Brooks Audio Design

The unit of current, abbreviated Amp. 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. Brooks Cinema QS - 95 Byte A grouping of eight information bits. Echo 1) One distinct repeat of a sound because of the sound reflecting off a surface. 2) Loosely, used to mean reverberation (the continuing of a sound after the source stops emitting it, caused by many discrete echoes closely spaced in time). Brooks KM 22 Hi-Z An abbreviation of the term High Impedance (Impedance of 5000 or more ohms). Hertz The unit of frequency. Equivalent to cycles per second. Abbreviation: Hz. Ambient Micing Placing a microphone in the reverberant field (where the reverberation is louder than the direct sound) so as to do a separate recording of the ambience or to allow the recording engineer to change the mix of direct to reverberant sou...

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. 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 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. Brooks KM 22 IM Distortion An abbreviation of the term In...

A device which increases the amplitude (level) of an electrical signal (making it louder). 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. Brooks Gt 44 Frets Vertical metal wires which sit vertically on the guitar neck. Face The front or body of the guitar. BROOKS HI fi Ampere The unit of current, abbreviated Amp. Basic Session The First session in recording an audio production to record the Basic Tracks. Interface Any device that allows one unit to work, drive or communicate with another unit when they cannot do so by just feeding each other often because the units are manufactured by different companies. Line Out (Line Output) Any output that sends out a line level signal, such as the output of a console that feeds a recorder.

The smallest unit of digital information representing a single "0" or 1. Echo Chamber 1) A room designed with very hard, non-parallel surfaces and equipped with a speaker and microphone. 2) Any artificial or electronic device that simulates the reverberation created in a room. Brooks XM 204 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. Cue 1) The signal fed back to the musicians through headphones. 2) To set the tape or disc so that the intended selection will immediately play when the tape machine or player is started. 3) A location point entered into a computer controlling the playback or recording of a track or tape. 4) In MCI brand tape machines, a term meaning the same thing as Sync Playback (where the record head is used as a playback head for those tracks already...

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. LED 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. Brooks XM 204 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'...

The number of steady even pulses in music occurring in one minute and there fore defining the tempo of the song. Action In guitar playing, action refers to how far the strings sit off of the guitar neck. When strings are close to the neck, it is referred to as "Low Action". When the string sit far above the neck, it is called "High Action". Guitars with low action are easier to play, but make sure they are not too close, or it could causing buzzing. Brooks Cinema DESIGN ZL 44 Kick (Kick Drum) Another term for Bass Drum. 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. Brooks XB 33 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 approximat...

The area of the guitar at the end of the neck where the strings are tuned. 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 AUDIO reviews Capacitance The property of being able to oppose a change in voltage or store an electrical charge. Line Out (Output, Send) Where a signal leaves the board or component. BROOKS HI fi Balance Control 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. Critical Distance The point a distance away from the sound source where the direct sound and the reverberant sound are equal in volume. Amplification An increasing of signal strength. Dry Describes a sound comi...