Protools. Projects you’ll get graded on are:

Post project
Voice Mail Message

Make sure you’ve completed both by Friday.

Have your books handy in case I let you use them for a few minutes at the end of the testing - This exam covers our vocabulary drawn from the following old and new material:

[Be prepared to write definitions!]

Phase cancellation

Harmonic series (overtones)

transducer

MIDI

Amplitude

Frequency

Hertz

SPL

Decibel

Timbre

Beats

RMS

Decay

Ribbon Microphone

Dynamic Microphone

Condenser Microphone

Self-noise

Microphone Patterns:  (Omnidirectional, Cardioid, Supercardioid, Hypercardioid, Bi-directional, Figure-8)

Rejection

3 to 1 rule

Proximity Effect

Comb filtering

Phantom power

Frequency response

Preamp

Four stereo miking techniques:  (Spaced pair, X/Y, M/S and Decca Tree).

DI Box

I found some exciting videos on youtube that beautifully illustrate sound propagation as well as the basic characteristics of a sound wave.  The last video deals with microphone types, how they work, and when/where to use them.  Enjoy!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REqxyVlT45M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmK3LV7oBDo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MACpIFBlGpg 

Today we had a small class due to inclement weather.  We had 4 excellent article reports and watched Sweep the Leg by No More Kings. 

The link for the free subscription to TapeOp magazine is here:

http://tapeop.com/subscription/index.html

We’ll retake the Chapter 1 & 2 exam on Friday.  Buy the books and read them!

An important message from our Commander-in Chief:

Today we’ll wrestle with the 2nd lesson w/ Everest’s Critical Listening skill text and have a vocab test on the first 2 chapters.  If there’s any time left, we’ll have a oral report or two from those of you who finished with the journals. 

Monday and Friday of next week will have some lecture, but mainly we need to have presentations, due to the large amount of music majors going with the band to  Middle Tennessee State University on Wednesday and Thursday.

If anyone has any concerns about grades, etc… please see me.  

Today we watched a bit of Method One in preparation for the protools first exercise.  Remember to review your vocab for Chapters 1 & 2 in preparation for a brief test on Friday.  We will attempt to finish the 2nd listening skills lesson, too!   Go ahead and read the first 2 chapters in Protools 101 version 7.4 in preparation for next week.