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1) Any single-frequency signal or sound. 2) The sound quality of an instrument’s sound relative to the amount of energy present at different frequencies.
1) A device that puts out test tones at various frequencies to align a tape machine or for other testing purposes. 2) The circuits in a synthesizer that create the audio signals put out by the unit, usually to emulate the sound of another instrument.
The technique of controlling the start of a note in a brass or woodwind instrument with the tongue.
The measure of the difference between the level of harmonic frequencies at the output stage of an amplifier as compared with the input stage, a ratio expressed as a percentage. It’s a fine-tuning specification barely perceptible to many ears, but the lower the THD, the more accurately the amplifier/speaker is reproducing the sound.
See “Velocity Sensitive.”
1) One audio recording made on a portion of the width of a multitrack tape, or created as a digital representation using a DAW. 2) 2) One set of control commands in a sequencer or DAW that is used to control one instrument over one MIDI channel. 3) See “Band Track.”
A sheet of paper kept with a multitrack tape which tells which instrument was recorded on each track.
The act of recording the individual tracks of a multitrack recording.
A device that converts energy from one medium to another. Transducers are prevalent throughout the equipment in a recording studio.
The initial high-energy peak at the beginning of a waveform, such as one caused by the percussive action of a pick or hammer hitting a string, or the strike of a drum.
1) The portion of a tape machine that moves the tape from the supply reel, past the heads, to the take-up reel. 2) The set of controls found on a DAW or sequencer for starting, stopping pausing, fast-forward and rewind, emulating the functions of a tape machine transport.
To shift a set of musical notes by a fixed interval. This can happen in a number of ways—for example: 1) by rewriting an entire piece of music in a new key; 2) by shifting the tuning of an instrument so that it plays at a lower or higher interval than the note played (either artificially, as with an electronic keyboard, or by the natural tuning of a transposed instrument, like a trumpet); or 3) Transposing on-the-fly, playing at a set interval above or below what is written (also known as transposing by sight).
1) A filter designed to reject audio signals at certain frequencies. 2) An object designed with acoustically absorptive material, placed into walls to reduce low frequency reflections in the room (also called “bass trap”). 3) Another word for a drum set (as in “trap set”).
A wavering or “shaking” musical effect, created either by quick reiterations of the notes (as in a violin tremolo) or by rapid shifts in amplitude.
A harmonically rich waveform that appears triangular in shape when depicted graphically, due to a combination of the presence of odd harmonics and rapid rolloff.
