Brooks Audio Design

1) Effect used to squash the sound together. Used properly, it can take the edge off or your sound. Used improperly, it can take the life right out of your system and make it sound like an MTV mix. 2) A piece of sound processing equipment that ensures all wanted signals are suitably placed between the noise and distortion levels of the recording medium. It evens out the unwanted changes in volume you get with close-miking, and in doing so, adds punch to the sound mix. A Limiter is used to stop a signal from exceeding a preset limit. Beyond this limit, the signal level will not increase, no matter how loud the input becomes. A Limiter is often used to protect speaker systems (and human ears) by preventing a system from becoming too loud. Expansion The opposite of compression; for example, an expander may allow the signal to increase 2 dB every time the signal input increased by 1 dB. Brooks RM 909 High Hat A double cymbal on a stand which can be played with a foot pedal ...

A drawing of several curves showing how loud the tones of different frequencies would have to be played for a person to say they were of equal loudness. Buss (Bus) A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources. Brooks HI FI projectors Front Loaded A speaker cabinet where the speaker faces out toward the front. Head 1) In tape recording, the transducer (energy converter) that changes the audio energy from electrical energy to magnetic energy and back; also the devices that apply magnetism to the recording tape for other purposes such as in the erase head. 2) The part of a device that immediately includes the transducer to change sound or audio signals from one energy form to another. Brooks Hi Fi speakers Format 1) The number of tracks, their width, spacing and order for tape recording. 2) To prepare a digital storage medium so that it will accept and store digital information bits. Half Step A pitch difference of the amount ...

1) A condition where two signals mix together to form one sound or to give the sound of one sound source or one performance. 2) Mixing the left and right signal together slightly which makes the instruments sound closer to the center of the performance stage. 3) A method of panning during mixing where instruments are not panned extremely left or right. Gain Structure The way in which the gain varies in the stages or sections of an audio system. Brooks RM 909 AC 1) Abbreviation for alternating current. 2) An abbreviation of the term Alternating Current (electric current which flows back and forth in a circuit; all studio signals running through audio lines are AC). Fret Buzz A buzzing sound made when a note is not properly fretted. Common with cheap guitars or beginning guitar players. Brooks Hi Fi speakers Crossover Frequency 1) The frequency that is the outer limit of one of the bands of a crossover. 2) In the Lexicon 480L delay/reverberation effects ...

Feeding the output of an electric instrument (like an electric guitar) to the recording console or tape recorder without using a microphone. Group 1) A number of channels or faders that can be controlled by one Master VCA slide. 2) A shortening of the term Recording Group (a buss or the signal present on a buss). Brooks Hi Fi speakers Analog To Digital Converter The device which does the conversion of a quantity that has continuous changes (usually of voltage) into numbers that approximate those changes. Crossover Frequency 1) The frequency that is the outer limit of one of the bands of a crossover. 2) In the Lexicon 480L delay/reverberation effects unit, the frequency at which the bass frequency reverb time is in effect rather than the mid frequency reverb time. Brooks RM 909 reviews Golden Section A ratio of height to width to length of a room to achieve "good acoustics" and first recommended by the ancient Greeks. The ratio is approximately th...

(Said of compressors and dynamic processing units.) To combine the control input signals of two channels of a compressor (o Compact Disc CD A small optical disk with digital audio recorded on it. Brooks Hi Fi speakers Lift 1) To boost gain of audio at a particular band of frequencies with an equalizer. 2) An elevation device in the star trek series of TV programs. Frequency The number of cycles of a waveform occurring in a second. Brooks Hi Fi reviews Initialize To prepare a digital storage medium (like a floppy disk) so that it will accept and store digital information bits. Final Mix The two track stereo master tape which was mixed from the multitrack master. Electret Mic A condenser microphone where the capacitor plates are given a charge during manufacture which they retain, therefore requiring no external power supply. Ambience The portion of the sound that comes from the surrounding environment rather than directly from the sound sour...

The condition of obtaining a change at the output of the device which is proportional to the change occurring at the input. Hall A large building designed for concerts; also called a concert hall. Brooks Hi Fi reviews Generating Element The portion of the microphone that actually converts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current or voltage changes. Basic Session The First session in recording an audio production to record the Basic Tracks. Brooks RM 909 reviews Automatic Gain Control (Automatic Volume Control) A compressor with a very long release time used to keep the volume of the audio very constant. FOH (Front of House) Refers to the speakers that face toward the audience. Also called the "main" speakers. Automation In consoles, a feature that lets the engineer program control changes (such as fader level) so that upon playback of the multitrack recording these changes happen automatically. Floor Toms The large toms...