Talk it up

Human fountain of knowledge and technical virtuoso Paul Lyttle (Music Maker, Exchequer St, D2) sets things straight

Bit Rate Density of digital recording

16 Bit CD Recording standard

24 Bit The new norm for digital recording and mastering

1/2" Tape An almost obsolete medium for domestic – 8 track multi-track recording

1/4'" Tape The preferred mastering 2 TK tape size (today DAT, CD, Mini Disk and DVD)

Amps The rating of power to a plug or the device used to make electric instruments heard

Analogue Non digital sound generation – originating from a standard sine wave – shaped with pre-set wave forms and envelope generator

Baffle Physical barrier/channel to direct sound. Is wooden in most cabinets

Bass Bins To produce only bass sounds below a certain frequency

Bouncing Reducing multiple recorded tracks to a single channel, to free up more space

Bussing EX 24-8-2. There are 8 busses for groups, effects or mastering

Canon/XLR Low impedance balanced unit plugs or sockets. Important for mic recording

Cans Headphones

Channels The number of inserts to plug mikes and instruments into a desk. 24-8-2 means 24 channels

Chorus A device to warp (phase) sound on guitars, pianos, etc.

Click track To play in time to a pre-determined tempo. A generated click is fed to player’s cans

Condenser Mic Studio mic – works on special power 48V

Compressors Electronic devises to help lift low signals - dynamics

Cubase/ProTools These are sequencing and audio recording software for computers. MIDI recording also

DAT Digital Audio Tape – the current mastering storage medium

Decibel How sound pressure is measured. Level under controlled conditions – 0 Db is the recording standards of normal. Temperature measured in degrees, sound in decibels

Delay ECAD – can, in modern units be precisely adjusted to a tempo

Demo The initial sample recording, to let A&R men decide if you’re worth spending money on developing

Desk The 24-8-2 devise to record and mix multiple signals simultaneously

DI box Used on stage and in studios to allow low impedance operation from high IMP devices

Digital The way everything is recorded direct to medium – digital audio on Hard Disk, CD, Mini Disk, DVD and computers

Din Plug Now a MIDI Plug. How to connect Hi-fi together

Distortion To create the overdriven valve sound without a big AMP or the huge volume needed

Dolby NR A studio noise reduction standard on tape to reduce the inherent noisiness of tape

Dolby B As above

Dynamic Mic A normal, multi-purpose buy anywhere mic (Shure SM58)

Dub To ‘dub on’ – to add additional live input to a track. Also, improvisational recording, used by reggae and dance artists

Engineer The man who operates the recording system – gets the sound the artist wants

Envelope In synthesis – attack, delay, sustain, release to shape a sound already created

EQ Tone

Faders Volume Sliders

Feedback When an acoustic instrument or mic reaches its zenith and resonates back on itself – awful

Flangers Extreme phase shifting effects

Fold back Balanced monitors to hear yourself sing or play on stage

Frequency A pre determined point in a range from 40Hz – 20,000 Hz

Gain Initial Volume – gain may differ from mic to mic or instrument to instrument

Graphic EQ A sophisticated tone control. Used to fine-tone frequency over a huge range

Hard Disk Recording A storage medium used in digital recorders to store recorded material prior to mastering

HeadphoneHeadset to allow sufficient volume level to let a musician hear enough to play over a track

Hertz The term used for low-end frequency

Hi Treble tone

Hidden Tracks An unmentioned track only audible usually after 10 mins of silence

In-ear monitors Instead of monitor speakers on floor, personal headphone monitors, for singers mostly

Initialise To restore to factory original settings or to empty memory

Input Where you plug in

Interface A devise to let instruments, components of different protocols interact with each other

Jack plug The 1/4 inch (6.5mm) plug on most instrument’s cables

Levels The relative volumes of different tracks in a mix

Line in Instrument level input (jack)

Line out Instrument level output (jack)

Live room A recording area with built-in ambience and reverb. Imagine singing in your bathroom as opposed to your bedroom!

Lo Bass tone

Loop A section replaced and repeated. E.g. 2 bars of music looped 20 times – 40 bars of music

Mastering The final stage of a recording session to reduce the multi-track to a stereo pair or 5.1 surround.

Microphones What you sing into and record acoustic instruments with.

Mid Middle tone

Midi Musical instrument digital interface – how instruments talk to each other and computer sequences

Mixing Amalgamating multiple tracks to a pleasing 2 track stereo mix

Monitors In a studio, how you listen to what is being recorded

Mono One channel sound

Mute To silence a track or signal

Noise gates To hear/record only what is being played or sung and not the noise in between – ‘Hiss and Rumble’

Optical input To digitally transfer information between devices – a laser light pipe

Output The opposite to input

Overdrive A more subtle form of distortion, favored by Blues/Metal guitarists

Overdubbing To add in extra tracks to a multi track tape

Pan Stereo rotary control from 25to – to25 past with a centre dent. To balance in stereo for effect

Patch To enable external processors to be added to a mixer – use patch bay with patch leads to direct signals

Phasers To deliberately mis-match identical sounds to artificially create a wave effect

Phono Hi-fi standard – phono for turntables and tape machines

Pop shield To suppress breathing and pops on a vocal mic

Pre-Amp To attenuate (increase) a signal on a quiet mic or instrument

Pre-production What you do to get ready prior to expensive recording – working out arrangements, programming and sequencing etc.

Producer The person who dictates the outcome, the man with the ideas. Commercial success is often down to him. Like a director of film.

Reverb Imitation of reflected sounds off smooth surfaces. To give a “halo” effect. Some presets are called Stadium, Concert Hall and Large/Small room

Ribbon mic An expensive, sensitive mic specially suited to string and wind instruments

Sample A digital snap shot of a sound or phrase which may be incorporated into a track or sequence

Sequencer The ability to record 16 midi channels of synch to create a multi sound backing track

SIMPTI A studio standard of tape synchronization

Solid State Transistor driven as opposed to valve (dry sounding)

Sound Card A way to get audio signals in and out of a computer. May be internal or (preferred) external

Speakers Diaphragms and tones used in metal classics to reproduce sound

Speakon A new universal connection from amps and speakers

Stereo Left and right signals to create a master mix, allowing placement of instruments within the left and right field for effect

Surround 5.1 Home Cinema speaker. 1 centre, 1 sub base, front left and right and rear left and right

Take A completed recorded track

Terminal Where the master block equipment is plugged into

Tone Same as Bass/Mid/Treble/Frequency – whatever term you prefer

Total Recall / Flying Faders Memory and automation of a mixing desk or recording device 48-24-8-4

Tracks The number of individual ‘takes’ possible on a machine

Tweeter High frequency device, with a speaker for ‘S’ and ‘T’ definition

Uni direcional Mic Works only from directly in front and close to the mic. Rejects other sources.

Valve state A hybrid of transistor power amp and valve pre amp

Vocal booth A purpose built room within a room for vocalists to sing in. A controlled environment which is more suited aurally and in terms of mood to the recording of vocals

Vox Voice/vocal/Bono