Brooks Audio Design

A large building designed for concerts; also called a concert hall. Layering The recording (or playing) of a musical part with of several similar sound patches playing simultaneous. Brooks Cinema XR 607 Hall Program A setting of a digital delay/reverb effects unit that approximates concert halls. Hall programs are characterized by pre-delay of up to 25 ms. Impedance 1) A term for the electrical resistance found in a/c circuits. Affects the ability of a cable to transmit low level (e.g. sound) signals over a long distance. Measured in Ohms. Speakers are rated according to power handling capabilities (Watts, W) and impedance (Ohms). 2) The total opposition offered by an electric circuit to the flow of an alternating current of a single frequency. It is a combination of resistance and reactance and is measured in ohms. Remember that a speaker's impedance changes with frequency, it is not a constant value. 3) The opposition to alternating current. Brooks BA

(Said of compressors and dynamic processing units.) To combine the control input signals of two channels of a compressor (o Equipment Rack A cabinet with rails (or free standing rails) that have holes to accept screws at standard spaces and used to house outboard gear. Brooks KS-55 File A collection of digital data stored in a computer's memory bank or on a floppy disc. Crossover 1) A route leading from one side of the stage to the other, out of the audiences view. 2) An electronic filter in a sound system that routes sound of the correct frequency to the correct part of the speaker system. Different speakers handle high frequencies (tweeters) and low frequencies (woofers). Sometimes known as a crossover network. An active crossover splits the signal from the mixing desk into high, mid and low frequencies which are then sent to three separate amplifiers. 3) An electrical circuit that divides a full bandwidth signal into the desired frequency bands for the lo

A grouping of eight information bits. Consumer Format (Consumer DIF) A standard adopted by IEC for sending and receiving digital audio based on The AES Professional Interface. Brooks TM-22 Frets Vertical metal wires which sit vertically on the guitar neck. Frame 1) A division of one second in synchronization and recording coming from definition two. 2) The amount of time that one still picture is shown in film or video. Brooks Cinema NZ 60 Librarian Program A computer program allowing the storage of the parameters of sound patches outside of a synthesizer. CD (Compact Disc) : 1) Digital sound storage medium. Provides a high quality source of music, sound effects etc. Also used as a playback medium for sound effects etc. by large theatres with long running shows, although CDR (Recordable CD) is becoming more affordable by the day. 2) An abbreviation of the term Compact Disc (a small optical disk with digital audio recorded on it). High-Pass Filter

Sending too high of a signal level into a device so that the first amplifier of the device overloads. Audio Most often referring to electrical signals resulting from the sound pressure wave being converted into electrical energy. Brooks TM-22 Cycle 1) An alternation of a waveform which begins at a point, passes through the zero line, and ends at a point with the same value and moving in the same direction as the starting point. 2) On a Solid State Logic Console, a command to have the console computer control the tape machine to play and replay a certain section of the tape. Link (Said of compressors and dynamic processing units.) To combine the control input signals of two channels of a compressor (o Brooks Speakers Analog (Analogue) Representative, continuous changes that relate to another quantity that has a continuous change. CD (Compact Disc) : 1) Digital sound storage medium. Provides a high quality source of music, sound effects etc. Also used as

Short for the term Auxiliary Send (a control to adjust the level of the signal sent from the console input channel to the auxiliary equipment through the aux buss. Headstock The area of the guitar at the end of the neck where the strings are tuned. Brooks XB 22 Gain 1) Knob usually found at the top of each input channel on the soundboard. Used to set input levels of the separate channels to relatively equal positions. 2) The amount of increase in audio signal strength, often expressed in dB. Effects 1) Various ways an audio signal can be modified by adding something to the signal to change the sound. 2) Short for the term Sound Effects (sounds other than dialogue, narration or music like door closings, wind, etc. added to film or video shots). Brooks KM 77 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 the width 1.6 times the height

Short for the term High Frequencies (the audio frequencies from 6000 Hz and above). Acoustic Echo Chamber A room designed with very hard, non-parallel surfaces and equipped with a speaker and microphone; dry signals from the console are fed to the speaker and the microphone will have a reverberation of these signals that can be mixed in with the dry signals at the console. Brooks Cinema TZ 505 Contact Microphone A device that senses vibrations and puts out an audio signal proportional to the vibrations. Final Mix The two track stereo master tape which was mixed from the multitrack master. Brooks Speakers Clipping Distortion of a signal by its being chopped off. An overload problem caused by pushing an amplifier beyond its capabilities. The flat-topped signal has high levels of harmonic distortion which creates heat in a loudspeaker and is the major cause of loudspeaker component failure. Bi-Directional Pattern A microphone pick up pattern which has maxim

1) Changing the sequence of a recording by cutting the recording tape and putting the pieces together in the new sequence with splicing tape. 2) Punching in and then punching out on one or more tracks of a multitrack tape recorder to replace previously recorded performances. 3) Changing the sequence of a digital recording's playback by computer program. Dry Describes a sound coming from the PA with no effects on it. Brooks BA 71 Corner Frequency Same as Cut-Off Frequency (the highest or lowest frequency in the pass band of a filter). (NOUN) Cycle 1) An alternation of a waveform which begins at a point, passes through the zero line, and ends at a point with the same value and moving in the same direction as the starting point. 2) On a Solid State Logic Console, a command to have the console computer control the tape machine to play and replay a certain section of the tape. Brooks KM 77 Beats Per Minute BPM The number of steady even pulses in music occ

Three or more musical pitches sung or played together. BPM An abbreviation of Beat Per Minute (the number of steady even pulses in music occurring in one minute and therefore defining the tempo). Brooks GT 845 Insulator A substance such as glass, air, plastic, etc., that will (for all practical purposes) not conduct electricity. Flutter 1) High-frequency variations in pitch of a recorded waveform due to fast speed variations in a recorder or playback machine. 2) Originally, and more formally, any variations (fast or slow) in pitch of a recorded tone due to speed fluctuations in a recorder or playback unit. Brooks Cinema NZ 60 Front Loaded A speaker cabinet where the speaker faces out toward the front. Ground Loop A double grounding of a line or electronic device at two different "ground" points of differing voltage. Group Faders The VCA faders of individual channels that are all controlled by a Group Master Fader (a slide control used t

An additional output from a sound desk that can be used for foldback or monitoring without tying up the main outputs. Each input channel will have a path to the Aux buss. Also used for feeding a signal to an effects processor. See Auxiliary Return. Group Master A slide control used to send out a control voltage to several VCA faders in individual channels, thus controlling the gain of several channels. Brooks Cinema TZ 505 Error Detection The process of discovery that sonic information bits have been lost in digital audio. Bouncing Alternate name for Ping-Ponging (playing several tacks with sync playback through a console to mix them together and record them on an open track). Brooks Cinema XR 607 Instrument Amplifier A device that has a power amplifier and speaker in a case (or in separate cases) to reproduce the signal put out by an electric instrument (such as an electric guitar) and to allow the instrument to be heard. Amplitude The height of a wavef

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. Attenuator (Pot) The electronic dohickey under the knobs that increases or reduces the strength of the signal running through it. When these get old and dirty, they can make popping noises or rumbles in your PA (As in "my pots are dirty"). Assign Tochoose to which place an output is going to be sent. Brooks Cinema RM 909 Beat 1) The steady even pulse in music. 2) The action of two sounds or audio signals mixing together and causing regular rises &.falls in volume. Effects Electronic boxes (usually rack mounted) added to a PA system to subtly change and enhance the signals going through it. Examples include; Reverb, Delay, Compressor, Chorus. Brooks M 44 Corner Frequency Same as Cut-Off Frequency (the highest or lowest frequency in the pass band of a filter). (NOUN) Efficiency The acoustic powe

Devices that can be worn on the head with small speakers that fit over the ears (or sometimes into the ears). Keyboard 1) Any musical instrument controlled by pressing a key. 2) The part of the computer that has the keys. Brooks Speakers Effects Track 1) In film production audio, a recording of the mixdown of all the sound effects for the film ready to be mixed with the dialogue and music. 2) In music recording, one track with a recording of effects to be added to another track of a multitrack recording. Level Sets output volume of individual PA input channels. Usually positioned as sliders at the bottom of the soundboard. Brooks Cinema RM 909 Chase The automatic adjusting of the speed of a recorder (or sequencer) to be time with another recorder. Contact Microphone A device that senses vibrations and puts out an audio signal proportional to the vibrations. Limiter A device which reduces gain when the input voltage exceeds a certain level.

Used in line to convert a high impedance signal into a low impedance signal. Beat 1) The steady even pulse in music. 2) The action of two sounds or audio signals mixing together and causing regular rises &.falls in volume. Brooks M 44 Equalizer (Parametric, Graphic) This is used to filter out and adjust specific frequencies in the PA. This is the part of the PA where you have the most control over the band's overall sound. It is also the number one weapon against feedback. Atom The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve. Brooks Cinema Series Instrument Out Direct Feeding the output of an electric instrument (like an electric guitar) to the recording console or tape recorder without using a microphone. Clicking Pressing and immediately releasing the switch on a computer's mouse. Cut-off Rate (Slope) The number of dB that a filter reduces the signal for each oc

Exact replacement of lost information bits in digital audio. Band Track 1) A mixdown of a song without the lead vocal or without the lead and background vocals. 2) A term with the same meaning as the term Rhythm Track. 3) The recording of the rhythm instruments in a music production. Brooks Speakers Link (Said of compressors and dynamic processing units.) To combine the control input signals of two channels of a compressor (o Cable, 1/4 inch An unbalanced cable most often used for instruments and patch cords. Commonly referred to as "guitar cords". Brooks TM-22 Echo Send The output of a console used to send a signal to an echo chamber or delay effects device. Light Emitting Diode A light that allows current to flow in one direction only and emits light whenever a voltage of a certain level or beyond is applied to it. Electromagnetic Field Magnetic energy put out because of current travelling through a conductor. Circuit 1) One c

A control on a stereo amplifier that when moved clockwise will make the right channel louder (and the left channel softer) and will do the reverse when moved counter-clockwise. Joystick 1) A quad pan pot which distributes what percentage of on signal is sent to each of 4 outputs. 2) A control that is separately controlling two functions at one time. Brooks XB 22 Balanced 1) Having a pleasing amount of low frequencies compared to mid-range frequencies and high frequencies. 2) Having a pleasing mixture of the various instrument levels in an audio recording. 3) Having a fairly equal level in each of the stereo channels. 4) A method of interconnecting electronic gear using three-conductor cables. Insert 1) A punch in of the all of the tracks being recorded in a recording session. 2) On Solid State Logic consoles, placing an outboard piece of gear in the channel by patching and activating a switch. Brooks SS 81 Intermodulation Distortion Distortion caused by on

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 the width 1.6 times the height and the length 2.6 times the height Fade 1) A gradual reduction of the level of the audio signal. 2) A gradual change of level from one pre-set level to another. Brooks XT 20 Foldback A European term for the signal sent to the stage monitors in a live performance. Condenser An older term meaning the same thing as Capacitor (an electronic device which is composed of two plates separated by an insulator and can store charge) but sill in common use when referring to a microphone's active element. Brooks KS-55 Input Monitor A switch position and operational mode of the electronics of a tape machine where the signal at output of the electronics will be the same as the signal coming into the electronics. In this mode, the tape machine's meter will read the input signal.

Short for "Input/Output' and referring to: 1) An in-line console module that contains controls for the input section, output section and monitor section. 2) A module in electronic gear containing input and output amplifiers for the device. 3) A digital port (connector) able to both receive digital data and output digital data. Byte A grouping of eight information bits. Brooks Cinema TX 509 Ground Lift A switch that breaks the connection between the ground point in one circuit and the ground point in another circuit. 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 RM 80 Error Message A prompt on a computer scree

1) Anywhere you plug something in. 2) Segmented audio connector. Mono Jacks have two connections �" tip and sleeve, and are unbalanced. Stereo jacks have three connections �" tip, ring and sleeve. B-type jacks (also known as Bantam jacks) were originally designed for use in telephone exchanges and provide a high quality (and expensive) connection in jackfields. A-type jacks are cheaper and more common, but more fragile. A type jacks are available in 2 sizes : quarter inch and eighth inch. 3) A connector mounted on the case of a device or on a panel. Compression Driver The unit that feeds a sound pressure wave into the throat of a horn (in a horn loudspeaker). Brooks Cinema TX 509 Harmonics Integer multiples of a fundamental frequency, the fundamental itself being the first harmonic, its first overtone the second harmonic, etc. Attributing to instruments, voices, etc. their distinctive timbre. Hum The 60 Hz power line current accidentally induced or fed

Two microphones whose heads are placed as lose as possible to each other so that the path length from any sound source to either microphone is for all practical purposes, the same. Effects Electronic boxes (usually rack mounted) added to a PA system to subtly change and enhance the signals going through it. Examples include; Reverb, Delay, Compressor, Chorus. Brooks KM 77 Generating Element The portion of the microphone that actually converts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current or voltage changes. Far Field The area from 3 feet away from the sound source up to the critical distance. Brooks GT 845 Amplifier A device which increases the amplitude (level) of an electrical signal (making it louder). Amplification An increasing of signal strength. Lead The musical instrument that plays the melody of the tune, including the vocal. Equalization 1) The process of adjusting the tonal quality of a sound. A graphic equalizer provides a

The device which does the conversion of a quantity that has continuous changes (usually of voltage) into numbers that approximate those changes. Feedback Control The control on a delay line or delay effects device that controls the amount of feedback. Brooks Cinema Projectors Integrated Circuit (IC) A miniature circuit of many components in a small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment. Diffraction The breaking up of a sound wave caused by some type of mechanical interference such as a cabinet edge, grill frame, or other similar object. Brooks RM 80 Beat 1) The steady even pulse in music. 2) The action of two sounds or audio signals mixing together and causing regular rises &.falls in volume. Console A set of controls and their housing, which control all signals necessary for recording and mixing. Compression Driver The unit that feeds a sound pressure wave into the throat of a horn (in a horn loudspeaker). Hard Disk Re

Uses active devices (transistors, IC's, tubes) and some form of power supply to operate. Compander 1) A two section device that is used in noise reduction systems. The first section compresses the audio signal, before it is recorded, and the second section, expands the signal after recording. 2) In Yamaha brand digital consoles, a signal processing function that applies both compression and expansion to the same signal. Brooks GT 44 Linear The condition of obtaining a change at the output of the device which is proportional to the change occurring at the input. Compressor 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

A European term for the signal sent to the stage monitors in a live performance. I/O Short for "Input/Output' and referring to: 1) An in-line console module that contains controls for the input section, output section and monitor section. 2) A module in electronic gear containing input and output amplifiers for the device. 3) A digital port (connector) able to both receive digital data and output digital data. Brooks GT 845 Kilo A prefix meaning 1000. Frets Vertical metal wires which sit vertically on the guitar neck. Brooks Cinema TX 509 Hertz The unit of frequency. Equivalent to cycles per second. Abbreviation: Hz. Balanced input/output A "balanced" connection is one that has three wires to move the signal. One is a ground, and the other two (called conductors) carry signals of equal value. This is why they are called balanced. Low Z cables and connections are the most common example. Absorption Short for the term Acousti

The process of discovery that sonic information bits have been lost in digital audio. Amplitude The strength of a vibrating wave; in sound, the loudness of the sound. Brooks Cinema TX 509 Bi-Directional Pattern A microphone pick up pattern which has maximum pick up directly in front and directly in back of the diaphragm and least pick up at the sides. Hearing Limitation An inability of the ear to hear important characteristics of sound under certain conditions. Characteristics that can be affected include pitch, level, clarity, presence and direction. Brooks Cinema TZ 505 In Port A jack on a MIDI device or computer that will accept an incoming data signal. CD (Compact Disc) : 1) Digital sound storage medium. Provides a high quality source of music, sound effects etc. Also used as a playback medium for sound effects etc. by large theatres with long running shows, although CDR (Recordable CD) is becoming more affordable by the day. 2) An abbreviation of

Sets output volume of individual PA input channels. Usually positioned as sliders at the bottom of the soundboard. Fidelity The recording or reproduction quality. Brooks Cinema TX 509 Foot (Foot Drum) Another name for Bass Drum (the largest drum in the Drum Kit which puts out bass frequencies and is played with a foot pedal). Cable, XLR A balanced cable used for low impedance microphones and sometimes for connections between some parts of the PA. Commonly referred to as a "mic cord". Brooks KS-55 Distortion Usually undesirable result of overloading sound equipment. Reducing the levels can remedy the situation. Floor Toms The large toms to the right of the drummer. Hall A large building designed for concerts; also called a concert hall. Leakage Sounds from other instruments and sources that were not intended to be picked up by the microphone.

A condenser microphone that has a permanently polarized (charged) variable capacitor as its sound pressure level sensor. Console A set of controls and their housing, which control all signals necessary for recording and mixing. Brooks GT 845 Line Out (Output, Send) Where a signal leaves the board or component. Assistant Engineer A less elevated version of the term Second Engineer. Experienced seconds often place microphones, operate tape machines, break down equipment at the session end and keep the paperwork for the session. Brooks Cinema RM 909 Line Out (Line Output) Any output that sends out a line level signal, such as the output of a console that feeds a recorder. Layering The recording (or playing) of a musical part with of several similar sound patches playing simultaneous. Equal Loudness Contours 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 lou

1) On a tape machine, the housing for and the channel circuitry which processes the signal to be fed to the heads, provide bias, and playback. 2) The branch of science dealing with the behaviour of electrons/charges in vacuums, gases, semiconductors and special conductors. Infinite Repeat A function on some delay lines that establish enough feedback so that the repeat echo will last forever, but not so much as to cause a howling sound. Brooks KS-55 Hypercardioid Pattern A microphone pick up sensitivity pattern where the least sensitive pick up point is more than 90 degrees but less than 150 degrees off axis (usually 120 degrees). Fader A control to control the gain of a channel on the console, thereby determining the level of the signal in that channel. Brooks GS 15 Foot Pedal 1) An effects device where the amount of the effect can be controlled by a musician with his foot. 2) The beater mechanism of a foot drum that is activated by the drummer's foot

A blank Compact Disc that can be recorded on one time. 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. Brooks Cinema xm 808 Figure Eight Pattern Another name for Bi-directional Pattern (microphone pickup pattern picking up best from the front and back of the diaphragm and not picking up from the side of the diaphragm). Hi-Z An abbreviation of the term High Impedance (Impedance of 5000 or more ohms). Brooks BA 71 Binary A numbering system based on two. In binary there are two symbols used ("l" and "0"). Head Amp British name for Preamplifier (A low-noise amplifier designed to take a low-level signal, such as the output of a tape head, and bring it up to normal line level). Haas Effect Simply stated, a factor in human hearing where delay has a much bigger effect on human perception of direction than level does. Decibel (dB)

See transducer. Dynamic Range �" The range between the quietest and the loudest sounds a device can handle (often quoted in dB). Final Mix The two track stereo master tape which was mixed from the multitrack master. Brooks Cinema RM 909 Ground Adapter Plug Adapts a three pronged electrical plug to a two pronged wall outlet. This bypasses the ground and may create a hum in the system. A lack of a good ground can cause mild electrical shock when touching a microphone. Close Micing A technique of placing a microphone close to the sound source (within one foot) in order to pick up mainly the direct sound and to avoid picking up leakage or ambience. Brooks Cinema Projectors Line Out (Output, Send) Where a signal leaves the board or component. Instrument Out Direct Feeding the output of an electric instrument (like an electric guitar) to the recording console or tape recorder without using a microphone. Console A set of controls and their housing, w