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: Aiden Kelly 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/

Foley Artistry would often be used for subtle sounds like the rustling of clothes.

Sound Libraries This 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 where there would be a group of sounds/music which would be stored on a file.We used sound libraries by storing a small mixture of sounds that we put together to make a short sequence.

SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed Uncompressed audio files are the most accurate digital representation of a sound wave, 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

This is an accurate digital representation of a sound wave. That is used for storage and for management.

.wav .WAV is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream on PCs.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAV

This file format is the standard format that is used to store an audio bitstream on a pc.

.aiff AIFF is short for Audio Interchange File Format, which is an audio format initially created by Apple Computer for storing and transmitting high-quality sampled audio data.http://www.abyssmedia.com/formats/aiff-format.shtml

This file format would be used for transmitting and storing high-quality sound files.

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

.au It is also the standard audio file format for the Java programming language.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/AU.html

This is the standard file format that the Java programming language.

.smp An ".smp" file may be one of several different types of audio file. For example, it could be a SampleVision audio sample file. This 16-bit audio file was originally used by Turtle Beach SampleVision; you can open it with Adobe Auction, Sound Forge Pro or Awave Studio.http://www.ehow.com/info_12198596_file-smp.html

This is one of many different types of audio files .E.G. one of its file types could be a Samplevision sample file.

Lossy Compression Refers to data compression techniques in which some amount of data is lost. Lossy compression technologies attempt to eliminate redundant or unnecessary information.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/L/lossy_compression.html

Lossy Compression is where some of the file data would be loss due to the compression of the audio file. It would do this by removing any unnecessary information that was not needed.

.mp3 MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3) is a standard technology and format for compressing a sound sequence into a very small file.http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/MP3-MPEG-1-Audio-Layer-3

An .mp3 is the standard format for compressing sound sequences into a small file.This was a file type that I used for importing my SFX. For example an SFX I used was as Police officer shouting pullover.

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

This is responsible for producing the sound of the media file.

Digital Sound Processor (DSP) A Digital Signal Processor, or DSP, is a specialized microprocessor that has an architecture which is optimized for the fast operational needs of digital signal processing.http://www.futureelectronics.com/en/microprocessors/digital-signal-processors.aspx

The DSP makes the sound file into a clearer sound to listen too.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Alternatively referred to as main memory, primary memory, or system memory, Random Access Memory (RAM) is a computer storage location that allows information to be stored and accessed quicklyhttp://www.computerhope.com/jargon/r/ram.htm

RAM (Random Access Memory) is usually known as the main memory or system memory. This is the computer storage location that allows information to be stored and

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

is also able to be quickly accessed.Mono Audio Mono or monophonic describes a system where all the audio signals are

mixed together and routed through a single audio channel.http://www.mcsquared.com/mono-stereo.htm

This is what describes a system which all the audio signals are mixed, and then are routed through single channelled audio channels.

Stereo Audio True stereophonic sound systems have two independent audio signal channels, and the signals that are reproduced have a specific level and phase relationship to each other so that when played back through a suitable reproduction system, there will be an apparent image of the original sound source.http://www.mcsquared.com/mono-stereo.htm

This is where two different sounds are used to produce one single sound.

Surround Sound Surround sound audio is, simply put, sound that completely surrounds you. It means a speaker in virtually every corner of the room, projecting high-quality digital sound at you from all angles just as though you were in a theatre.http://peripherals.about.com/od/speakersandheadphones/a/whatis_ss.htm

Surround Sound is where speakers are placed in all of the corners around the room and then it would project high quality digital sound, from every speaker that surrounding you.

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

This is a digital representation of an analog signal that then would take a sample of the amplitude

Analogue In telecommunications, an analog signal is one in which a base carrier's alternating current frequency is modified in some way, such as by amplifying the strength of the signal or varying the frequency, in order to add information to the signal. Broadcast and telephone transmission have conventionally used analog technology.http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/analog

Analog signals are an alternating frequency that’s modified in some way. This is done by amplifying the signal strength. Analog signals are mainly used for broadcasts and telephone transmission.

Digital Mini Disc One easy way to think about a MiniDisc is like a floppy disk -- you can record and erase files on a MiniDisc just as easily as you can on a floppy disk. The big difference between the a MiniDisc and a floppy disk is that a MiniDisc can hold about 100 times more datahttp://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question55.htm

A digital mini disk is a small disc that can hold lots of data and you can erase files easily.

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

Compact Disc (CD) CDs can hold up to 700 MB of data or 80 minutes of audio. The data on a CD is stored as small notches on the disc and is read by a laser from an optical drive. The drives translate the notches (which represent 1's and 0's) into usable data.http://techterms.com/definition/cd

A CD is something that is used to store lots of data and up to 80 minutes of audio.

Digital Audio Tape (DAT) Digital Audio Tape (DAT or R-DAT) is a signal recording and playback medium.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Tape

A Digital Audio Tape is used to as a signal recording and playback medium.

MIDI MIDI (/ˈmɪdi/; 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.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI

A MIDI is a digital interface that is used for electronic musical instruments.MIDI was used in our production by creating our sounds using VSTI. For example MIDI was used for creating a simple soundtrack for my audio cut scene.

Software Sequencers The term ‘software sequencer’ was originally coined to represent applications which offered what were by today’s standards only basic MIDI recording and programming facilities.http://www.thomann.de/gb/onlineexpert_topic_software_sequencers.html

A Software Sequencer is a basic recording and programming facility.

Software Plug-ins They are called that because these are little computer applications that run inside a "host" application, i.e., a sequencer, typically. These plugin devices are very important, as they have led the software revolution towards our virtual studios which is changing all recording studios, both home and pro.http://tweakheadz.com/software-plugins/

This is an application that is a host application.Software plugins were used to create my own SFX or even background music using the plugin VSTI.

MIDI Keyboard Instruments A Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) keyboard is a musical instrument like a piano keyboard. The MIDI portion indicates that the instrument has a communication protocol built in that allows it to communicate with a computer or other MIDI-equipped instrument.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-midi-keyboard.htm

This is a digital musical instrument that lets you to be able to communicate with a computer/other instruments with MIDI equipped.This digital keyboard can work together with the plugins to create a variety of different noises.

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

AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-depth

, 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

A file size constraint Bit depth is where they would only use 16 bit or 24 bits per samples.

File Size Constraints - Sample Rate

This is 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

Sample rate constraints are where the frequency is measured per second and is measured in kHz.

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