final

Question 1

What do Fletcher-Munson curves demonstrate?

Answer 1

That our perception of frequencies is altered depending on the sound’s loudness.

Question 2

Complete the following basic DAW recording and playback signal flow:
Microphone > __________ > _____________> _________> Monitoring (speakers and/or headphones)

Answer 2

Microphone > pre amp__ > converter/interface/computer > amplifier> Monitoring (speakers and/or headphones)

Question 3

Signal-to-Noise Ratio can best be described as what?

Answer 3

A measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise.

Question 4

A standard XLR cable is what type of connector?

Answer 4

A Balanced Connector

Question 5

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF A REFERENCE MIX? AND WHAT MAKE A GOOD REFERENCE MIX?

Answer 5

A reference mix is used to show the difference between a “known GOOD mix” and the mix that you are working on. It can show discrepencies between frequency response, stereo width, dynamics and depth. A good reference mix should have a wide stereo image, full frequency response, a fair sense of depth and dynamics

Question 6

What is the difference between an ACTIVE speaker and a PASSIVE speaker?

Answer 6

Active speakers have an amplifier built into them. A passive speaker needs an amplifier to work.

Question 7

In digital audio, “sample rate” is measured in which of the type of units? And what is the standard sample rate for a commercially released CD?

Answer 7

44.1 Khz.

Question 8

In digital audio, “bit depth” is measured in which of the type of units? And what is the standard bit depth for a commercially released CD?

Answer 8

16 Bits.

Question 9

Explain what would happen if we combine of 2 audio signals with an opposing phase relationship what will happen and how could we fix it?

Answer 9

Cancelled Signal – Flip the phase on 1 of the audio signals.

Question 10

What does a Direct Box (DI) do?

Answer 10

Converts an unbalanced signal to a balanced signal

Question 11

Describe, in your own words, why “distortion” or “clipping” happens.

Answer 11

Clipping or distortion happens when a signal reaches it’s maximum headroom and starts to square off the tops of the waveforms. This is primarily an affect of too much level or volume.

Question 12

LIST AND BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE THREE TYPES OF MICROPHONES COVERED IN CLASS.

Answer 12

A.) dynamic/moving coil microphone. Warmer sounding and can record loud sounds.
B.) condenser microphone – needs phantom power to work, very detailed. May distort more easily than dynamic mic
C.) ribbon mic – similar to moving coil/dynamic but much warmer and richer sound. Can be fragile and not great for loud sounds or transients. Usually a figure 8 pattern.

Question 13

IN DETAIL AND IN YOUR WORDS WHAT WILL A “FAST ATTACK TIME” IN A COMPRESSOR DO TO THE SIGNAL AS OPPOSED TO A “SLOW ATTACK TIME”?

Answer 13

A fast attack time will affect the signal passing over the threshold of a compressor which will dull the sound of a transient.
A slow attack time will let the initial attack of a signal pass over the threshold before compression happens and therefore will have more high end.

Question 14

IN DETAIL AND IN YOUR WORDS WHAT WILL A “SLOW RELEASE TIME” IN A COMPRESSOR DO TO THE SIGNAL AS OPPOSED TO A “FAST RELEASE TIME”?

Answer 14

A slow release time will add more sustain to the sound of an instrument going through a compressor.
A fast release will not bring out any extra “tone” from an instrument going through a compressor making it sound more natural.

Question 15

CAN EQUALIZING A SIGNAL ADD GAIN TO IT? EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR YOUR ANSWER.

Answer 15

Yes, because you are adding more level from a specific frequency and raising the overall level of a track.

Question 16

Name three different types of reverb algorithms:

Answer 16

a. plate
b. hall/chamber
c. room

Question 17

Are tempo & marker information contained in a STANDARD MIDI FILE?

Answer 17

True.

Question 18

What is the termination of a standard MIDI File?

Answer 18

.MIDI

Question 19

Describe HEADROOM.

Answer 19

The amount of level in decibels between the loudest part of your recording and the onset of distortion.

Question 20

In your words, describe DYNAMIC RANGE

Answer 20

The amount of level between the start of self noise or noise floor and the onset of clipping or distortion.

Question 21

DESCRIBE WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A BALANCED CABLE

Answer 21

A balanced cable has 3 wires, hot, cold and ground. Less prone to radio or electrical interference. Used in professional audio and video connections.

Question 22

EXPLAIN BIT DEPTH

Answer 22

Bit depth determines resolution and dynamic range. The higher the bit depth the better the resolution and dynamic range of a recording. For every 1-bit increase, the dyamic range increases by 6dB.

Question 23

WHY ON DRUM “ROOM MICS” ARE THE KICK DRUM AND SNARE WAVEFORMS USUALLY A BIT DELAYED FROM THE ORIGINAL DRY SIGNAL? AND SHOULD THIS BE CORRECTED?

Answer 23

Because of the time it takes for the sound of the kick or snare to reach the microphone in the distance. They should only be corrected if they are out of phase with the close mic’s.

Question 24

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMPRESSION AND LIMITING?

Answer 24

Compression uses a lower ratio usually under 10:1 and slower attack/release times. Limiting uses higher ratios abover 10:1 with faster attack and release times.

Question 25

DOES COMPRESSION MAXIMIZE OR MINIMIZE YOUR DYNAMIC RANGE? EXPLAIN WHY.

Answer 25

It minimizes the dynamic range as you are lowering the transients and raising the noise floor.

Question 26

EXPLAIN HOW A PARAMETRIC EQ WORKS (WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM A GRAPHIC OR A SHELVING EQ?)

Answer 26

A parametric EQ has full control over the center frequency, bandwidth and boost/cut of it’s frequency ranges. A Graphic EQ only has selectable center frequencies and fixed bandwidth.

Question 27

EXPLAIN WHAT DOES “PRE-DELAY” REFER TO IN A REVERB UNIT?

Answer 27

Pre-delay delays the original signal before the actual effect.

Question 28

WHAT DOES “POST-FADER METERING” REFER TO AND IS THIS THE BEST WAY TO METER?

Answer 28

Post fader metering shows you level after the INSERTS/PLUG INS and Large Fader of a track in Pro Tools. I do not believe that this is the best way to meter as it will not show you level if the fader is down. Pre Fader metering will show you level after the plug ins but before the fader so you can see if a track is playing in the mixer window.

Question 29

IN DETAIL, DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING A “SAVE AS”.

Answer 29

“Save as” allows you to create a copy of a Pro Tools session that won’t overwrite the information of the previous sessions. This is a good way of saving your work as a backup while making changes to your session.

Question 30

IN A DAW WHAT DOES “DELAY COMPENSATION” REFER TO?

Answer 30

It is correction for the amount of buffer delay that is caused when a plug in is used on a track.

Question 31

True or False: The pitch of instruments changes when you change the tempo of a MIDI file?

Answer 31

False.

Question 32

What stereo mic’ing technique has a good center image but is NOT very wide?

Answer 32

X/Y

Question 33

What stereo mic’ing technique uses two, figure 8 microphones at a 90 degree angle to each other and 45 degree angle to the sound source?

Answer 33

Blumelien

Question 34

What are the four main automation modes in Pro Tools?

Answer 34

Read, Write, Touch and Latch.

Question 35

Which automation mode allows you to move a fader to write automation and then snaps back to it’s original written automation when released?

Answer 35

Touch

Question 36

True or False: In Pro Tools, if the automation parameter in the automation window is NOT lit up, then automation will be read but you can’t write new automation?

Answer 36

True

Question 37

True or False: A cardioid microphone patter picks up sound in all directions?

Answer 37

False

Question 38

What microphone polar patter picks up sound equally in the front of the microphone and the back of the microphone?

Answer 38

Figure 8 or bi-directional microphone

Question 39

Which has a higher level or voltage; a microphone level signal or an instrument/line level signal?

Answer 39

Instrument signal.

Question 40

What range of delay time would be best for a slap back delay?

Answer 40

60ms to 120ms

Question 41

True or False: The modulation function on a delay affects delay time?

Answer 41

True

Question 42

True or False; Low end perception is lost when you monitor at lower listening levels?

Answer 42

True

Question 43

What stereo mic’ing technique has a wide stereo image but a poor center image?

Answer 43

Spaced Pair

Question 44

True or False: Bass MIDI notes/data cannot be read by a virtual drum instrument?

Answer 44

False but trick question because it would depend on what note it was and what instrument was assigned to that note.

Question 45

Which pitch correction program records audio and references it from another file?

Answer 45

Melodyne

Question 46

What does “formant control” affect in a pitch correction program?

Answer 46

It controls “timbre” of the voice. This keeps the tuned vocal from sounding like a chipmunk or a robot.

Question 47

Which pitch correction process has the least latency and uses the least amount of CPU power; Melodyne, Autotune or Audiosuite Pitch II?

Answer 47

Audiosuite Pitch II

Question 48

Which tuning program can be used “live” to correct pitches while recording?

Answer 48

Autotune

Question 49

What is the difference between a sample based audio track and a tick based audio track?

Answer 49

Tick based tracks conform to the session tempo, with content on those tracks maintaining a fixed bar and beat position, taking session tempo changes into account. Sample based content maintains a fixed sample position in relation to the session start.

Question 50

True or false; You do NOT have to define measure numbers in order for Beat Detective to properly create warp/edit markers?

Answer 50

False. Beat Detective needs to know the number of measures AND the note value in order to correctly generate warp/edit markers

Question 51

What is the command to manually create a tempo map?

Answer 51

While using the “selector tool”, select a region of time from one down beat to another (for instance 4 bars), then use either COMMAND “I” or the Identify Beat Command and define your start and ending bar numbers.

Question 52

Which of the following functions can Beat Detective NOT perform:
a. bar & beat / tempo map
b. clip separation on notes
c. edit smoothing of edited notes
d. pitch change

Answer 52

pitch change

Question 53

When should you apply “dither” and why?

Answer 53

You should apply dither when bouncing from a high bit depth to a lower bit depth. This avoids having the bit word truncated which affects stereo image and frequency response.

Question 54

What is the command to allow you to “overdub” MIDI information to an existing MIDI or instrument track?

Answer 54

MIDI Merge

Question 55

What does MIDI Mirror do?

Answer 55

When activated, it allows you to “copy” any note changes to a MIDI loop to all other looped clips at the same time.

Question 56

What Pro Tools editing feature allows you to move the cursor from the start of one transient to the next by using the “tab” key?

Answer 56

Tab to transient

Question 57

What Pro Tools feature allows you to record separate audio or MIDI data in the same track but keep them as different “takes” or performances?

Answer 57

Playlists

Question 58

What does SOL stand for and what does it mean?

Answer 58

SOL = Standard Operating Level. It is the optimum average level recommended to pass through the system cleanly. (sounding good, without distortion or background noise from the gear itself).

Question 59

What does MOL stand for and what does it mean?

Answer 59

MOL = Maximum Output Level. The loudest level before distortion.

Question 60

Give an example of a uncompressed (not dynamic range) audio file.

Answer 60

WAV or AIFF files

Question 61

Give an example of a “loss-less: audio file.

Answer 61

FLAC or ALAC

Question 62

What is the difference between pre fader sends and post fader sends and how can I use it in a mix?

Answer 62

Most DAW/console aux sends are POST fader. The level of the main large fader affects the send level to an effect (like a reverb). If you turn the main fader down, you also turn the send level down as well.
Pre fader sends are NOT affected by the main fader level. If you turn the main fader down, then you are left with just the sound of the effect in the mix. Example: A pre fader send to a reverb can create the effect of a sound moving away from you by turning DOWN the main fader but leaving the send fader up.