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: Kieran Dixon 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/

A technique used to synchronise and desynchronise sound effects both ordinary and ‘live’.

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

A place for sounds and files of music (including soundtracks and video files) to be organised neatly and efficiently. Whilst also referred to as a playlist in some smaller devices, in larger hardware areas, like PCs and Laptops, they are referred to as libraries, as they function differently in that they hold more space and compse the sounds easier and quicker, and manage to allow insight as to what, exactly, the file you are listening to is; what type it is and so forth.

In smaller, media devices such as MP3/4 players and phones, the file name, and often size, are not shown.

SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed Uncompressed audio files are the most accurate digital representation of a soundwave, but can also be the most resource-intensive method of recording and storing digital audio, both in terms of storage and management.http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/guide/uncompressed-audio-file-formats

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

.wav A Wave file is an audio file format, created by Microsoft, that has become a standard PC audio file format for everything from system and game sounds to CD-quality audio. A Wave file is identified by a file name extension of WAV (.wav). Used primarily in PCs, the Wave file format has been accepted as a viable interchange medium for other computer platforms, such as Macintosh. This allows content developers to freely move audio files between platforms for processing, for example.http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Wave-file

.Wav files are, from my understanding, the most common, aside from .Mp3 and .Mp4, music playback file and general sound format. Created for the sole purpose of sound and files similar, this type of file, made and developed by Microsoft for use with its systems, is convertible and reliable in the playback area; high quality sounds depending on the file- and usually good performance- easy to load and use with most other systems.

.aiff Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) is an audio file format standard used for storing sound data for personal computers and other electronic audio devices.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Interchange_File_Format

An audio file format used to store and analyse interchangeable music files and allowing storage on computers and other digital and audiatory (audio) devices.

.au The Au file format is a simple audio file format introduced by Sun Microsystems. The format was common on NeXTsystems and on early Web pages.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Au_file_format

.smp SMP (symmetric multiprocessing) is the processing of programs by multiple processors that share a common operating system and memory.http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/definition/SMP

A way of processing files and storage data using similar processors with the same memory and Operating System (OS).

Lossy Compression A term describing a data compression algorithm which actually reduces the amount of information in the data, rather than just the number of bits used to represent that information.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lossy

A way of compresing a file, so that the file size, in a sense, does not affect the performance and sound of the files, but does lessen the amount of data and memory it takes up.

.mp3 It is a lossy compression algorithm that removes certain frequencies that humans can't hear.http://mp3.about.com/od/glossary/g/mp3def.htm

Allows for sound and music, as well as, in some cases, video files, to be heard and seen by the human ear and eye respectively. While not generally used for video files, it can be reprogrammed towards that effect and purpose, while also retaining the ability to hold sound files. Mp3 files can also be used, not only as video files, but also as convertabel

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

files, so they, if they hold too much information or a format not suitable, can be changed to either an MP4 file, or some other similar playback format.

AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU) The SPU is the unit responsible for all aural capabilities of the psx. It handles 24 voices, has a 512kb sound buffer, has ADSR envelope filters for each voice and lots of other features.http://psx.rules.org/spu.txt

From what I can gather, a sound processor unit (SPU) is a piece of software that can process and analyse multiple sound formats and files, and store them for either later use of modification.

Digital Sound Processor (DSP) Short for digital signal processing, which refers to manipulating analog information, such as sound or photographs that has been converted into a digital form. DSP also implies the use of a data compression technique.When used as a noun, DSP stands for digital signal processor, a special type of coprocessor designed for performing the mathematics involved in DSP. Most DSPs are programmable, which means that they can be used for manipulating different types of information, including sound, images, and video.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DSP.html

Digital sound processing can be used with mathematics to imporove the file of sound in some way or another, either performance wise or similarly. Usually used to measure, filter and/or compress sound files, and often analogue signals.

It is a specialised microprocessor with goals to further the sound data measurements.

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://techterms.com/definition/ram

Multiple, small memory chips that are formed together as one unit, which can be used as a memory module; a place to store and collect data and files, and allow for temporary or permanent storage.

Mono Audio Mono is just one channel. Usually the left and right channel combined. In the early days of reproduced sound there was only mono recordings.https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091214070855AAuPcIC

It uses only a single sound channel, often being referred to as mono sound, though the full title is monophonic; it is called mono for the singular use, distant and dissimilar to that of the stereo sound, of its single sound channel. This differs from the other, more direct vversion of sound recording and use, which is stereo, that uses two channels.

Stereo Audio Stereo means two channel as in a seperate right channel and a seperate left channel.https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091214070855AAuPcIC

Stereo audio is used in many modern and some old machines and pieces of electronic adio recording and playback equipments.

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

Surround Sound A system of sound recording and reproduction that uses three or more independent recording channels and loudspeakers in order to give the impression that the listener is surrounded by the sound sources.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/surround+sound

A sound system and, in a sense, software device, that allows for the feel of sound surrounding the listener through nodes acting as speakers. This can also be used to integrate with non-digital, electronic devices, such as television speakers and, in rare scenarios that are becoming more common, headphones.

Direct Audio (Pulse Code Modulation – PCM)

Pulse-code modulation (PCM) is a method used to digitally represent sampled analog signals.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation

AUDIO RECORDING SYSTEMS

Analogue Refers to recording audio in a format of continuous vibrations that are analogous to the original sound waves. Before audio recording became digital, sounds were "carved" into vinyl records or written to tape as magnetic waveforms. Contrast with digital audio.http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/60827/analog-audio

Digital Mini Disc The MiniDisc (MD) is an obsolete magneto-optical disc-based data storage device for 74 minutes and, later, 80 minutes, of digitized audio or 1 gigabyte of Hi-MD data.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MiniDisc

A small, miniature storage disk, a somewhat ancestor of the modern CD, that can store up to 1 gigabyte of data, or roughly 70 to 80 minutes of music or video playback. Now obsolete, but often used in the day of its making (1992), this disk is extremeply similar to the current floppy disks and CDs, creating similarity between the three different hardwares.

Compact Disc (CD) A compact disc [sometimes spelled disk] (CD) is a small, portable, round medium made of molded polymer (close in size to the floppy disk) for electronically recording, storing, and playing back audio, video, text, and other information in digital form.http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/compact-disc

Allows the storage and multidudal use of information, whether it be video, sound, text or other forms and files. In some cses, it can be used to store simple text files and, later, used to run prgrammes and executable files, if the data allowance of said disk is high enough.

Digital Audio Tape (DAT) magnetic tape on which sound is digitally recorded with high fidelity for playback.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/digital+audio+tape

Used as a means of recording and transmitting ,as well as playing sound and video files. Often referred with the use of VHS systems and old tape recorders.

MIDI Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface: is a technical standard that describes a protocol, digital interface and connectors and allows a wide

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

variety of electronic musical instruments, computers and other related devices to connect and communicate with one another.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI

Software Sequencers An electronic device or software program that digitally stores sound for modification and playback through a synthesizer.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sequencer

Allows for playback and modifcication through storage of sound files, music files, and effects. Also can be used with a synthesiser, a piece of equipment that can allow for one or more sound to playback at the same time, and can also, in some cases, be used to modify and change the sound(s) completely.

Software Plug-ins A hardware or software module that adds a specific feature or service to a larger system. The idea is that the new component simply plugs in to the existing system.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/plug_in.html

An example would be a USB stick/memory stick, or a floppy disk. It (Either disk or USB) can be used to download files to and from an existing piece of hardware (for example, a computer{PC}) and can be used as simple storage.

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.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI_keyboard

AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-depth

In digital audio , bit depth describes the potential accuracy of a particular piece of hardware or software that processes audio data. In general, the more bits that are available, the more accurate the resulting output from the data being processed.http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/bit-depth

File Size Constraints - Sample Rate

The number of times an analog signal is measured (sampled) per second. The unit of sample rate is "samples per second". This is often expressed in kiloHertz (kHz). For example, "CD quality" sound has a sample rate of 44 kHz.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sample+rate

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