Knowledge Base
Audio technology is full of terms and acronyms, no-one can be expected to know them all! We’ve compiled a knowledge-base of terminology here as a reference and supporting resource to our courses. If there’s a word or phrase you’re not sure of and can’t find here please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly!
Automation
The use of digital or analog control to change audio levels or effects parameters over time....
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Brickwall Limiter
A limiter with a very high ratio and fast attack time to prevent any signal from exceeding the threshold....
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Bus Compression
Applying compression to the entire mix bus to glue the mix together....
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Clipping
Distortion that occurs when the amplitude of a signal exceeds the maximum limit of the recording or playback system....
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Compression
Reducing the dynamic range of a signal by amplifying quiet sounds and attenuating loud ones....
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De-Esser
A tool used to reduce sibilance or harsh high-frequency sounds in vocal recordings....
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Delay
An audio effect that records an input signal to an audio storage medium and then plays it back after a period of time....
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Distortion
Unwanted alterations of an audio signal, often due to overdriving equipment....
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Dithering
Adding a low level of noise to an audio signal to mask quantisation errors....
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Dynamic Range
The difference between the quietest and loudest parts of an audio signal....
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Equalisation
The process of adjusting the balance between frequency components within an audio signal....
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FFT Analyser
A tool that displays the frequency content of an audio signal in real time....
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Gain Staging
The process of managing the levels of different audio signals to prevent distortion and ensure clarity....
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Harmonic Exciter
A device that enhances the harmonic content of an audio signal....
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Headroom
The amount of space left between the peak level of the audio signal and the maximum level the system can handle....
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High Shelf
An equaliser boost or cut applied to the high-frequency end of the spectrum....
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Limiter
A device that prevents audio signals from exceeding a certain threshold....
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Low Shelf
An equalizer boost or cut applied to the low-frequency end of the spectrum....
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Master Bus
The final output stage in an audio mixing console where all channels are combined....
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Mid/Side Processing
Processing that treats the mid and side components of a stereo signal separately....
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Mixdown
The process of creating a final stereo track from a multitrack recording....
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Mono Compatibility
Ensuring that a mix will sound good when played back in mono....
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Multiband Compression
A type of compression that applies different settings to different frequency bands....
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Parallel Compression
A technique where the compressed signal is mixed with the original signal to retain dynamics while controlling peaks....
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Reverb
The persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound is removed....
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RMS Level
Root Mean Square level, a statistical measure of the magnitude of a varying audio signal....
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Saturation
A form of distortion that adds harmonics to an audio signal, creating warmth and color....
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Sidechain Compression
A compression technique where the compression of one signal is controlled by another signal....
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Stem Mastering
A mastering process where individual stems (submixes) are processed separately....
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Track Spacer
A plugin used to create space in a mix by dynamically adjusting frequencies....
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Transient Shaping
A process that shapes the attack and decay characteristics of a sound....
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