Brooks Audio Design

An element in the sound of a voice or instrument that does not change frequency as different pitches are sounded. Capacitance That property of a capacitor which determines how much charge can be stored in it for a given potential difference between its terminals, measured in farads, by the ratio of the charge stored to the potential difference. Brooks Cinema TX 509 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. Boundary Mic A microphone mounted on a flat plate that acts as a reflective surface directing sound into the mic capsule. Used for general pick-up over a large area. See PCC, PZM. Brooks Cinema Projectors Effects Electronic boxes (usually rack mounted) added to a PA sy...

Another name for Bass Drum (the largest drum in the Drum Kit which puts out bass frequencies and is played with a foot pedal). Auxiliary Output or Send 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. Brooks Cinema RM 909 Leakage Sounds from other instruments and sources that were not intended to be picked up by the microphone. Floor 1) An alternate tam meaning Range (a limit on the amount the signal is reduced when the input signal is low by an expander or gate). 2) A shortening of the term Noise Floor (the level of the noise). Brooks TM-22 Hybrid A product created by the marriage of two different technologies. Meant here as the combination of a dynamic woofer with an electrostatic transducer. IC Abbreviation of Integrated Circuit (A miniature circuit of ...

A storage unit for digital data that has rigid disks coated with magnetic material in a housing that includes the drive mechanism. Crosstalk Leakage of an audio signal into a channel that iris not intended to be in, from an adjacent or nearby channel. Brooks SS 81 Imaging To make a representation or imitation of the original sonic event. 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 Cinema ZL 44 Generating Element The portion of the microphone that actually converts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current or voltage changes. Link (Said of compressors and dynamic processing units.) To combine the control input signals of two channels of a compressor (o Guitar Processor A unit that will add effects to a direct guitar signal, including a simulated instrument amplifier sound and (often) delay and reverb effects. Ground Lift A switch...

Any musical instrument that puts out an electrical signal rather than an acoustic sound. Beats Per Minute BPM The number of steady even pulses in music occurring in one minute and there fore defining the tempo of the song. Brooks Cinema RM 909 Central Processing Unit 1) The main "brain" chip of a computer that performs the calculations and execution of instructions. 2) The main housing of a computer that contains the "brain" chip as opposed to other pieces of the computer system such as keyboards, monitors, etc. Echo Return An input of the console, which brings back the echo (reverberation) signal from the echo chamber or other echo effects device. Brooks KM 77 Input Impedance The opposition to current flow by the first circuits of a device. Chord Three or more musical pitches sung or played together. Dry Describes a sound coming from the PA with no effects on it. Basic Session The First session in recording an audio pro...

A slide control used to send out a control voltage to several VCA faders in individual channels, thus controlling the gain of several channels. Expander A device that causes expansion of the audio signal. Brooks KS-55 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). 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 QS-70 Arc The visible sparks generated by an electrical discharge. 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. Atom The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve. Ambient Field ...

A numbering system based on two. In binary there are two symbols used ("l" and "0"). Acoustic Amplifier The portion of the instrument which makes the vibrating source move more air or move air more efficiently; this makes the sound of the instrument louder. Examples of acoustic amplifiers include: 1) The body of an acoustic guitar, 2) The sounding board of a piano, 3) The bell of a horn and 4) The shell of a drum. Brooks Cinema XR 607 Compact Disc, Interactive CDI A Compact Disc, usually containing audio, video, and text, which the user can interact with in that the display or playback changes after the user performs some action. Full Step A change in pitch that occurs when moving up or down two piano keys Brooks M 44 Compressor A signal processing device that does not allow as much fluctuation in the level of the signal above a certain adjustable or fixed level. Action In guitar playing, action refers to how far the strings s...

1) The main "brain" chip of a computer that performs the calculations and execution of instructions. 2) The main housing of a computer that contains the "brain" chip as opposed to other pieces of the computer system such as keyboards, monitors, etc. Acoustic Amplifier The portion of the instrument which makes the vibrating source move more air or move air more efficiently; this makes the sound of the instrument louder. Examples of acoustic amplifiers include: 1) The body of an acoustic guitar, 2) The sounding board of a piano, 3) The bell of a horn and 4) The shell of a drum. Brooks Cinema ZL 44 Contact Microphone A device that senses vibrations and puts out an audio signal proportional to the vibrations. IM Distortion An abbreviation of the term Intermodulation Distortion (Distortion caused by one signal beating with another signal and producing frequencies that are both the sum and the difference of the original frequencies present). ...

An unbalanced cable most often used for instruments and patch cords. Commonly referred to as "guitar cords". Input Impedance The opposition to current flow by the first circuits of a device. Brooks KS-55 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. 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 volume you get with close-miking, and in doing so, adds punch to the sound mix. A Limiter is used to stop a signa...

The device which does the conversion of a quantity that has continuous changes (usually of voltage) into numbers that approximate those changes. Contact Microphone A device that senses vibrations and puts out an audio signal proportional to the vibrations. Brooks RM 80 Buss (Bus) A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources. kHz An Abbreviation of kilo-Hertz. Brooks GS 15 Frequency Practically speaking, high frequency means high pitch and low frequency means low pitch. Jack 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...

Describes a sound which covers all audible frequency ranges. As in "full range speaker cabinets." Cut-Off Frequency (Turnover Frequency) 1) The highest or lowest frequency in the pass band of a filter. 2) The highest or lowest frequency passed by an audio device (the cut-off frequency is usually considered to be the first frequency to be 3 dB lower than a reference frequency in the middle of the bandwidth of the device) Brooks GT 44 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. Electronics 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, semicond...

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). Full Step A change in pitch that occurs when moving up or down two piano keys Brooks GS 15 Channels These are divided into two separate categories. Input channels are those channels coming into the soundboard such as microphones and direct lines. Output channels are those leaving the board such as monitor and main outputs. 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 and the length 2.6 times the height Brooks Cinema XR 607 Coax Two-conductor cable consisting of one conductor surrounded by a shield. Field 1) In video, one half of a frame. 2) In computer-controlled devices a window display with functions and choices that the operator can m...

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). 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. Brooks Cinema TX 509 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. Amplifier A device which increases the amplitude (level) of an electrical signal (making it louder). Brooks GT 845 Boom 1) A hand-held, telescoping pole used to hold the microphone in recording dialogue in film production. 2) A telescoping support arm that is attached to a microphon...

The first echoes in a room, caused by the sound from the sound source reflecting off one surface before reaching the listener. Bottom The bass frequencies (as in "needs more bottom end"). Brooks XB 22 Full Range Describes a sound which covers all audible frequency ranges. As in "full range speaker cabinets." High Hat A double cymbal on a stand which can be played with a foot pedal or by the top cymbal being hit with a stick. Brooks Cinema Projectors Guitar Controller An electric guitar or device played like an electric guitar that puts out MIDI signals that can be used to control synthesizers and sound modules. 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. Compressor A signal processing ...

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 Insulator A substance such as glass, air, plastic, etc., that will (for all practical purposes) not conduct electricity. Brooks GS 15 Electrons Negatively charged particles, which revolve around the centre of atoms. The movement of such electrons down a conductor causes electrical current. Fat Having more than a normal amount of signal strength at low frequencies or having more sound than normal (by use of compression or delay). Brooks TM-22 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. Linearity The extent to which a...

In electronics, a place (terminal) that has zero volts. Critical Distance The point a distance away from the sound source where the direct sound and the reverberant sound are equal in volume. Brooks TA 60 Hz (Hertz) 1) An abbreviation for the term Hertz (the unit of frequency). 2) Unit of frequency equivalent to the number of cycles per second. Electric Instrument Any musical instrument that puts out an electrical signal rather than an acoustic sound. Brooks Cinema xm 808 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. Expander A device that causes expansion of the audio signal. Lead The musical instrument that plays the melody of the tune, including the vocal. Folded Horn A speaker design where the speaker points back into the cabinet and bounces around fin...

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. Controller 1) In MIDI, a device that generates a MIDI signal to control synthesizers, sound modules or sample playback units. 2) A remote control unit for a multitrack tape machine which controls transport functions as well as monitor selection switching functions and record ready/safe status of each track. 3) Any device generating a control voltage or signal fed to another device's control input. Brooks GS 15 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. Fly In 1) To add sounds into a mix or recording that have no synchronization. 2) A...

A double grounding of a line or electronic device at two different "ground" points of differing voltage. Hard Disk Recording The recording of digital audio onto a hard disc. Brooks GS 15 Balls 1) The depth and thickness of a sound, usually on the bottom end of the EQ (as in "needs more balls"). 2) The strength of the voice on the mic (as in "check it like you have some balls"). Echo Return An input of the console, which brings back the echo (reverberation) signal from the echo chamber or other echo effects device. Brooks QS-70 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. 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. Efficiency The acoustic power delivered for a given electrical inpu...

Leakage of an audio signal into a channel that iris not intended to be in, from an adjacent or nearby channel. High Frequencies The audio frequencies from 6000 Hz and above. Brooks GS 15 Bandwidth 1) The range of frequencies over which a tape recorder, amplifier or other audio device is useful. 2) The range of frequencies affected by an equalization setting. Guitar Controller An electric guitar or device played like an electric guitar that puts out MIDI signals that can be used to control synthesizers and sound modules. Brooks Cinema TX 509 Humbucker Pickups that are coupled together to get a certain sound. Cord (Speaker, Mic, Instrument) Used to connect a sound system together. Each type of cord is made for a specific purpose and should not be used in place of another type of cord, not even if they look alike. Also see "cable" Hall A large building designed for concerts; also called a concert hall. Electret Condenser A condenser mi...

Sound equipment that converts the low voltage, low current signal from a tape deck, mixer etc. into a higher current signal suitable for driving speakers. See Power Amplifier, Crossover. 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). Brooks Cinema KP 30 Guitar Processor A unit that will add effects to a direct guitar signal, including a simulated instrument amplifier sound and (often) delay and reverb effects. Error Detection The process of discovery that sonic information bits have been lost in digital audio. Brooks RM 80 Harmonic Distortion The presence of harmonics in the output signal of a device which were not present in the input signal. Balls 1) The depth and thickness of a sound, usually on the bottom end of the EQ (as in "needs more balls"). 2) The strength of the voice on the mic (as in ...

Used inside of full range speaker cabinets to separate highs, mids, and lows and send them to their respective speakers within the each cabinet. These are not as efficient as active crossovers because they require all frequencies to draw from the same source of amplification. Fundamental The tuned frequency and (almost always) the lowest frequency that is present in the sounding of a pitch by a musical instrument. Brooks Cinema Projectors Diaphragm A thin flexible membrane or cone that vibrates in response to electrical signals to produce sound waves. Distortion is usually referred to in terms of total harmonic distortion (THD) which is the percentage of unwanted harmonics of the drive signal present with the wanted signal. Generally used to mean any unwanted change introduced by the device under question. Compression Driver The unit that feeds a sound pressure wave into the throat of a horn (in a horn loudspeaker). Brooks SS 81 Limiter A device which reduces ...

A set of controls and their housing, which control all signals necessary for recording and mixing. Byte A grouping of eight information bits. Brooks KS-55 Howlback British term for the term Feedback (the pickup of the signal out of a channel by the input of the channel or the howling sound that this produces). Expander A device that causes expansion of the audio signal. Brooks XT 20 Feedback 1) The delayed signal sent back to the input of a delay line, used in repeat-echo effects. 2) The pickup of the signal out of a channel by its input or the howling sound that this produces. 3) In an amplifier, the phase reversed output signal sent back to its input, reducing gain but also distortion and noise. 4) This occurs when the sound coming out of the speakers goes back into the microphones, then back out the speakers, then back into the mics…and so on. This can build very quickly to a point where everyone in the room is holding their ears and screaming at you....

An abbreviation of Analog to Digital Conversion (the conversion of a quantity that has continuous changes into numbers that approximate those changes), or Analog to Digital Converter. Electret Condenser A condenser microphone that has a permanently polarized (charged) variable capacitor as its sound pressure level sensor. Brooks Cinema KP 30 Active/Inactive Microphones Scientific definitions aside, active microphones generally sound better than inactive ones, but they generally cost more. They also require the use of either a battery or phantom power while inactive mics need only be plugged into the mic cord in order to work. In most playing situations, the subtle improvement in sound quality from an active mic isn't worth the extra cost and hassle. One possible exception it the headset mic. Put simply, inactive headset mics just plain suck. Active headset mics put out a much stronger signal and feed back much less. Amplification An increasing of signal strength...

Sounds from other instruments and sources that were not intended to be picked up by the microphone. Gain Control A device that changes the gain of an amplifier or circuit, often a knob that can be turned or a slide that can be moved up arid down. Brooks KS-55 Crossover, Passive Used inside of full range speaker cabinets to separate highs, mids, and lows and send them to their respective speakers within the each cabinet. These are not as efficient as active crossovers because they require all frequencies to draw from the same source of amplification. Acoustic/Acoustical Having to do with sound that can be heard by the ears. AcousticsThe behaviour of sound and its study. The acoustics of a room depend on its size and shape and the amount and position of sound-absorbing and reflecting material. Brooks RM 80 Fletcher Munson Effect A hearing limitation shown by Fletcher Munson Equal Loudness Contours (as music is lowered in volume, it is much more difficult to he...

An electrical network built into some microphones to reduce the amount of output at bass frequencies when close-micing. Edit A switch that does different things depending on the operational mode that the machine is in: 1) If a computer-controlled transport is in "Stop," pushing the "Edit" switch deactivates the computer-controlled tension system and allows the reels to be moved by hand to find the exact spot desired on the tape. 2) If the machine is in "Play", the "Edit" switch makes the take-up reel cease taking up the tape and it falls to the floor. 3) If the machine is in a fast-wind mode, the tape lifters are defeated so the tape is in contact with the reproduce head and the engineer can hear where the selections begin and end. Brooks Cinema TX 509 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. Front Loaded A ...

A condenser microphone where the capacitor plates are given a charge during manufacture which they retain, therefore requiring no external power supply. Error Message A prompt on a computer screen telling the operator that an error has occurred. Brooks Cinema Series 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. AES/EBU Professional Interface A standard for sending and receiving digital audio adopted by the Audio Engineering Society and the European Broadcast Union. Brooks Cinema ZL 44 DC Abbreviation for direct current. Bandwidth 1) The range of frequencies over which a tape recorder, amplifier or other audio device is useful. 2) The range of frequencies affected by an equalization setting. Input Overload Sending too high of a signal level into a device so that the first amplifier of the device overloads. ...

1) A way of optimizing the efficiency of a speaker system by separately amplifying the High Frequency (HF) and Low Frequency (LF) portions of the sound signal and sending them down two pairs of cables to the speaker. Multipin Speakon connectors have been developed to do this. 2)The process of having of having low-frequency speakers and high-frequency speakers driven by separate amplifiers. Clicking Pressing and immediately releasing the switch on a computer's mouse. Brooks M 44 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. Frequency Range The range of frequencies over which an electronic device is useful or over which a sound source will put out substantial energy. Brooks VT-50 Cut-Off Frequency (Turnover Frequency) 1) The highest or lowest frequency in the pass band of a filter. 2) The highest or lowest frequency passed by an audio device (the cu...

To make a representation or imitation of the original sonic event. Circuit 1) One complete path of electric current. 2) Similar to definition 1, but including all paths and components to accomplish one function in a device. Brooks Cinema TX 509 Images The squaring of the waveform that happens in the conversion of digital audio bits into analog signals. Generation A term used to describe the number of times that the recorded audio signal has been copied. Brooks Speakers 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 and the length 2.6 times the height Central Processing Unit 1) The main "brain" chip of a computer that performs the calculations and execution of instructions. 2) The main housing of a computer that contains the "brain" chip as opposed to other pieces of the compute...

The range of frequencies over which an electronic device is useful or over which a sound source will put out substantial energy. Full Step A change in pitch that occurs when moving up or down two piano keys Brooks BA 71 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. Amplifier (Power amp, Head) It's the part of the sound system that actually magnifies or "amplifies" the sound. In other words, it makes stuff louder. Brooks GS 15 High Frequencies The audio frequencies from 6000 Hz and above. 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. Direct box Used in line to convert a high impedance signal into a low impedance signal. Electrostatic Charge ...

A unit used in the measure of frequency, equivalent to Hertz. Cycles Per Second is an outdated term replaced by Hertz in 1948. High Impedance Impedance of 5000 or more ohms. Brooks Cinema XR 607 Bridge The bridge assembly, or just "bridge" is an area on the face of the guitar where the string meet or are connected to the face. 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). Brooks Cinema ZL 44 Chorusing 1) A term meaning the same thing as Chorus (Definition 3 or 4). 2) In some delay effects devices, a term used to mean the term Depth (the amount of change in the controlled signal by the control signal). 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 Con...

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. 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. Brooks Cinema NZ 60 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. Coincident Microphones (Coincident Pair) Two microphones whose heads are placed as lose as possible to each other so that the path length from any s...