Brooks Audio Design TM-22 Alternating Current

Electric current which flows back and forth in a circuit.

A/D
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.

Brooks Cinema xm 808 Echo Send Control
A control to send the signal from the input module to the echo chamber or effects device via the echo buss.

Feed
To send an audio or control signal to.

Brooks QS 70 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.

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.

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

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 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.

Gain Structure
The way in which the gain varies in the stages or sections of an audio system.

Brooks Cinema QS - 95 Amplification
An increasing of signal strength.

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

Brooks Cinema XS - 45 Flamenco
A style of music with roots in Spanish and Arabic culture.

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 hear bass frequencies and somewhat harder to hear very high frequencies).

Barrier Micing
A method of placing the head of a microphone as close as possible to a reflective surface, preventing phase cancellation.

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 KM 22 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.

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.

Brooks Audio Design 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.

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 TM-22 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.

Compander
Outboard sound equipment. Combination of a Compressor and an Expander.

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.

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.

Brooks Cinema xm 808 Link

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

Digital Recording
1) ADAM : (Akai Digital Audio Multitrack). 12 track recording onto Video 8 tape. 16 bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz sampling rate.
2) DAT (Digital Audio Tape) Cassette-like system which has much higher quality than standard audio cassettes. Widely used in gathering sound effects, for news gathering, and for playback of music.
3) DCC (Digital Compact Cassette) Rival to DAT which also plays standard audio cassettes.
4) MiniDisc : Uses computer disk technology, rather than tape. A laser heats an area of magnetic disk which is then written to by a magnetic head. When cooled, the magnetic information is read from the disk by laser. Tracks can be named, and are instant start. Very theatre-friendly system.
5) Direct to Disk : Uses the hard disk present in most PCs as the recording medium.

Brooks Cinema Projectors Full Range
Describes a sound which covers all audible frequency ranges. As in "full range speaker cabinets."

Limiter
A device which reduces gain when the input voltage exceeds a certain level.

Brooks Speakers Electromagnetic Field
Magnetic energy put out because of current travelling through a conductor.

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"

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.

Coax
Two-conductor cable consisting of one conductor surrounded by a shield.

Brooks KM 77 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.

Fly In
1) To add sounds into a mix or recording that have no synchronization.
2) An application of this where a performance from one part of a tune is recorded and then recorded back into the recording at a different time in the recording.

Brooks Audio Design SS 81 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).

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

Brooks Cinema KM 22 Electrons
Negatively charged particles, which revolve around the centre of atoms. The movement of such electrons down a conductor causes electrical current.

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

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).

Input Overload
Sending too high of a signal level into a device so that the first amplifier of the device overloads.

Brooks Audio Design KM 77 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.

Electret Condenser
A condenser microphone that has a permanently polarized (charged) variable capacitor as its sound pressure level sensor.

Brooks TM-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.

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.

Brooks Cinema xm 808 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.

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.

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

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

Brooks Audio Design KM 77 Linear

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

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 Audio Design GT 845 Electrostatic Charge
The excess or deficiency of electrons in a given area.

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.

Brooks Cinema ZL 44 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.

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.

Electromagnetic Theory
A statement of the principles behind electromagnetic induction: When a conductor cuts magnetic lines of force, current is induced in that conductor.

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.

Brooks Cinema xm 808 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.

Half Step
A pitch difference of the amount that is present between adjacent keys on a piano.

Brooks KM 77 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.

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 TM-22 Frequency Response
How sensitive an electronic device (mic, amplifier, speaker, etc.) is to various frequencies; often communicated with a graph.

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.

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.

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 microphone stand and which holds the microphone. 3) Loosely, a boomstand.

Brooks Audio Design KM 77 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).

Crossover (Crossover Network)
A set of filters that "split" the audio signal into two or more bands (two or more signals, each of which have only some of the frequencies present).

Brooks Cinema GT 845 Key
The control of a dynamics processing device by an external audio signal.

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.

Brooks Audio Design SS 81 Fly In
1) To add sounds into a mix or recording that have no synchronization.
2) An application of this where a performance from one part of a tune is recorded and then recorded back into the recording at a different time in the recording.

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

Chip
1) A slang term with the same meaning as the term IC (a miniature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment).
2) The thread cut away from the master lacquer to make the groove, while disc recording.

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

Brooks Cinema XS - 45 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.

Bit
The smallest unit of digital information representing a single "0" or 1.

Brooks GT 845 kHz
An Abbreviation of kilo-Hertz.

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

Brooks Audio Design GT 845 Electricity
Electrical current (the amount of electron charge passing a point in a conductor per unit of time) or voltage (the force pushing electrons to obtain electrical current).

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.

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).

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

Brooks Cinema XB 33 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.

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 Cinema ZL 44 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.

Error Detection
The process of discovery that sonic information bits have been lost in digital audio.

Brooks Audio Design TM-22 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).

AES
An abbreviation of Audio Engineering Society.

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.

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.

Brooks Cinema Projectors Flat

1) Lower in musical pitch.
2) A slang term used to describe the sensitivity to frequency of a microphone, amplifier, etc., as being even at all frequencies, usually within 2 dB.
3) Refers to the frequencies on the EQ when they are arranged in centred neutral positions.

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

Brooks Cinema NZ 60 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"

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 GT 845 Buss (Bus)
A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources.

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

Compact Disc CD
A small optical disk with digital audio recorded on it.

Group Faders
The VCA faders of individual channels that are all controlled by a Group Master Fader (a slide control used to send out a control voltage to several VCA faders in individual channels).

Brooks QS 70 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.

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 Cinema Projectors Buss (Bus)
A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources.

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

Brooks Cinema xm 808 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.

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.

Impedance Matching
Having or converting the output impedance of a device so that it matches the impedance of the input it will feed.

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

Brooks XB 33 LFO

Low-Frequency Oscillator (an oscillator that puts out an AC signal between .1 Hz and 10Hz used for a control signal).

File
A collection of digital data stored in a computer's memory bank or on a floppy disc.

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

Far Field
The area from 3 feet away from the sound source up to the critical distance.

Brooks Cinema QS - 95 Formant
An element in the sound of a voice or instrument that does not change frequency as different pitches are sounded.

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.

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.

Arc
The visible sparks generated by an electrical discharge.

Brooks Speakers Final Mix

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

ADSR
The letters A, D, S &R are the first letters of: Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release. These are the various elements of volume changes in the sounding of a keyboard instrument.

Brooks Audio Design TM-22 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.

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

Brooks Audio Design SS 81 Gain Structure
The way in which the gain varies in the stages or sections of an audio system.

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

Delay (Digital, Analogue)
1) Effect used to create echo…echo…echo…echo…echo…
2) In more advanced systems used in very large venues, delay can be used to time the arrival of the signal to the speakers in the back of the room so that people in the back hear the sound coming from those speakers at the same time that the sound coming from the speakers in the front of the room arrives.

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 GT 845 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.

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).

Brooks XS - 45 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).

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

Brooks Cinema ZL 44 Dynamic Mic
Robust type of microphone which picks up the sound on a diaphragm connected to a coil of wire which moves within a magnet. An alternating current is induced into the wire which provides the electrical output. Most dynamic mics have low output impedance of 200 Ohms. See Condenser Mic.

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

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.

Chord
Three or more musical pitches sung or played together.

Brooks TM-22 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.

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

Inverse Square Law
Simply stated, the fact that in an un-obstructed area (like an open field) the sound pressure level will drop to half-pressure (-6 dB) every time the distance to the sound source is doubled.

Brooks Audio Design TM-22 Link
(Said of compressors and dynamic processing units.) To combine the control input signals of two channels of a compressor (o

Line Out (Output, Send)
Where a signal leaves the board or component.

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

Icon
A visual picture or symbol on a computer screen that represents a file, program or disc that can be used.

BROOKS AUDIO DESIGN Audio

Most often referring to electrical signals resulting from the sound pressure wave being converted into electrical energy.

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 loudspeaker components.

Brooks Cinema Series Capacitance
The property of being able to oppose a change in voltage or store an electrical charge.

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

Folded Horn
A speaker design where the speaker points back into the cabinet and bounces around finally coming out large ports in the front. It is intended to maximize low frequencies in a relatively small cabinet.

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.

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 Cinema XS - 45 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.

Ground Loop
A double grounding of a line or electronic device at two different "ground" points of differing voltage.

Brooks Cinema ZL 44 Bulk Dump
Short for System Exclusive Bulk Dump (a method of transmitting data, such as the internal parameters of a MIDI device to another MIDI device).

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.

Brooks TM-22 Bottom
The bass frequencies (as in "needs more bottom end").

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, semiconductors and special conductors.

Electricity
Electrical current (the amount of electron charge passing a point in a conductor per unit of time) or voltage (the force pushing electrons to obtain electrical current).

High Frequencies
The audio frequencies from 6000 Hz and above.

Brooks Cinema KM 22 Floppy Disk (Floppy Disc)

A round flat object (usually housed in a protective sleeve) coated with material that can be magnetized in a similar manner to tape.

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 xm 808 Electromagnetic Induction or Pick Up
The generation of electrical signal in a conductor moving in a magnetic field or being close to a changing magnetic field.

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).

Brooks QS - 95 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.

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).

Ground Loop
A double grounding of a line or electronic device at two different "ground" points of differing voltage.

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 QS 70 Kilo

A prefix meaning 1000.

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

Brooks KM 22 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.

Clean
Describes a distortion free sound with few effects.

BROOKS AUDIO DESIGN Electret Condenser
A condenser microphone that has a permanently polarized (charged) variable capacitor as its sound pressure level sensor.

Echo Send
The output of a console used to send a signal to an echo chamber or delay effects device.

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

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.

Brooks Cinema KM 22 In-Line Console

A console with modules that have controls for all console sections in one long strip.

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

Brooks Cinema QS - 95 Early Reflections
The first echoes in a room, caused by the sound from the sound source reflecting off one surface before reaching the listener.

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

Brooks Cinema XB 33 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.

Error Correct
Exact replacement of lost information bits in digital audio.

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

Input Overload
Sending too high of a signal level into a device so that the first amplifier of the device overloads.

Brooks VT-50 Baffles

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

Ampere
The unit of current, abbreviated Amp.

Brooks Cinema ZL 44 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.

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

Brooks TM-22 Electromagnetic Field
Magnetic energy put out because of current travelling through a conductor.

Inductor
A device designed primarily to introduce inductance into an electric circuit. Sometimes called a choke or coil.

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.

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

Brooks TM-22 Linear

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

Face
The front or body of the guitar.

Brooks Cinema xm 808 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.

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, semiconductors and special conductors.

Brooks GT 845 Frequency Shift Key / FSK
The full name for FSK (A simple clock signal that can be used to run a sequencer in time with an audio tape).

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

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.

Folded Horn
A speaker design where the speaker points back into the cabinet and bounces around finally coming out large ports in the front. It is intended to maximize low frequencies in a relatively small cabinet.

BROOKS AUDIO DESIGN 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).

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.

Brooks Cinema GT 845 Clean
Describes a distortion free sound with few effects.

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 GT 845 Ampere
The unit of current, abbreviated Amp.

Digital Recording
1) ADAM : (Akai Digital Audio Multitrack). 12 track recording onto Video 8 tape. 16 bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz sampling rate.
2) DAT (Digital Audio Tape) Cassette-like system which has much higher quality than standard audio cassettes. Widely used in gathering sound effects, for news gathering, and for playback of music.
3) DCC (Digital Compact Cassette) Rival to DAT which also plays standard audio cassettes.
4) MiniDisc : Uses computer disk technology, rather than tape. A laser heats an area of magnetic disk which is then written to by a magnetic head. When cooled, the magnetic information is read from the disk by laser. Tracks can be named, and are instant start. Very theatre-friendly system.
5) Direct to Disk : Uses the hard disk present in most PCs as the recording medium.

Current
The amount of electron charge passing a point in a conductor per unit of time.

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

Brooks KM 77 Amplifier

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

Crossover, Active
A rack mountable unit used to separate frequencies leaving the soundboard into high's, mids, and lows with different outputs for each.

Brooks QS - 95 Automatic Gain Control (Automatic Volume Control)
A compressor with a very long release time used to keep the volume of the audio very constant.

Delay
Outboard sound equipment that can momentarily stores a signal being sent to part of a P.A. system so that delayed reinforced sound reaches the audience at the same time as live sound from the stage.

Brooks XS - 45 Bar
A term meaning the same thing as the term Measure (the grouping of a number of beats in music, most-often four beats).

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.

Generation
A term used to describe the number of times that the recorded audio signal has been copied.

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").

Brooks Cinema xm 808 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.

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.

Brooks XB 33 Compact Disc Recordable CDR
A blank Compact Disc that can be recorded on one time.

Level
The amount of signal strength; the amplitude, especially the average amplitude.

Brooks Cinema Series Dolby
Trade name for a series of noise reduction systems that have become standard on many tape playback machines. Many film soundtracks are produced using this process. Different varieties are found from Dolby B on most personal cassette players, to Dolby SR and Digital, the current state of the art for cinema.

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.

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.

Fret Buzz
A buzzing sound made when a note is not properly fretted. Common with cheap guitars or beginning guitar players.

BROOKS AUDIO DESIGN 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.

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.

Brooks Audio Design TM-22 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.

Line In (Input, return)
Where a signal enters the board or component.

Brooks Cinema ZL 44 Ampere
The unit of current, abbreviated Amp.

Information Bits
The bits in the digital signal that make up actual values or commands being communicated as opposed to bits that are used for checking & correcting data or other purposes.

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

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.

Brooks Audio Design GT 845 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.

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.

Brooks Speakers Blending
1) A condition where two signals mix together to form one sound or to give the sound of one sound source or one performance.
2) Mixing the left and right signal together slightly which makes the instruments sound closer to the center of the performance stage. 3) A method of panning during mixing where instruments are not panned extremely left or right.

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

Brooks Cinema QS - 95 Face
The front or body of the guitar.

Error Detection
The process of discovery that sonic information bits have been lost in digital audio.

Limiter
A device which reduces gain when the input voltage exceeds a certain level.

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.