Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Brooks Cinema TZ 505 DC

Abbreviation for direct current.

Bass Roll Off
An electrical network built into some microphones to reduce the amount of output at bass frequencies when close-micing.

Brooks M 44 Expander
A device that causes expansion of the audio signal.

Echo Return
An input of the console, which brings back the echo (reverberation) signal from the echo chamber or other echo effects device.

Brooks BA 71 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 in 2 sizes : quarter inch and eighth inch.
3) A connector mounted on the case of a device or on a panel.

Amplification
An increasing of signal strength.

Chorus
1) The part of The song that is repeated and has the same music and lyrics each time; the chorus will usually give the point of the song.
2) A musical singing group that has many singers.
3) A delay effect that simulates a vocal chorus by adding several delays with a mild amount of feedback and a medium amount of depth.
4) A similar effect created in some synthesizers by detuning (reducing the pitch of, slightly) and mixing it with the signal that has regular tuning and with a slight delay.

kHz
An Abbreviation of kilo-Hertz.

Monday, August 30, 2021

Brooks SS 81 AES/EBU

Professional Interface A standard for sending and receiving digital audio adopted by the Audio Engineering Society and the European Broadcast Union.

Atom
The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve.

Brooks Cinema RM 909 Headroom
1) The level difference (in dB) between normal operating level and clipping level in an amplifier or audio device.
2) A similar level difference between normal tape operating level and the level where the distortion would be 3%.
3) The difference, in decibels, between the peak and RMS levels in program material.

Amp
1) An abbreviation of the term Amplifier (A device which increases the level of an electrical signal.
2) An abbreviation of Ampere (the unit of current).
3) An abbreviation of amplitude (the height of a waveform above or below the zero line).

Brooks XT 20 Keyboard Controller
A device that has the standard music keys of piano but puts out MIDI signals

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.

Chorus
Common type of effect that makes sounds fuller and thicker.

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.

Sunday, August 29, 2021

Brooks XT 20 Front Loaded

A speaker cabinet where the speaker faces out toward the front.

Coincident Microphones (Coincident Pair)
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.

Brooks Cinema XR 607 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.

Clicking
Pressing and immediately releasing the switch on a computer's mouse.

Brooks TM-22 IC
Abbreviation of Integrated Circuit (A miniature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment).

ID
An index signal (digital data that gives the machine information of where selections start, their selection number, etc.) on a DAT or CD.

Auxiliary Input or Return
A route back into the sound desk for a signal sent to a piece of outboard equipment via an auxiliary send.

Keyboard Controller
A device that has the standard music keys of piano but puts out MIDI signals

Saturday, August 28, 2021

Brooks Cinema KP 30 Hybrid

A product created by the marriage of two different technologies. Meant here as the combination of a dynamic woofer with an electrostatic transducer.

Full Step
A change in pitch that occurs when moving up or down two piano keys

Brooks QS 70 Cycles Per Second
A unit used in the measure of frequency, equivalent to Hertz. Cycles Per Second is an outdated term replaced by Hertz in 1948.

Distortion
Usually undesirable result of overloading sound equipment. Reducing the levels can remedy the situation.

Brooks XB 22 Chorus
Common type of effect that makes sounds fuller and thicker.

Boost
To increase gain, especially to increase gain at specific frequencies with an equalizer.

Axis
A line around which a device operates. Example: In a microphone, this would be an imaginary line coming out from the front of the microphone in the direction of motion of the diaphragm.

Cue Send Control
A control that will adjust the amount of signal sent to a cue buss from a console channel.

Friday, August 27, 2021

Brooks RM 80 Face

The front or body of the guitar.

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.

Brooks GT 44 Keyboard Controller
A device that has the standard music keys of piano but puts out MIDI signals

Chord
Three or more musical pitches sung or played together.

Brooks XB 22 High-Pass Filter
A device that rejects signals that are below a certain frequency (called the cut-off frequency) and passes signals with frequencies that are higher.

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.

Feedback Control
The control on a delay line or delay effects device that controls the amount of feedback.

Chamber
1) An Echo Chamber (a room designed with very hard, non-parallel surfaces equipped with a speaker and microphone so that when dry signals from the console are fed to the speaker, the microphone will have a reverberation of these signals that can be mixed in with the dry signals at the console).
2) A program in a delay/reverb effects device that simulates the sound of an Echo Chamber.

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Brooks TM-22 Editing

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.

Binary
A numbering system based on two. In binary there are two symbols used ("l" and "0").

Brooks SS 81 Crisp
Describes a good clean high midrange sound. It can be good or bad depending on the look on the face of the guy who said it.

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 recorded).

Brooks GT 44 Haas Effect
Simply stated, a factor in human hearing where delay has a much bigger effect on human perception of direction than level does.

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

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.

Aux Send
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.

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Brooks KS-55 Line Out (Output, Send)

Where a signal leaves the board or component.

Axis
A line around which a device operates. Example: In a microphone, this would be an imaginary line coming out from the front of the microphone in the direction of motion of the diaphragm.

Brooks RM 80 Atom
The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve.

Keynote Number
A number assigned to each key of a synthesizer or controller keyboard that is transmitted in the MIDI signal.

Brooks Speakers Aliasing
A sampler mis-recognizing a signal sent to it that is at a frequency higher than the Nyquist Frequency. Upon playback, the system will provide a signal at an incorrect frequency (called an alias frequency). Aliasing is a kind of distortion.

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.

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.

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.

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Brooks XT 20 Equalization

1) The process of adjusting the tonal quality of a sound. A graphic equalizer provides adjustment for a wide range of frequency bands, and is normally inserted in the signal path after the mixing desk, before the amplifier. See Feedback.
2) Any time the amplitude of audio signals at specific set of frequencies are increased or decreased more than the signals at other audio frequencies.

Active Crossover
Uses active devices (transistors, IC's, tubes) and some form of power supply to operate.

Brooks XB 22 Lead
The musical instrument that plays the melody of the tune, including the vocal.

Electret Mic
A condenser microphone where the capacitor plates are given a charge during manufacture which they retain, therefore requiring no external power supply.

Brooks GT 44 Critical Distance
The point a distance away from the sound source where the direct sound and the reverberant sound are equal in volume.

Atom
The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve.

Input Impedance
The opposition to current flow by the first circuits of a device.

Auxiliary Equipment
Effects devices separate from but working with the recording console.

Monday, August 23, 2021

Brooks Cinema xm 808 Bi-Amplification

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.

Auxiliary Input or Return
A route back into the sound desk for a signal sent to a piece of outboard equipment via an auxiliary send.

Brooks Cinema Projectors 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.

Error Concealment
Putting replacement information bits into a digital audio signal to replace lost bits when the digital recording or processing system cannot verify whether the lost bits were l's or 0's but can make a good guess by comparing the known bits that were close in position to the lost bits.

Brooks Cinema NZ 60 Foldback
A European term for the signal sent to the stage monitors in a live performance.

Frequency Range
The range of frequencies over which an electronic device is useful or over which a sound source will put out substantial energy.

Layering
The recording (or playing) of a musical part with of several similar sound patches playing simultaneous.

Ground Lifter
An adapter that takes a three prong power cord and plugs into a two prong outlet, used to disconnect the third (ground) pin of the power outlet. WARNING: It can be VERY DANGEROUS to have no ground connection to the case by using a ground lifter and not grounding the unit by other means.

Sunday, August 22, 2021

Brooks BA 71 Graphic Equalizer

An device with several slides controlling the gain of audio signal present which is within one of several evenly spaced frequency bands (spaced according to octaves).

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 QS 70 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.

Final Mix
The two track stereo master tape which was mixed from the multitrack master.

Brooks XB 22 Baffles
Sound absorbing panels used to prevent sound waves from entering or leaving a certain space

Engineer
1) A technician in charge of a recording session; Also called Recording Engineer.
2) A person with an engineering degree.
3) A person with sufficient experience in the field to be equivalent to the education one would receive earning an engineering degree.

High Impedance
Impedance of 5000 or more ohms.

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 make

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Brooks Speakers 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.

Auxiliary Input or Return
A route back into the sound desk for a signal sent to a piece of outboard equipment via an auxiliary send.

Brooks Cinema Projectors 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.

Compact Disc, Read Only Memory CDROM
A Compact Disc used to store digital data, such as large programs, that can be read by a computer.

Brooks XB 22 Layering
The recording (or playing) of a musical part with of several similar sound patches playing simultaneous.

Feed
To send an audio or control signal to.

IC
Abbreviation of Integrated Circuit (A miniature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment).

Clock Signal
The signal put out by a circuit that generates steady even pulses or steady codes used for synchronization.

Friday, August 20, 2021

Brooks BA 71 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.

Centre Frequency
The frequency of the audio signal that is boosted or attenuated most by an equalizer with a peak equalization curve.

Brooks Speakers Kick (Kick Drum)
Another term for Bass Drum.

Envelope
1) How a sound or audio signal varies in intensity over a time span.
2) How a control voltage varies in level over time controlling a parameter of something other than gain or audio level.

Brooks TA 60 In
Short For "in the circuit," in other words "active."

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.

Bi-Amplification
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.

Infinite Baffle
A baffle so large that the sounds coming from one side do not reach the other side.

Thursday, August 19, 2021

Brooks Cinema ZL 44 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 to play the drum.
3) Any device, like a volume control, that can be operated by the foot.

Cardioid Pattern
A microphone pick up pattern, which has maximum pick up from the front, less pick up from the sides, and least pick up from the back of the diaphragm.

Brooks Cinema XR 607 Harmonic Distortion
The presence of harmonics in the output signal of a device which were not present in the input signal.

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.

Brooks RM 80 Envelope
1) How a sound or audio signal varies in intensity over a time span.
2) How a control voltage varies in level over time controlling a parameter of something other than gain or audio level.

Linearity
The extent to which any signal handling process is accomplished without amplitude distortion.

Cancellation
A shortening of the term Phase Cancellation (the energy of one waveform significantly decreasing the energy of another waveform because of phase relationships at or close to 180 degrees).

Attack
The rate the sound begins and increases in volume.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Brooks Cinema xm 808 Librarian Program

A computer program allowing the storage of the parameters of sound patches outside of a synthesizer.

Board
1) Another, less formal, term for Console.
2) A set of controls and their housing which control all signals necessary for recording and for mixing.
3) A slang shortening of the term Keyboard Instrument.

Brooks GS 15 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.

Dry
Describes a sound coming from the PA with no effects on it.

Brooks TA 60 Isolation
A containing of the sound wave in a certain area so that it will not leak into other areas and/or unintended mics.

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.

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.

Ground
In electronics, a place (terminal) that has zero volts.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Brooks Cinema ZL 44 Formant

An element in the sound of a voice or instrument that does not change frequency as different pitches are sounded.

Generating Element
The portion of the microphone that actually converts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current or voltage changes.

Brooks Speakers 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.

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 BA 71 Amplitude
The strength of a vibrating wave; in sound, the loudness of the sound.

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).

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.

Boom Stand
A microphone stand equipped with a telescoping support arm to hold the microphone.

Monday, August 16, 2021

Brooks Cinema Series Keyboard Controller

A device that has the standard music keys of piano but puts out MIDI signals

Cue Send Control
A control that will adjust the amount of signal sent to a cue buss from a console channel.

Brooks Cinema TZ 505 Link
(Said of compressors and dynamic processing units.) To combine the control input signals of two channels of a compressor (o

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 Cinema TX 509 Chorus
Common type of effect that makes sounds fuller and thicker.

Humbucker
Pickups that are coupled together to get a certain sound.

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.

Earth
The British version of the term Ground (In electronics, a place that has zero volts).

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Brooks GT 845 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.

In
Short For "in the circuit," in other words "active."

Brooks Cinema ZL 44 Filter
1) A device that removes signals with frequencies above or below a certain point called the cut-off frequency.
2) An equalizer section, used in this sense because filters are used with other components to give an equalizer its frequency response characteristics.
3) The action of removing signals of some frequencies and leaving the rest.
4) A mechanical device to smooth out speed variations in tape machines called a Scrape Flutter Filter- more usually called a Scrape Flutter Idler

Basic Session
The First session in recording an audio production to record the Basic Tracks.

Brooks Cinema xm 808 Linearity
The extent to which any signal handling process is accomplished without amplitude distortion.

Foot Switch
A switch placed on the floor and pressed by a musician to do various functions.

Comb Filter
1) The frequency response achieved by mixing a direct signal with a delayed signal of equal strength especially at short delays.
2) Loosely used to also describe effects that can be achieved with comb filtering as part of the processing.

Kick (Kick Drum)
Another term for Bass Drum.

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Brooks Cinema Projectors Generating Element

The portion of the microphone that actually converts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current or voltage changes.

Fader
A control to control the gain of a channel on the console, thereby determining the level of the signal in that channel.

Brooks Cinema ZL 44 Cut-off Rate (Slope)
The number of dB that a filter reduces the signal for each octave its frequency past the filter's cut-off frequency (outside of the pass band).

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 XT 20 Absorption
Short for the term Acoustical Absorption (quality of a surface or substance to take in, not reflect, a sound wave).

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.

Frets
Vertical metal wires which sit vertically on the guitar neck.

Bass Roll Off
An electrical network built into some microphones to reduce the amount of output at bass frequencies when close-micing.

Friday, August 13, 2021

Brooks GT 44 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.

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 GS 15 Librarian Program
A computer program allowing the storage of the parameters of sound patches outside of a synthesizer.

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 Speakers AES
An abbreviation of Audio Engineering Society.

Auxiliary Input or Return
A route back into the sound desk for a signal sent to a piece of outboard equipment via an auxiliary send.

Corner Frequency
Same as Cut-Off Frequency (the highest or lowest frequency in the pass band of a filter). (NOUN)

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.

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Brooks KM 77 Bank

1) A collection of sound patches (data as to the sequence and operating parameters of the synthesizer generators and modifiers) in memory.
2) A group of sound modules as a unit.

Frequency Response
How sensitive an electronic device (mic, amplifier, speaker, etc.) is to various frequencies; often communicated with a graph.

Brooks BA 71 Haas Effect
Simply stated, a factor in human hearing where delay has a much bigger effect on human perception of direction than level does.

Key
The control of a dynamics processing device by an external audio signal.

Brooks QS 70 Input/Output Module
A set of controls, on one housing, for an in-line console that has two channels (one for recording and one for monitoring) and has controls for all console sections.

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.

IC
Abbreviation of Integrated Circuit (A miniature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment).

Ground Lift
A switch that breaks the connection between the ground point in one circuit and the ground point in another circuit.

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Brooks SS 81 Hertz

The unit of frequency. Equivalent to cycles per second. Abbreviation: Hz.

Floor Toms
The large toms to the right of the drummer.

Brooks XB 22 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.

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 Cinema ZL 44 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)

Linear
The condition of obtaining a change at the output of the device which is proportional to the change occurring at the input.

Atom
The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve.

Equalization
1) The process of adjusting the tonal quality of a sound. A graphic equalizer provides adjustment for a wide range of frequency bands, and is normally inserted in the signal path after the mixing desk, before the amplifier. See Feedback.
2) Any time the amplitude of audio signals at specific set of frequencies are increased or decreased more than the signals at other audio frequencies.

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Brooks Cinema TX 509 Echo Send Control

A control to send the signal from the input module to the echo chamber or effects device via the echo buss.

Fundamental
The tuned frequency and (almost always) the lowest frequency that is present in the sounding of a pitch by a musical instrument.

Brooks KM 77 Bar
A term meaning the same thing as the term Measure (the grouping of a number of beats in music, most-often four beats).

Foldback
A European term for the signal sent to the stage monitors in a live performance.

Brooks Cinema xm 808 Cascade
To set and interconnect two mixers so that the stereo mixing buss(es) of the first mixer feeds the stereo buss(es) of a second mixer.

Dry
Describes a sound coming from the PA with no effects on it.

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)

High Impedance
Impedance of 5000 or more ohms.

Monday, August 9, 2021

Brooks Cinema xm 808 Line Level

1) An amplified signal level put out by an amplifier and used as the normal level that runs through the interconnecting cables in a control room.
2) A low level signal such as the signal in a guitar cord. Most parts of a PA require a line level signal. Remember, however, that speaker outputs are not line level. Plugging speaker outs into line ins will result in damage to the equipment

Generating Element
The portion of the microphone that actually converts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current or voltage changes.

Brooks RM 80 Hi-Z
An abbreviation of the term High Impedance (Impedance of 5000 or more ohms).

Direct box
Used in line to convert a high impedance signal into a low impedance signal.

Brooks GS 15 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.

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.

Board
1) Another, less formal, term for Console.
2) A set of controls and their housing which control all signals necessary for recording and for mixing.
3) A slang shortening of the term Keyboard Instrument.

Compact Disc Recordable CDR
A blank Compact Disc that can be recorded on one time.

Sunday, August 8, 2021

Brooks SS 81 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.

Arc
The visible sparks generated by an electrical discharge.

Brooks M 44 High Frequencies
The audio frequencies from 6000 Hz and above.

Key
The control of a dynamics processing device by an external audio signal.

Brooks Cinema xm 808 Channel
1) In multitrack tape machines, this term means the same thing as the term Track (one audio recording made on a portion of the width of a multitrack tape).
2) A single path that an audio signal travels or can travel through a device from an input to an output.

Filter
1) A device that removes signals with frequencies above or below a certain point called the cut-off frequency.
2) An equalizer section, used in this sense because filters are used with other components to give an equalizer its frequency response characteristics.
3) The action of removing signals of some frequencies and leaving the rest.
4) A mechanical device to smooth out speed variations in tape machines called a Scrape Flutter Filter- more usually called a Scrape Flutter Idler

Dry
Describes a sound coming from the PA with no effects on it.

Cue Send Control
A control that will adjust the amount of signal sent to a cue buss from a console channel.

Saturday, August 7, 2021

Brooks KM 77 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).

Charge
The electrical energy of electrons. The energy is in the form of a force that is considered negative and repels other like forces (other electrons) and attracts opposite (positive) forces.

Brooks Speakers 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.

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).

Brooks Cinema NZ 60 Final Mix
The two track stereo master tape which was mixed from the multitrack master.

BPM
An abbreviation of Beat Per Minute (the number of steady even pulses in music occurring in one minute and therefore defining the tempo).

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.

Cable, TRS
A less common balanced cable that has 3 different contacts on its 1/4 inch connectors. Most headphone jacks are a good example of a TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) connector. These are sometimes used instead of the more common XLR connection.

Friday, August 6, 2021

Brooks GT 845 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.

Earth
The British version of the term Ground (In electronics, a place that has zero volts).

Brooks Cinema Projectors 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.

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 xm 808 IC
Abbreviation of Integrated Circuit (A miniature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment).

Line
1) Short for line level.
2) A cable.

Balance
1) The relative level of two or more instruments in a mix, or the relative level of audio signals in the channels of a stereo recording. 2) To make the relative levels of audio signals in the channels of a stereo recording even.

Atom
The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve.

Thursday, August 5, 2021

Brooks M 44 Headroom

1) The level difference (in dB) between normal operating level and clipping level in an amplifier or audio device.
2) A similar level difference between normal tape operating level and the level where the distortion would be 3%.
3) The difference, in decibels, between the peak and RMS levels in program material.

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.

Brooks XT 20 Byte
A grouping of eight information bits.

Capacitor
1) A device consisting of two or more conducting plates separated from one another by an insulating material and used for storing an electrical charge. Sometimes called a condenser.
2) An electronic device that is composed of two plates separated by an insulator.

Brooks BA 71 Hum
The 60 Hz power line current accidentally induced or fed into electronic equipment.

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.

Frets
Vertical metal wires which sit vertically on the guitar neck.

High Impedance
Impedance of 5000 or more ohms.

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Brooks BA 71 Headroom

1) The level difference (in dB) between normal operating level and clipping level in an amplifier or audio device.
2) A similar level difference between normal tape operating level and the level where the distortion would be 3%.
3) The difference, in decibels, between the peak and RMS levels in program material.

Face
The front or body of the guitar.

Brooks QS 70 Isolation
A containing of the sound wave in a certain area so that it will not leak into other areas and/or unintended mics.

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 make

Brooks Cinema RM 909 Flamenco
A style of music with roots in Spanish and Arabic culture.

Ambience
The portion of the sound that comes from the surrounding environment rather than directly from the sound source.

Input/Output Module
A set of controls, on one housing, for an in-line console that has two channels (one for recording and one for monitoring) and has controls for all console sections.

Capo
A clamp-like device that is placed vertically across the guitar neck. It is used to change the pitch of the guitar, acting as a moveable nut.

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Brooks Cinema RM 909 Lead Sheet

A written chart showing the melody, lyrics and chords of a tune with full musical notation.

Baffles
Sound absorbing panels used to prevent sound waves from entering or leaving a certain space

Brooks TA 60 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.

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 KP 30 Attenuation
A making smaller: reduction of electrical or acoustic signal strength.

Imaging
To make a representation or imitation of the original sonic event.

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.

Electric Instrument
Any musical instrument that puts out an electrical signal rather than an acoustic sound.

Monday, August 2, 2021

Brooks GS 15 Clicking

Pressing and immediately releasing the switch on a computer's mouse.

Electrostatic Charge
The excess or deficiency of electrons in a given area.

Brooks Cinema Projectors 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.

Equalization
1) The process of adjusting the tonal quality of a sound. A graphic equalizer provides adjustment for a wide range of frequency bands, and is normally inserted in the signal path after the mixing desk, before the amplifier. See Feedback.
2) Any time the amplitude of audio signals at specific set of frequencies are increased or decreased more than the signals at other audio frequencies.

Brooks SS 81 Amplifier
A device which increases the amplitude (level) of an electrical signal (making it louder).

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.

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).

Leakage
Sounds from other instruments and sources that were not intended to be picked up by the microphone.

Sunday, August 1, 2021

Brooks Cinema XR 607 Atom

The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve.

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.

Brooks Speakers 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.

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.

Brooks Cinema KP 30 Keynote Number
A number assigned to each key of a synthesizer or controller keyboard that is transmitted in the MIDI signal.

Boom Stand
A microphone stand equipped with a telescoping support arm to hold the 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.

Input
1) The jack or physical location of where a device receives a signal.
2) The signal being received by a device.
3) The action of receiving a signal by a device.

Brooks Hi Fi speakers Filter

1) A device that removes signals with frequencies above or below a certain point called the cut-off frequency. 2) An equalizer section, ...