Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

Produce a glossary of terms specific to the methods and principles of sound design and production. Using a provided template, you must research and gather definitions specific to provided glossary terms. Any definitions must be referenced with the URL link of the website you have obtained the definition.

You must also, where possible, provide specific details of how researched definitions relate to your own production practice.

Name: Hayden.J.Parkes RESEARCHED DEFINITION (provide short internet researched definition and URL link)

DESCRIBE THE RELEVANCE OF THE RESEARCHED TERM TO YOUR OWN PRODUCTION PRACTICE?

SOUND DESIGN METHODOLOGY

Foley Artistry A sound effects technique for synchronous effects or live effects. http://filmsound.org/foley/

I have used this many times during my work many times as have had to go out and record sounds and then edit them in to something completely new.

Sound Libraries

a collection of sounds stored on file for example on CDs, DVDs, or as digital audio files. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/sound-library

This is basically where all your sounds and media you have produced is stored. These can range from pretty much anything, VSTs, VSTi, actually media items even sounds from the web. This has been relevant to my work because I have had to store my work into a sample library to keep my media items organised.

SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed restore to its uncompressed form decompress data. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Uncompressed

We have used uncompressed file formats in our work like when we was doing recording it made the file formats into .av which is a uncompressed file format also when we was exporting the files from reaper it converted the files into .wav so it was recognisable on

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

media players.

.wav Waveform Audio File Format is the full name of the file is normally used on Windows. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAV

We use this quite a lot in lesson for example when exporting the audio sounds from reaper and the file format for when we do the audio recordings on the field recorders.

.aiff Audio Interchange File Format is the  (AIFF) is an audio file format standard used for storing sound data for personal computers and other electronic audio devices.

We didn’t use this audio file format because we was using reaper which converts the files into .wav and .aiff is commonly found on Apple software so probably wouldn’t be compatible on Windows

.au This is an audio format developed for Sun workstations and often used to distribute sound clips via the Web. http://www.ircbeginner.com/opvinfo/webglossary.html

We didn’t use .au because it is a rare file format to find so we couldn’t of really used it and that I don’t think there is any software that I know of that could open this file format.

.smp Music file used by SmartMusic, a music practice application for band, orchestra, and voice; saves an accompaniment that can be used for practicing solos and other musical parts; includes the sheet music information and can be used for assessment; replaced by the .SMPX in Finale 2014. http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/smp

This isn’t really relevant because it isn’t really high definition therefore we don’t really want low bit-rate audio we are aiming for higher audio bit-rate

Lossy Compression

Lossy file compression results in lost data and quality from the original version. Lossy Compression is typically associated with image files, such as JPEGs, but can also be used for audio files, like MP3s or AAC files. The "lossyness" of an image file may show up as jagged edges or pixelated areas. In audio files, the lossyness may produce a watery sound or reduce the dynamic range of the audio. http://www.techterms.com/definition/lossy

I haven’t used this as I haven’t had to compress data

.mp3 Stands for "MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3." MP3 is popular compressed audio file format that helped popularize digital

I didn’t have to use mp3 as all of my audio work was using wav

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

music downloads beginning in the late 1990s. MP3 files are typically about one tenth the size of uncompressed WAVE or AIFF files, but maintain nearly the same CD-quality sound. Because of their small size and good fidelity, MP3 files have become a popular way to store music files on both computers and portable devices like the iPod. http://www.techterms.com/definition/mp3

AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU)

A sound card (also known as an audio card) is an internal computer expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer. The term sound card is also applied to external audio interfaces that use software to generate sound, as opposed to using hardware inside the PC. Typical uses of sound cards include providing the audio component for multimedia applications such as music composition, editing video or audio, presentation, education and entertainment (games) and video production. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_card

I would of used whilst doing he reaper work on the computers

Digital Sound Processor (DSP)

This refers to manipulating analog information such as or photographs that has been converted into a digital form.DSP also implies the use of a data compression technique. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DSP.html

We used this in sound recording because we recorded sounds from life which is analogue and it converted the file format into digital so we did use this during the periods of recording

Random Access Memory (RAM)

RAM is made up of small memory chips that form a memory module. These modules are installed in the RAM slots on the motherboard of your computer . http://www.techterms.com/definition/ram

We used RAM when we was on the computers for when we was making the audio file if there wasn’t RAM in the computer, the computer wouldn’t of been able to open reaper

Mono Audio Commonly called mono sound, mono, or non-stereo sound, this early sound system used a single channel of audio for sound output. In monophonic sound systems, the signal sent to the sound system

We didn’t use mono sound because it is a single channel which isn’t that good we tried for at least stereo sound

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

encodes one single stream of sound and it usually uses just one speaker. Monophonic sound is the most basic format of sound output. http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/monophonic_sound.html

Stereo Audio Commonly called stereo sound or just stereo, stereophonic sound divides sounds across two channels (recorded on two separate sources) then the recorded sounds are mixed so that some elements are channelled to the left and others to the right. Stereophonic sound is generally considered the best sound technology of the 1950 and early 1960's.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/stereophonic_sound.html

We used stereo on reaper when we was making the audio files.

Surround Sound

A multichannel sound technology that produces 6 channels of sound in the left, right, centre, left surround, right surround, and rear centre positions. 6.1 systems also have 1 channel for LFE (low frequency effects) which is usually sent to a subwoofer.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/6/6_1_surround_sound.html

I was using surround sound when I was using the recorder to record my sounds for editing

Direct Audio (Pulse Code Modulation – PCM)

Pulse code modulation (PCM) is a digital scheme for transmitting analogue data. The signals in PCM are binary; that is, there are only two possible states, represented by logic 1 (high) and logic0 (low). This is true no matter how complex the analogue waveform happens to be. Using PCM, it is possible to digitize all forms of analogue data, including full-motion video, voices, music, telemetry, and virtual reality (VR).http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/pulse-code-modulation-PCM

This pretty much was a digital limiters which prevented us doing some stuff on reaper

AUDIO RECORDING SYSTEMS

Analogue Analogue recording methods store signals as a continual wave in or on the media. The wave might be stored as a physical texture on a phonograph record, or a fluctuation in the field strength of a magnetic recording. This is different from digital recording of which among many possibilities include digital audio and digital video, which digital signals are represented as data or discrete numbers.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_recording

We used analogue in recording like for the digital recorder.

Digital Mini Disc

A small recordable compact dischttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/minidisc

We didn’t use this because we didn’t use a minidisc recorder

Compact Disc (CD)

Known by its abbreviation, CD, a compact disc is a polycarbonate with one or more metal layers capable of storing digital information. The most prevalent types of compact discs are those used by the music industry to store digital recordings and CD-ROMs used to store computer data. Both of these types of

We didn’t use CDs because we didn’t really get any audio from CDs because we used digital sound recorders.

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

compact disc are read-only, which means that once the data has been recorded onto them, they can only be read, or played.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/compact_disc.html

Digital Audio Tape (DAT)

Digital Audio Tape is a signal recording and playback medium developed by Sony and introduced in 1987. In appearance it is similar to a Compact Cassette, using 4 mm magnetic tape enclosed in a protective shell, but is roughly half the size at 73 mm × 54 mm × 10.5 mm.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Tape

We didn’t use DAT because they are kind of out-dated and that computers don’t use tapes now.

MIDI Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface is a technical standard that describes a protocol, digital interface and connectors and allows a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers and other related devices to connect and communicate with one another. A single MIDI link can carry up to sixteen channels of information, each of which can be routed to a separate device.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI

We used this on reaper when we was editing sounds and creating sounds we used this in combination of software plugins and MIDI keyboard instrument.

Software Sequencers In 1975, New England Digital (NED) released ABLE computer (microcomputer) as a dedicated data processing unit for Dartmouth Digital Synthesizer (1973), and based on it, later Synclavier series were developed. The Synclavier I, released in September 1977, was one of the earliest digital music workstation products with multi-track sequencer.

We use this on reaper for when we are making the audio tracks so that we can layers several sounds on top of each other.

Software Plug-ins In computing, a plug-in (or plugin, extension, or add-on / addon) is a software component that adds a specific feature to an existing software application. When an application supports plug-ins, it enables customization. The common examples are the plug-ins used in web browsers to add new features such as search-engines, virus scanners, or the ability to utilize a new file type such as a new video format. Well-known browser plug-ins includes the Adobe Flash Player, the QuickTime Player, and the Java plug-in, which can launch a user-activated Java applet on a web page to its execution a local Java virtual machine.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-in_(computing)

We have used this on reaper when we was making the sounds and editing sounds using VSTs and VSTi’s

MIDI Keyboard Instruments

A MIDI keyboard is typically a piano-style user interface keyboard device used for sending MIDI signals or commands over a USB or MIDI cable to other devices connected and operating on the same MIDI protocol interface. This could also be a personal computer running software such as a digital audio workstation (DAW) that listens to and sends MIDI information to other MIDI devices connected by cable or running internal to the personal computer system. The basic MIDI keyboard does not produce sound. Instead, MIDI information is sent to an electronic module capable of reproducing an array of digital sounds or samples that resemble traditional analogue musical instruments. These samples or

This is the default thing we used when we was making the sounds because it was used as a virtual instrument

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Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGNUnit 73: Sound For Computer GamesIG2 Task 1

waveforms are also referred to as voices or timbres.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI_keyboard

AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-depth

In digital audio using pulse-code modulation (PCM), bit depth is the number of bits of information in each sample, and it directly corresponds to the resolution of each sample. Examples of bit depth include Compact Disc Digital Audio, which uses 16 bits per sample, and DVD-Audio and Blu-ray Disc which can support up to 24 bits per sample.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth

We tried to produce the sounds in the highest quality possible but because .wav has a low bit-rate we couldn’t make them really high quality

File Size Constraints - Sample Rate

A frequency of how many times audio is measured per second, usually measured in kilohertz (kHz); a usual number you might see is 44.1kHz. This is tied directly to bit depth or the number of bits measured in each cycle.

http://superuser.com/questions/388382/what-does-the-sample-rate-and-sample-size-of-audio-means

I tried to get the audio files into a good sample rate.

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