Advanced Encryption Standard used by the U.S. government.
(sometimes called AES/EBU) A digital audio transfer standard developed by the Audio Engineering Society and the European Broadcasting Union for carrying dual-channel digital audio data between devices. AES3 is the protocol behind XLR cables, as well as RCA and S/PDIF cables.
(Also called “Pressure Sensitivity“) A feature in some keyboard instruments by which applying additional pressure to a key after it has been pressed can activate an additional MIDI control command. a synthesizer or Keyboard Controller of After Touch (a control or operational function of a synthesizer where pressing a key after it has been pressed, and before it is released, will activate a control command that can be set by the player).
A type of digital signal distortion that occurs in a sampler when the incoming signal frequency exceeds the Nyquist frequency for that unit. The sampler reproduces it at an incorrect frequency, or an “alias,” causing a distortion or artifact in the sound. (See also “Nyquist Frequency.”)
The type of electrical current found in standard electrical outlets and studio signals running through audio lines. In AC, the current “alternates” directions, flowing back and forth through the circuit.
In most cases, this refers to the “atmosphere” of a certain place, like a restaurant. But in recording, it refers to the part of the sound that comes from the surrounding environment rather than directly from the sound source. For example, the sound waves coming into your ears from a cello being played are coming directly from the source, but the sound of the same cello coming to you after bouncing off the back wall is ambient sound.
The area away from the sound source where the reverberation is louder than the direct sound.
This refers to placing a microphone in the ambient field of a room to record the ambient reverberations of the sound. The recording engineer often does this in addition to direct micing of the instrument(s) to create a blend or mix of direct and reverberant sound in the recording.
An abbreviation for “Amplifier,” “Amplitude” or “Ampere,” depending on context. (See below.)
The unit of measure for electrical current, abbreviated Amp.
A device that increases the level or amplitude of an electrical signal, making the resulting sound louder.
The height of a waveform above or below the zero line. In audio, this usually translates to the signal strength or the volume of the sound.
A continuously changing representation of a continuously variable quantity. In the context of audio, this refers to using continuously changing electrical signals (voltage) to represent the continuously variable frequencies of sound, and/or recording those signals to an analog medium. Analog is in contrast to digital, which represents constantly changing quantities in the form of fixed numeric values.
A recording of the continuous changes of an audio waveform. The most common example of analog recording in a recording studio is recording on reel-to-reel magnetic tape.
A device that translates a continuously changing signal (analog) into numeric values that approximate those changes (digital). In audio recording, this refers to converting recorded sound from electrical voltages to computerized data.
