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: Joshua O. Ridett 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 Foley effects are sound effects added to the film during post productionhttp://www.sound-ideas.com/what-is-foley.html

Foley artistry is the act of adding sound effects to a product after it is finished being produced

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 sound library is a collection of sounds stored in a certain place

SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed (Of data) not compressed.http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/uncompresseda

Uncompressed format is a format where the relevant files have not been shrunk/compressed to save room, though the file will retail its full quality

.wav Short for WAVeform Audio Format, it is normally used in an uncompressed format on the Microsoft Windows platform.http://mp3.about.com/od/glossary/g/WAV_def.htm

A WAV file is a file type used most commonly for uncompressed audio files for Microsoft Windows.

.aiff Stands for "Audio Interchange File Format." AIFF is a file format designed to store audio data. A standard AIFF file contains 2 channels of uncompressed stereo audio with a sample size of 16 bits, recorded at a sampling rate of 44.1 kilohertz.http://techterms.com/definition/aiff

An AIFF file is a file type that uses 2 channels of uncompressed stereo audio, created to store audio data.

.au The Au file format is a simple audio file format introduced by Sun Microsystems. The format was common on NeXT systems and on early Web pages.https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Au_file_format.html

An AU file was created for early web pages, and was simple in design.

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

.smp The file extension ".smp" shows up on several different types of files used for very different programs including audio files, images and email messages.http://www.ehow.com/info_12198596_file-smp.html

The SMP file format is a multi-purpose format, used in multiple audio mediums.

Lossy Compression Lossy compression is a type of compression where a certain amount of information is discarded.http://www.dictionary.reference.com/browse/lossy

Lossy compression is used to reduce a file by a significant amount at the cost of data loss.

.mp3 Stands for "MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3." MP3 files are typically about one tenth the size of uncompressed WAVE or AIFF files, but maintain nearly the same CD-quality sound.http://techterms.com/definition/mp3

MP3 files are the most modern of the file types, being able to not take up much space but still retain its audio quality.

AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU) A sound card converts digital data to sound. This allows you to listen to music from your computer using speakers or headphones.http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-sound-card-definition-function-types.html#lesson

A sound card converts data into sound, allowing for music to be played from storage.

Digital Sound Processor (DSP) Digital signal processors take a digital signal and process it to improve the signal into clearer sound, faster data or sharper images.http://www.futureelectronics.com/en/microprocessors/digital-signal-processors.aspx

DSP’s are used to improve wireless data quality, the most sensible use being in a radio.

Random Access Memory (RAM) Random Access Memory (RAM) is a computer storage location that allows information to be stored and accessed quickly from random locations within DRAM on a memory module.http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/r/ram.htm

RAM is essential computer storage used for storing and quickly access data from applications.

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 encodes one single stream of sound and it usually uses just one speaker.www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/monophonic_sound.html

An early method of single channel sound output.

Stereo Audio A piece of electronic equipment that plays the radio, CDs, etc., and that uses two speakers for the sound.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stereo

A more modern audio device, using 2 speakers to transmit sound.

Surround Sound A system of sound recording and reproduction that uses Surround sound utilizes multiple speakers

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

three or more independent recording channels and loudspeakers in order to give the impression that the listener is surrounded by the sound sourceshttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/surround+sound

around a room to create a sense of being more in the film since the sound is heard from the location it would come from in the film/audio.

Direct Audio (Pulse Code Modulation – PCM)

Pulse code modulation (PCM) is a digital representation of an analogue signal that takes samples of the amplitude of the analogue signal at regular intervals. The sampled analogue data is changed to, and then represented by, binary data.http://www.techopedia.com/definition/24128/pulse-code-modulation-pcm

A confusing piece of tech that probably has its uses.

AUDIO RECORDING SYSTEMS Analogue An analogue recording is one that is made by changing the sound waves into electrical signals of the same type.http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/analogue

Digital Mini Disc A digital disc medium for storing music or data where a small disc is housed in a cartridge and is either recordable or playbackhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/minidisc?s=ts

Compact Disc (CD) Abbreviated as CD, a compact disc is a flat, round storage medium that is read by a laser in a CD-ROM drive that was invented by James Russell and first created at a Philips factory in Germany on August 17, 1982.http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/compactd.htm

The compact disc is a flat object, used to store data which can be read via laser, but has been out-dated by more compact and effective data storage.

Digital Audio Tape (DAT) DAT (Digital Audio Tape) is a standard medium and technology for the digital recording of audio on tape at a professional level of quality.http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/DAT-Digital-Audio-Tape

MIDI Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, MIDI is a standard for digitally representing and transmitting sounds that was first developed in the 1980s.http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/m/midi.htm

MIDI is a very old audio transmitting format, and is unable to uphold a shred of modern music due to it being intended for an older generation of music.

Software Sequencers In digital audio recording, a sequencer is a program in a computer or stand-alone keyboard unit that puts

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

together a sound sequence from a series (or sequence) of MIDI events.http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/sequencer

Software Plug-ins A software plug-in is an add-on for a program that adds functionality to it. For example, a Photoshop plug-in (such as Eye Candy) may add extra filters that you can use to manipulate images.

A plugin is a helpful addition to a piece of software to customize and enhance a user’s experience with it.

MIDI Keyboard Instruments A MIDI keyboard is a musical instrument similar to a piano keyboard that can communicate with a computer.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-midi-keyboard.htm

AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-depth In digital audio, there has to be a certain value set for describing the resolution of the sound data (samples) that is to be captured and stored in an audio file -- this attribute is called Bit Depth.http://mp3.about.com/od/glossary/g/Bit-Depth-Definition-What-Does-Bit-Depth-Mean.htm

Bit depth is a measure of the samples that need to be captured and stored in an audio file.

File Size Constraints - Sample Rate In developing an audio sound for computers or telecommunication, the sample rate is the number of samples of a sound that are taken per second to represent the event digitally.http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/sample-rate

Sample rate is the amount of samples that need to be taken per second to represent the event on a digital basis.

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