A/D Conversion (Analog-to-Digital Conversion) – Converting a continuous analogue signal into digital data. The opposite of D/A (Digital-to-Analogue) Conversion.
A-weighting – A frequency-weighting curve used in sound-level measurements to approximate aspects of human hearing sensitivity. This usage of weighting will be denoted by a capital A after the units, such as dBA.
Absorption (Absorb) – The reduction of sound energy as it is absorbed by soft materials.
Acoustic Coupling – The transfer of sound energy between sources, spaces, or devices through an acoustic path. This normally is between a sound source, and any surface, or space it physically touches.
Acoustic Feedback – A loop in which amplified sound re-enters a microphone or pickup and is amplified again, creating a loop. This effect often creates an unwanted and unpleasant high-pitched squealing sound
Acoustic Space -The physical or perceived environment in which sound is heard.
Acoustic Treatment – Materials or structures used to control room reflections, reverberation, and frequency response. These materials either Absorb or Diffuse.
Acoustics – The science of sound, including its propagation, reflection, absorption, and interaction with spaces.
Active – Describing a device that uses powered circuitry as part of its design. Often used to describe DI Boxes (that require Phantom Power), Guitar Pickups (that require a 9v battery) or Monitors that have an internal amplifier in them.
ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) – Re-recording dialogue to replace or improve original production audio. This is often used in Film and TV to get high-quality sound, with on-location noise and/or ambience.
ADSR Envelope – In Synthesis, a four-stage envelope consisting of Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release.
ADAT – A digital audio format and connection system historically used to transfer multiple audio channels. There is a connection between available channels and sample rate, with 8 channels being available at lower sample rates, and just 2 available at higher rates.
Additive EQ – Equalization that boosts selected frequencies, rather than cutting them.
Additive Synthesis – Creating sounds by combining individual sine-wave components.
AFL (After-Fader Listen) – A mixer monitoring function that lets an operator hear a signal after its channel fader.
Air – An informal production term describing openness and high-frequency detail, normally around 12-20kHz.
Alignment – How well the timing and phase of two or more audio sources align.
Aliasing – Distortion or unwanted artifacts caused when frequencies are inadequately captured and represented during digital sampling or processing.
All-Pass Filter – A filter that changes phase response while ideally leaving amplitude response unchanged. Often used in effects such as the ‘Phaser”
Ambience / Ambient Sound – Background sound that establishes a location’s atmosphere or the character of a recording space. Can be both a good, and bad thing, depending on the space and its characteristics.
Amplification – The process of increasing the volume or loudness of a sound or signal through boosting the amplitude of said sound. Normally via software tools, or via hardware devices.
Amplitude – The magnitude of a sound wave or audio signal. Measured as the maximum height of a sound waves from its equilibrium position to its absolute peak. Often expressed in Decibels (dB)
Analogue Audio – Audio represented by a continuously varying electrical signal. Commonly associated with any and all audio that is passing through analogue equipment, up until it the point it is converted to digital audio.
Analog Drift – Small changes in pitch or other parameters over time, normally intentional to create a sense of organic imperfection. Often associated with analogue synthesizers.
Analog Modelling – Digital processing designed to reproduce the behaviour and coloration of analogue equipment. Prime examples are plugins emulating famous and sort over EQ’s and Compressors, and even Microphones.
Analog Oscillator – An electronic circuit that generates a repeating waveform.
Analogue Saturation – Harmonic colouration associated with analogue equipment, such as tape machines, or certain outboard equipment. Saturation normally comes from Tubes, Transistors and Transformers.
Analogue Synthesizer – A synthesizer that generates or processes sound using analogue electronic circuits.
Anti-Aliasing Filter – A filter used before analogue-to-digital conversion process to reduce frequencies that could cause aliasing in an attempt to reduce Anti-Aliasing.
Arrangement – The organization of musical parts, instruments, harmonies, and sections within a composition.
Array – A group of microphones or loudspeakers arranged to work together for a particular recording or coverage objective.
Arpeggiator – An electronic instrument or effect that turns held notes or chords into repeating pitch sequences.
Attack – The initial portion of a sound, or the time a processor takes to respond to an incoming signal.
Attack and Release – Dynamic-processor settings controlling how quickly processing begins and ends.
Attenuation – A reduction in signal level, measured in decibels.
Audio Buffer – A temporary block of audio data processed by a computer or audio interface. These are held in temporary storage and are used for real-time manipulation and playback of digital audio.
Audio File Format – A format used to store audio data, such as WAV, AIFF, FLAC, or MP3.
Audio Interface – A hardware unit that converts analogue audio to digital and digital audio to analogue. Some have only 2 channels, others might have 8 or more. And can be sometime be expanded with even more.
Audio Post-Production – Any process that applies to already recorded audio including; Editing, Tuning, Mixing, Restoration, and Mastering.
Audio Restoration – Reducing unwanted noise, clicks, hum, distortion, and other recording defects, from your recorded audio.
Audio Track – A DAW track containing recorded or imported audio.
Audio-Visual Synchronisation – Aligning audio events with visual events, such as for Film and TV.
Auditory Masking – When one audio source interferes with another source sure to volume, and clashing frequencies.
Auto-Tune – A pitch-correction technology, made by Antares, used for anything from subtle vocal tuning or stylized electronic vocal effects. Has also become the de-facto term for any type of automatic tuning software.
Automatic Gain Control (AGC) – A system that automatically adjusts gain to maintain a more consistent signal level. Often found in very modern Audio Interfaces, where it often called Auto-Gain.
Automation – Programmed data changes to parameters that go on to control other settings during audio playback such as volume, pan, filter cut-off, reverb send or a plugin setting. Can be inside your DAW, but can also be featured on some Digital and Analogue mixing consoles.
Aux (Auxiliary) Channel – A special mixer or DAW channel used for routing, effects, or additional outputs. Often used as a Buss, a Return or a Send (See below)
Auxiliary Bus – A signal path used to combine or route signals to another destination, such as all drum tracks to a single bus.
Auxiliary Send (Aux Send) – A control that sends part of a track’s signal to another channel or processor.
Auxiliary Return (Aux Return) – A channel receiving a signal from an auxiliary send, often returning an effect.