Audio engineering glossary provides definitions of common words and technical terminology used in the music industry by mixing and mastering engineers.
2 TRACK
The traditional definition is a stereo track, a left and right. Today, this is a term most commonly used to describe a stereo bounce, especially when speaking of an instrumental, the two terms are almost interchangeable. The most common use of this term is when referring to the unmixed instrumental that is often used in the recording/tracking stage.
ACAPELLA
This is a version of the song that does not contain any instruments, it only plays the vocals of the composition. This version can be used to do post production after the final vocals have been recorded and is often required as an alternate version to turn into labels for final file delivery. This version is commonly printed in the mix stage and sent to mastering with the other versions of the song to later be delivered in master form to the label.
ACOUSTIC TREATMENT
Panels made of fiberglass, and other things, that are hung from walls in order to deaden room reflections and balance the frequency response of a room. Treatment is very important when recording or when mixing using speakers.
ADM WAV (DOLBY ATMOS)
When a Dolby Atmos mix is finished, you can export your project or a section of your project to a file that uses the Audio Definition Model Broadcast Wave Format (ADM BWF). The ADM BWF master file is the required file format when you submit a Dolby Atmos mix to a mastering engineer or streaming services. This file will only playback in full on a 7.1.2 system or better, if played through a stereo system, only the elements not in the object field will be heard.
AMBIANCE
Background noise added to a musical recording to give the impression that it was recorded live. Often done using short room reverbs.
AMPLIFIER
A device that increases the volume of a signal. For instance, a guitar amp increases the volume of the signal picked up from the electric guitar, which is very quiet on its own.
ANALOG
Technology that does not use digital components. Often used to describe audio technology from before the mid-80’s. Analog gear tends to be sought after for the way that it “colors” sound.
ATTACK
This refers to the very beginning of a sound and also refers to the amount of time it takes after a sound begins for a sound processor to begin working. Usually measured in milliseconds, or ms.
AUDIO ENGINEER
Someone who records, edits, mixes, or masters audio. Usually works in a studio or live concert setting.
AUTOMATION
Automation is when a DAW automatically performs tasks over time, particularly moving knobs, faders, and switches for you. The most popular use of automation in mixing is to adjust the volume of a track.
AUTOTUNE
A plugin for tuning something automatically, especially a piece of computer software that enables the correction of an out-of-tune vocal performance.
AUXILIARY TRACK / AUX TRACK
A track that has no audio on it, but has audio being sent to it for processing. Often used to process a group of sounds together instead of individually. Group processing can also save on the overall processing power used by the cpu to keep from overloading the session with plugin processing.
BANDWIDTH / Q
The amount of space on the frequency spectrum that the sounds of an instrument are being produced at. Often represented by the symbol “Q”, it represents the width of the curve of a frequency boost or cut.
BI-DIRECTIONAL MIC
A Bi-Directional mic is a microphone that picks up signal from 2 directions, the back and the front of the microphone capsule, but not the sides.
BIN WAV
This file can be used to play back a simulated Dolby Atmos experience in binaural. It is a stereo fold down of the Atmos mix that can be played back on stereo headphones/playback systems. It will not portray the 7.1.2 speaker positioning, just a L/R stereo version of the mix. Sometimes used for artist approval when an mp4 version is not available.
BIT RATE
A measure of the accuracy of a digital program. The higher the bit depth, the more accurate the output. For instance, running a recording session at 24 bits means the audio will be more accurate than if it was running at 16 bits. The lower the bit rate, the less detailed the sound is and vice versa.
BOUNCE
A term used to describe the exported file, ie. “send me a bounce when you’re done.” Also can be used as verb, ie. “Bounce that record for me.” Bouncing is the same as exporting.
BPM
Beats Per Minute. It’s the tempo of the song.
BUFFER SIZE
How much data a computer program can handle at a time. Lower buffer sizes have lower latency (delay), but are more susceptible to crashing. Higher buffer sizes have greater latency, but are less susceptible to crashing. The rule of thumb is to set your buffer size as low as possible when recording and as high as possible when mixing. This setting can be found in your DAW’s preferences.
BUS
The pathway along which an electrical signal flows. For example, the output of a DAW is referred to as the mix bus or stereo bus. The term is also used to describe an aux track with several tracks of the same instrument flowing into it. For example, if I set the output of each of my drum tracks to a single bus, than the aux track with that bus as the input is referred to as the Drum Bus.
CARDIOID
A unidirectional microphone with a heart-shaped pickup pattern. Unidirectional meaning a one-directional microphone that picks up sounds in front of it, but not behind it.
CHANNEL
A pathway through an audio device. For example, sound engineers have multiple input channels and output channels. It is similar to a Bus.
CHORUS EFFECT
A sound processor that makes a sound seem doubled by creating several delayed copies of the original sound and slightly varying the pitch of each copy. Used to “thicken” a sound.
CLEAN VERSION
This is an edited version of the final mix that omits the expletive material such as derogatory terms or phrases that may occur in the lyrics or composition of the song.
CLIPPING
Audio clipping occurs when the input audio signal is at a level that's too high for the system it’s passing through. This is usually a sign you need to turn the signal down but, at times, can be used to create a desired distortion effect in certain circumstances.
COMPING
Vocal comping (short for 'compiling') involves recording a few takes of the song and splicing together only the best parts. The end result features the singer's best work, while still sounding like it was done in one take.
COMPRESSION
Compression reduces the overall dynamic range of a piece of audio by detecting when it exceeds a specified level, and then attenuating it by a specified amount. Basically, it narrows the difference between the loudest parts and quietest parts of a track so that it plays at a more consistent level.
CONDENSER MIC
A microphone commonly found in studios with a large frequency range and high sensitivity. These mics are known for being very accurate and are very commonly used for recording vocals, among other instruments.
CONSOLE / BOARD
A device for recording, mixing, or live sound purposes that amplifies, balances, processes, and combines sounds. Basically, it’s the studio version of a DAW.
CROSSFADE
A specific type of fade where one sound fades in as another sound fades out. These are used when editing audio so that the transition between the two audio clips is smooth, rather than jarring and to avoid clicks and pops that may happen as a result from cut audio.
DAW
Digital Audio Workstation. The software that you record, edit, mix, and master in. Popular versions are Pro Tools, Logic Pro, GarageBand, Ableton Live, etc.
DE-ESSER
A processor that turns down sibilance (the sound of an “s”) when it happens in a vocal track.
DECAY
How fast a sound fades from a certain loudness. Delay, or echo - A processor that creates copies of a sound source that repeat over and over, fading slowly. Commonly used with vocals and electric guitar.
DECIBEL / DB
The main unit of volume measurement. A dB is relative, as there are several different “scales” of dB’s that are used in audio (dB-FS being the most common, along with dB-VU, dB-RMS, and dB-LUFS). Each dB scale has a certain function in audio.
DELAY
Delay is a time-based audio effect that creates a repetition of the original sound. Think of it like an echo that you can adjust to repeat at different times based on synced tempo or time.
DIRECT RENDER
The required trim and downmix setting for your Dolby Atmos ADM WAV file.
DISTORTION
Distortion refers to the altering or deformation of an audio signal’s original waveform. There are many types of distortion, such as clip distortion and harmonic distortion. This tool can be used to add grunge to guitars and vocals or used to brighten or warm up any sound by increasing/decreasing odd or even harmonics within a given audio signal.
DITHERING
Adding white noise to a recording to reduce distortion when the recording is exported at a lower bit rate.
DOLBY ATMOS
Dolby Atmos is an immersive, object-based sound format that allows you to place your music in a three-dimensional space. Think 5.1 surround sound on steroids.
DOLBY AUDIO BRIDGE
This is an output option of your DAW. This needs to be selected to communicate data from your DAW to the external Dolby Renderer.
DOLBY PANNER
The Dolby Atmos Music Panner is a plug-in for positioning audio objects in a Dolby Atmos mix when used in a supported DAW and connected to the Dolby Atmos Renderer.
DOLBY RENDERER
The Dolby Atmos Renderer works in tandem with your DAW to render your mix to any playback environment, based on the audio and positional metadata you author in the DAW during your mix.
DOWNMIX/TRIM SETTINGS
The Trim and Downmix Editor dialog allows you to specify the trim and downmix settings for playing back your ADM project. The settings made in this editor are part of the static metadata of your Dolby Atmos project and stored in the ADM file when exporting. A renderer uses these settings for playback or encoding. Labels require using “Direct Render” as your downmix/trim setting.
DRY SOUND / DRY STEM
An unprocessed sound; a sound without an effect on it. The opposite of a wet sound.
DUBB/DOUBLE
A dubb or double is a secondary take that emulates the lead vocal as close to exact as possible, it is used to boost the emphasis of the lyrics, it is not the same as a harmony.
DYNAMICS
The loud and soft points of a sound over time. The higher the range, the more difference there is between the loudest point and the softest point.
EQ
Equalization, or EQ, in sound recording, mixing, mastering, and production is the process of adjusting the volume of different frequency bands within an audio signal to achieve a specific tonal balance.
EXPORTING
The process of rendering all the files in a session to a single file that can be played back by the listener. Sometimes referred to as “bouncing” or “printing”.
EYEBALL
The Eyeball is the Kaotica Eyeball. It is a foam ball with a built-in pop screen that fits over the microphone to help diffuse any unwanted reflections in a less than perfect recording environment.
FADE
The increase and decrease of volume at the beginning and end of a sound or a song.
FADER
The part of the channel that controls the volume. Faders are always a straight line, in contrast to knobs/pots, which are always circular.
FEEDBACK
When a signal is sent through an amplifier and into a microphone, which picks up the sound and sends it back through the amplifier, and so on. The loop of sound creates high pitched whines. Also refers to the parameter on a delay that adds more repetitions of the sound.
FFOA
First Frame Of Action. This defines the starting point of an atmos mix.
FILTER
An audio filter is a frequency dependent circuit, working in the audio frequency range, 0 Hz to 20 kHz. Audio filters can amplify (boost), pass or attenuate (cut) some frequency ranges.
FLANGER
A flanger is a type of audio effect that creates a distinctive “swooshing” or “jet plane” sound. It is created by combining a source audio signal with a slightly delayed, modulated version of itself.
FLAT
A word used to describe a piece of gear that has no coloration to the sound; what comes in is what comes out. Most digital gear has a flat response, whereas most analog gear does not.
FLY THE HOOK
“Flying the hook” is when you take the first recorded hook and copy and paste it throughout the song in the appropriate places. This is achieved by setting the correct tempo of the song before beginning recording and then using the grid to copy and paste the hook section so that it falls directly on the beat the exact same way in every section of the song.
FUNDAMENTAL
When a sound is produced by an instrument, a series of harmonics are created that determine the tone of that sound. The lowest (and loudest) of those frequencies is the fundamental. It is the primary harmonic of that sound.
GAIN
This is a synonym for volume, though it’s often used as another word for distortion.
GAIN STAGING
Gain staging is the process of making sure the audio is set to an optimal level for the next processor in the chain. Set to a level that minimizes noise and distortion.
HARMONY
A harmony is a term used for a vocal double that is singing a different note that accompanies the lead vocal or is performed with a different tone or inflection. Often used to accompany a lead vocal and to create chords by singing different notes within different vocal takes.
HEADPHONE ONLY MODE
This is a mode within Dolby Renderer that sends a 2 channel stereo signal that includes audio cues intended to place the input channels in a simulated virtual soundstage. It allows playback simulation of the 3D sound stage created within the Dolby Atmos mix.
HEADROOM
The amount of volume a channel can take before distorting at 0db. The louder the sound, the less headroom it has. For example, if a sound is peaking at -1db, it has 1 db of headroom.
HEIGHT
Dolby Atmos height virtualization is a digital signal processing solution that leverages Dolby's deep understanding of human audio perception to create the sensation of overhead sound from the listener-level speakers.
HERTZ
The unit of measurement for frequencies. After 1,000Hz, the unit is measured in Kilohertz, or kHz.
HIGHS / TREBLE / TOP END / AIR
The section of the frequency spectrum above 8kHz.
HOOK
The Hook, or Chorus, is the “catchy” part of the song. The part that “hooks” the listener. This part of the song is usually repeated throughout the song and often contains the name of the song within the lyrics expressed in the hook.
IMPORT
The process of transferring files/session data into your session from an external location, such as a hard drive or a folder location on your computer.
INSTRUMENTAL
This is a version of the song that does not contain any vocals, it only plays the instruments of the composition. This can be used to record vocals onto during the recording phase and is often required as an alternate version to turn into labels for final file delivery. This version is commonly printed in the mix stage and sent to mastering with the other versions of the song to later be delivered in master form to the label.
INTEGRATED LUFS
LUFS stands for Loudness Units Full Scale and Integrated LUFS is the average loudness of your entire played piece.
KNEE
A control on a compressor that changes how variable the severity of compression is once the threshold has been passed. A “soft” knee makes the compression less obvious, whereas a “hard” knee makes the compressor more obvious.
LATENCY
The amount of delay between the input and the output of a signal. Latency usually refers to the delay that occurs when someone tries to record something when there are too many plugins on the session or the buffer size is too big. The input (the instrument) is delayed so that the output (the recording) is several milliseconds behind, causing a frustrating delay in a performer’s headphones, which can throw off the rhythm and timing of the performance.
LAYERING
Recording several copies of one musical part to be performed on top of each other. A more extreme version of doubling.
LEAD VOCAL
This is the main vocal take, it is the most prominent vocal in the song that communicates the lyrics to the listener. It is often accompanied by backing vocals for support.
LEVELS
Refers to the overall volume levels/faders of the sound elements in a song.
LIMITING
Limiting catches the loudest peaks of an audio source and applies brick wall compression that prevents it from exceeding a set ceiling. Like compression this decreases dynamic range, but in limiting the ceiling is being lowered, squashing the signal.
LISTENER FATIGUE
The natural degradation of the accuracy of the human ear over several hours of listening. The ear is like a muscle - when it is used a lot, it gets tired. When a mixer reaches the point of listener fatigue, he or she needs to rest their ears, or they will start to make poor mixing choices as their ears are no longer accurate.
LKFS
LKFS stands for LOUDNESS, K-WEIGHTED, RELATIVE TO FULL SCALE. This is the most accurate measurement of loudness we have when analyzing our mixes/masters. It is interchangeable with LUFS.
LO/RO
The default trim and downmix setting for your Dolby Atmos ADM WAV file. This needs to be changed to “Direct Render” before exporting to avoid red flags at QC when submitting for DSP release.
LOOPING
Repeating a section of a song over and over again. Mute - An action that stops the sound of a channel from playing.
LOUDNESS
The perceived volume of a mix/master. This can be measured with meters and analyzers that portray loudness levels through LKFS and LUFS units. This helps a mastering engineer keep songs cohesive from one to another in an album sequence.
LOWS / LOW END / SUB
The section of the frequency spectrum between 60Hz-200Hz.
LTC GENERATOR
A plugin within your DAW that communicates data from the DAW to the Dolby Renderer in real time.
LUFS
LUFS stands for LOUDNESS UNITS FULL SCALE. This is the most accurate measurement of loudness we have when analyzing our mixes/masters. It is interchangeable with LKFS.
MAKEUP GAIN
A parameter that allows you to increase the output volume of a sound processor that made the input sound quieter. For example, a compressor makes sounds softer, so makeup gain is needed to keep the sound at the same volume that it previously was.
MASKING
The phenomenon when one’s perception of one sound is affected by the presence of another sound. Basically, if two sounds are present in the same frequency range, then it will be harder to distinguish between the two. You want to avoid masking in order to get your instruments to sit well in the mix.
MASTERING
Mastering is the final step of audio post-production. The purpose of mastering is to balance the sonic elements of a stereo mix and optimize playback across all systems and media formats. Traditionally, mastering is done using tools like equalization, compression, limiting and stereo enhancement. It is the final polish that turns a finished mix into a release that’s ready for listeners to experience on all devices, from tiny iPhone speakers to massive dance club sound systems. The term itself comes from the idea of a master copy. All copies or duplications of the audio come from the master. The mastering process ensures that those copies can be optimally played back whether they end up on streaming services, CDs or a vinyl record. In addition to that, mastering helps keep an album sounding consistent and cohesive between tracks.
MELODYNE
A plugin for tuning something automatically, especially a piece of computer software that enables the correction of an out-of-tune vocal performance.
METER
A piece of software or hardware that analyzes certain data and visually shows you the results. For example, anything that shows the volume of a sound is a volume meter.
MIC STAND
This is the metal stand that the microphone connects to. This allows the recording engineer to adjust the hit and angle of the microphone to best suite the artist and the recording’s needs.
MID/SIDE PROCESSING
The process of manipulating a sound by processing the middle (mono) of the signal and the sides (Left/Right stereo) of the signal separately, which allows for maximum control of the sound field. This can be done with all tools like EQ, compression, saturation, etc.
MIDS
The section of the frequency spectrum between 600Hz-3kHz.
MIX BUS / STEREO BUS / 2 BUS / MASTER BUS
The channel that all of the audio of a session flows to. This channel is the sum of all of the sounds in the performance, this channel is what is exported for playback.
MIXING
Audio mixing is the process by which multiple sounds are combined into one or more audio channels. In the process, a source's volume level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated or enhanced. This creative treatment is done in order to produce a finished product that is appealing to listeners. Audio mixing is used for music, film, television and live sound. The process is generally carried out by a mixing engineer operating a mixing console or digital audio workstation (DAW).
MONO
A single audio signal that plays out one channel.
MP4
MP4 is a container format, meaning it can store various types of audio and video, as long as they are encoded in a codec supported by the MP4 format. MP4 provides strong compression, which is lossy but it can package multiple media types including video, audio, images, and 3D imagery, together with complex metadata, making it possible to deliver interactive elements to viewers. This is the file type commonly used for artist approval in Atmos mixing because of its ability to deliver the 3D elements of the mix to the listener.
NOISE GATE
A sound processor that cuts off the volume of a sound once it passes below a certain volume threshold. Often used to cut noise between waveforms or cut unwanted floor or room noise in the recording.
OBJECT
A Dolby Atmos object consists of an audio stream that is sent to the Dolby Atmos Renderer plus a metadata stream transporting the panning information.
OBJECT BED
An object bed is a channel-based premix or stem that includes multi-channel panning, and does not need dedicated panning via Dolby Atmos metadata.
OMNI-DIRECTIONAL
A microphone that picks up sound from all directions.
OVERTONE
When a sound is produced by an instrument, a series of harmonics are created that determine the tone of that sound. All of the harmonics that aren’t the lowest (known as the fundamental) are known as overtones.
PAD
Something that can quickly reduce the input volume of a piece of hardware. Commonly found on microphones and preamps.
PANNING
Panning is the act of placing or moving a sound anywhere in the sound field of an audio playback system.
PHANTOM POWER
Phantom Power, often seen as +48 Volts, is the power necessary to get a condenser mic to work. Most audio interfaces have a button that sends this power to a microphone that needs it. There is a 48V Phantom Power button on most preamps as well. If your microphone is running through a preamp before it gets to your DAW, press this button to get signal to your DAW.
PHASE
The nature of the location of two similar waveforms in relation to each other. If two similar waveforms are “in-phase,” then the peaks and troughs of the waves are lined up with each other. If the waveforms are “out-of-phase,” then the peaks are in line with the troughs. This causes low and low-mid frequencies to get lost. Ultimately, out-of-phase waveforms sound bad.
PHASER
A sound processor that removes certain random frequencies by creating a copy of the soundwave and moving it back and forth, causing a “phasing” sound.
PING PONG DELAY
A delay that alternates between the left and right speakers.
PITCH
Pitch is a perceptual property of sounds that allows their ordering on a frequency-related scale, or more commonly, pitch is the quality that makes it possible to judge sounds as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies.
PITCH SHIFTER
A sound processor that changes the pitch of a sound.
PLAYLIST
A playlist is an alternate list of the audio. This is useful while recording new takes, so you do not lose any old/alternate takes that may be needed later. It is also useful to use in mixing as checkpoints that can be reverted back to if a mixing move doesn’t produce the desired effect the mixer was going for.
PLOSIVES
Sounds made from the mouth that blow quick bursts of air. Common examples are words with p’s, b’s, t’s, k’s, and d’s.
PLUGIN
A piece of software used within a DAW that processes the sound of a recording.
POLARITY
This is the direction of a waveform, ie. the peaks and troughs of a waveform. When you flip the polarity of a waveform, it turns the waveform upside down. Basically, the peaks are where the troughs once were, and vice versa. Polarity buttons (sometimes called phase buttons) are common on audio interfaces to keep stereo inputs in phase with each other. You may see this button on digital plugins and analog hardware as well. Also, if you have 2 identical sounds playing at the same time and you flip the phase on one of them, they will cancel eachother out completely and no sound will play, keep this in mind when choosing to use or not use this tool.
POP SCREEN / POP FILTER
A pop screen is a metal or mesh screen, usually circular, that is propped in front of the microphone to help diffuse (soften) the plosives, such as “P”s, “B’s”, and “T’s”.
PRE DELAY
A short delay between a sound and when an effect begins. Usually measured in milliseconds, or ms. For example, a 50ms reverb pre-delay means that there is 50ms between the actual sound and when the reverberated sound starts.
PREAMP
A preamplifier, also known as a preamp, is an electronic amplifier that converts a weak electrical signal into an output signal strong enough to be noise-tolerant and strong enough for further processing, or for sending to a power amplifier and a loudspeaker. Without this, the final signal would be noisy or distorted. They are typically used to amplify signals from analog sensors such as microphones and pickups. Because of this, the preamplifier is often placed close to the sensor to reduce the effects of noise and interference.
PRINTING
This is the process of exporting each sound of a song individually, a deconstruction of the song that can be put all together to rebuild the song to match the final bounce of the song exactly. This process is what produces stems, whether for the mix engineer to use during the mix stage or to turn into the label for final delivery of the song after approval. This term is also interchangeable with “bouncing” or “exporting” ie. “Can you print a version of that mix for me?”
PRO TOOLS PANNER
A panning parameter in pro tools that is used in immersive mixing sessions. The parameters of this panner allow the sound to be moved around in a 3D space, an alternative to using the Dolby Atmos Panner.
PROCESSORS
Any hardware or software that changes the pitch, speed, loudness, or tone of a sound.
PROXIMITY EFFECT
The closer you get to the microphone, the more “boomy” or low frequencies get recorded. This phenomenon is only present when using a condenser or ribbon mic.
PUNCH IN
A punch in is when the performer wants to re-record a small part of a larger take instead of re-recording the whole larger take, such as re-recording one phrase or bar of a whole verse instead of re-recording the whole verse.
QUARTER-INCH
Also known as a TRS cable, these are cables that are commonly used for instruments like guitars and basses. Thicker versions of this cable are used for speakers.
RATIO
A parameter of a compressor that determines how hard the compressor clamps down on the volume of the audio. If a ratio is set to 2:1, then for every 2dB’s of audio that goes above the threshold, 1dB comes out. If the ratio is set to 4:1, then for every 4dB’s of audio that goes above the threshold, 1dB comes out. And so on.
RECORDING/TRACKING
Sound recording is the electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording. In most cases recording/tracking includes the use of a microphone to capture the audio, this is then transmitted to an analog console or a DAW, or both.
REFERENCE MIX
This is the final mix at the mastering stage, it is used to make sure the mastering engineer has the right version and can ensure they are not getting too far away from the mix during the mastering process. In the mixing stage, this is the most current bounce of the recording session, this is to ensure the mixer doesn’t get too far away from the initial vision of the record during the mixing process and to ensure the stems sent are the most current version of the stems. This sets up the mixer for success.
RELEASE
How long it takes a sound processor to cease processing the sound. Usually measured in milliseconds, or ms. For example, if the release of a compressor is set to 100ms, then the compressor will stop processing the sound 100ms after it has been activated.
REVERB
Reverb is an effect whereby a sound is made to reverberate slightly to emulate a sound bouncing off walls in a room. There are many different reverbs that emulate big and small rooms.
RIBBON MICROPHONE
A microphone commonly found in studios with a high frequency range and sensitivity. This microphone “colors” the sound and is less natural sounding in tone.
ROOM TONE
The tone of the reverb produced in a room. Also refers to how the room “colors” a sound, ie. recording in a bathroom will produce a different room tone than recording in a sound-proof vocal booth.
SAMPLE
This refers to a short section of music taken from one recording and repurposed in another, or the smallest unit of measurement in digital sound.
SAMPLE RATE
A setting that determines how accurately audio that is being recorded onto a DAW is encoded. The higher the sample rate, the higher the sound quality of the recorded audio. However, it also leads to larger file sizes for the audio files.
SATURATION
Audio saturation is an audio effect that adds subtle harmonic distortion and character to music mixes. Saturation makes music sound more pleasing, combining soft compression and harmonic generation to enhance the warmth and presence of sounds. Often referred to as adding “color” to the mix.
SEND
A routing function inside a DAW that allows you to send a copy of an audio file to an auxiliary track without affecting the sound of the original file.
SIBILANCE
The sound of an “s” in a word. Usually problematic in vocal recording, as microphones pick up the sibilance sounds more than the rest of the frequency spectrum. One of the most common tools used to fix sibilance is a DE-ESSER.
SIGNAL FLOW
Where a signal travels from the input of a system to the output. For example, the average signal flow of a sound would be the microphone, then the audio interface, then the DAW, then the performer’s headphones.
SOLO
An action that temporarily mutes all sounds other than the one currently selected. Only the soloed sound is heard.
SOURCE SEPARATION
The process of extracting groups of stems from a single stereo file, ie. Extracting a drum stem, bass stem, music stem, and vocal stem form a stereo master file. This allows more freedom to create a decent atmos mix on a song when stems are not present.
SPECTRUM ANALYZER
A visual graph that shows what frequencies are being produced in real-time by a sound.
STACK
A stack is a term used for a series of vocal doubles or harmonies, usually consisting of one or more left, right, and middle layers.
STEMS
The individual audio files that, when combined together, create the final bounce that matches the reference bounce.
STEREO
A 2 channel audio signal that plays out a left channel and a right channel simultaneously.
STEREO IMAGING
Stereo Imaging is the manipulation of a signal within a 180-degree stereo field, for the purpose of creating a perception of locality within that field. Basically, making a sound seem wider or thinner within the stereo field.
SUSTAIN
How long a sound can hold before it begins to fade. Threshold - A parameter of a sound processor that tells the processor to not kick in until the volume of an incoming sound exceeds the set volume limit. For example, a compressor does not start to turn down audio until the instrument gets louder than the threshold set by the user.
TAKE
This is a pass, or an attempt, to record the desired musical material, ie. “Let me try another take for the hook.”
TALKBACK MICROPHONE
A microphone in the control room of a studio that allows the engineer or producer to talk to the performers who are recording in the live room or vocal booth of the studio.
TAPE
The medium that sound was recorded on before the transition to computers in the mid-80’s. While technically less accurate than digital recording, tape is sought after for the warmth and aggression it adds to the sounds recorded on it.
THRESHOLD
A parameter of a sound processor that tells the processor to not kick in until the volume of an incoming sound exceeds the set volume limit. For example, a compressor does not start to turn down audio until the instrument gets louder than the threshold set by the user.
TIMBRE
Another word for tone.
TRANSIENT
The very beginning section of a sound. Also known as the sound’s attack. It’s the loudest and most percussive part of the sound.
TREMOLO
A sound processor that either quickly turns the volume of a sound up and down, or quickly pans it left to right.
TRUE PEAK
True Peak is the maximum level that a signal reaches. It is the “loudest” point in your signal. True Peak is just a more accurate version of peak.
TUNING
Tuning is the process of correcting the pitch of a sound that may be out of key, the wrong note, or a flat/sharp note in the performance. Tools such as Autotune and Melodyne may be used to correct tuning issues.
TV TRACK
This is a version used for live performances. It often omits the lead vocals and only leaves the backing vocals for support for the artist during a live performance of the song. In some cases the lead vocals are left in the hooks/chorus of the song.
VARI-FI
Creates the effect of audio changing speed. The pitch-change effect is similar to what a tape deck or turntable sounds like when speeding up or slowing down from a complete stop. Vari-Fi can preserve the original duration of the original audio or extend it or shorten it depending on the setting used.
VCA
A VCA group allows you to control the volume of multiple channels using one fader, without changing their routing. Think of it like changing the volume on a TV remote for a group of audio tracks.
VERSE
This is the part of a song in between the chorus/hook of the song. This part is usually not repeated again throughout the song and commonly explains in further detail what the message of the chorus/hook is.
WAVEFORM
The shape of a sound wave.
WAVELENGTH
How long a wave is. The shorter the wavelength, the faster the wave.
WET SOUND / WET STEM
A fully processed sound; a sound with only an effect on it. The opposite of a dry sound.
XLR
A cable with three prongs that is used by microphones.