BNO Acoustics LK-61 Fader

A control to control the gain of a channel on the console, thereby determining the level of the signal in that channel.

Fade
1) A gradual reduction of the level of the audio signal.
2) A gradual change of level from one pre-set level to another.

BNO Acoustics QT-5 Full Range
Describes a sound which covers all audible frequency ranges. As in "full range speaker cabinets."

Howlback
British term for the term Feedback (the pickup of the signal out of a channel by the input of the channel or the howling sound that this produces).

BNO Acoustics BP-40 Crosstalk
Leakage of an audio signal into a channel that iris not intended to be in, from an adjacent or nearby channel.

Hall Program
A setting of a digital delay/reverb effects unit that approximates concert halls. Hall programs are characterized by pre-delay of up to 25 ms.

AC
1) Abbreviation for alternating current.
2) An abbreviation of the term Alternating Current (electric current which flows back and forth in a circuit; all studio signals running through audio lines are AC).

Capacitance
That property of a capacitor which determines how much charge can be stored in it for a given potential difference between its terminals, measured in farads, by the ratio of the charge stored to the potential difference.

BNO TS-10 Cable, TRS

A less common balanced cable that has 3 different contacts on its 1/4 inch connectors. Most headphone jacks are a good example of a TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) connector. These are sometimes used instead of the more common XLR connection.

Level
Sets output volume of individual PA input channels. Usually positioned as sliders at the bottom of the soundboard.

BNO Acoustics R-10 Speakers Auxiliary Equipment
Effects devices separate from but working with the recording console.

Hi-Z
An abbreviation of the term High Impedance (Impedance of 5000 or more ohms).

BNO Acoustics XV-16 Absorption
Short for the term Acoustical Absorption (quality of a surface or substance to take in, not reflect, a sound wave).

Boundary Mic
A microphone mounted on a flat plate that acts as a reflective surface directing sound into the mic capsule. Used for general pick-up over a large area. See PCC, PZM.

High Impedance
Impedance of 5000 or more ohms.

Compact Disc CD
A small optical disk with digital audio recorded on it.

BNO Acoustics XR-90 Coincident Microphones (Coincident Pair)

Two microphones whose heads are placed as lose as possible to each other so that the path length from any sound source to either microphone is for all practical purposes, the same.

Amplifier
A device which increases the amplitude (level) of an electrical signal (making it louder).

BNO Speakers Circuit
1) One complete path of electric current.
2) Similar to definition 1, but including all paths and components to accomplish one function in a device.

CPU
Abbreviation of Central Processing Unit (The main "brain" chip of a computer or the main housing of a computer that contains the "brain" chip).

BNO Acoustics R-10 Speakers Effects
Electronic boxes (usually rack mounted) added to a PA system to subtly change and enhance the signals going through it. Examples include; Reverb, Delay, Compressor, Chorus.

Hall Program
A setting of a digital delay/reverb effects unit that approximates concert halls. Hall programs are characterized by pre-delay of up to 25 ms.

Inverse Square Law
Simply stated, the fact that in an un-obstructed area (like an open field) the sound pressure level will drop to half-pressure (-6 dB) every time the distance to the sound source is doubled.

Infinite Baffle
A baffle so large that the sounds coming from one side do not reach the other side.

BNO Speakers Edit

A switch that does different things depending on the operational mode that the machine is in:
1) If a computer-controlled transport is in "Stop," pushing the "Edit" switch deactivates the computer-controlled tension system and allows the reels to be moved by hand to find the exact spot desired on the tape.
2) If the machine is in "Play", the "Edit" switch makes the take-up reel cease taking up the tape and it falls to the floor.
3) If the machine is in a fast-wind mode, the tape lifters are defeated so the tape is in contact with the reproduce head and the engineer can hear where the selections begin and end.

IC
Abbreviation of Integrated Circuit (A miniature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment).

BNO Acoustics LK-61 Effects
1) Various ways an audio signal can be modified by adding something to the signal to change the sound.
2) Short for the term Sound Effects (sounds other than dialogue, narration or music like door closings, wind, etc. added to film or video shots).

Bass
1) The lower range of audio frequencies up to approximately 250 Hz.
2) Short for Bass Guitar.
3) Lower end of the musical scale. In acoustics, the range (below about 200 Hz) in which there are difficulties, principally in the reproduction of sound, due to the large wavelengths involved.
4) The lower frequencies.
5) On the soundboard this should refer to the bass guitar channel, not the bass drum.
6) The lowest frequencies of sound. Bi-Amplification uses an electronic crossover or line-level amplifiers for the high and low frequency loudspeaker drivers.

BNO Acoustics HD-70 Input Overload
Sending too high of a signal level into a device so that the first amplifier of the device overloads.

Bouncing
Alternate name for Ping-Ponging (playing several tacks with sync playback through a console to mix them together and record them on an open track).

Humbucker
Pickups that are coupled together to get a certain sound.

Fletcher Munson Effect
A hearing limitation shown by Fletcher Munson Equal Loudness Contours (as music is lowered in volume, it is much more difficult to hear bass frequencies and somewhat harder to hear very high frequencies).

BNO Speakers Baffles

Sound absorbing panels used to prevent sound waves from entering or leaving a certain space

High Impedance Cord (High Z)
A big word for instrument cable. These cords generally have quarter inch male ends. they tend to loose signal strength at lengths longer than 25 feet.

BNO Acoustics XV-16 Cycles Per Second
A unit used in the measure of frequency, equivalent to Hertz. Cycles Per Second is an outdated term replaced by Hertz in 1948.

Feed
To send an audio or control signal to.

BNO Acoustics BP-40 CPU
Abbreviation of Central Processing Unit (The main "brain" chip of a computer or the main housing of a computer that contains the "brain" chip).

Clock Signal
The signal put out by a circuit that generates steady even pulses or steady codes used for synchronization.

Head Amp
British name for Preamplifier (A low-noise amplifier designed to take a low-level signal, such as the output of a tape head, and bring it up to normal line level).

Headphones
Devices that can be worn on the head with small speakers that fit over the ears (or sometimes into the ears).

BNO Acoustics GT-60 Key

The control of a dynamics processing device by an external audio signal.

Equal Loudness Contours
A drawing of several curves showing how loud the tones of different frequencies would have to be played for a person to say they were of equal loudness.

BNO Acoustics Speakers Generating Element
The portion of the microphone that actually converts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current or voltage changes.

Centre Frequency
The frequency of the audio signal that is boosted or attenuated most by an equalizer with a peak equalization curve.

BNO Acoustics XR-90 Head
1) In tape recording, the transducer (energy converter) that changes the audio energy from electrical energy to magnetic energy and back; also the devices that apply magnetism to the recording tape for other purposes such as in the erase head.
2) The part of a device that immediately includes the transducer to change sound or audio signals from one energy form to another.

Automatic Gain Control (Automatic Volume Control)
A compressor with a very long release time used to keep the volume of the audio very constant.

File
A collection of digital data stored in a computer's memory bank or on a floppy disc.

Echo Chamber
1) A room designed with very hard, non-parallel surfaces and equipped with a speaker and microphone.
2) Any artificial or electronic device that simulates the reverberation created in a room.

BNO Acoustics TR-12 Dolby

Trade name for a series of noise reduction systems that have become standard on many tape playback machines. Many film soundtracks are produced using this process. Different varieties are found from Dolby B on most personal cassette players, to Dolby SR and Digital, the current state of the art for cinema.

Haas Effect
Simply stated, a factor in human hearing where delay has a much bigger effect on human perception of direction than level does.

BNO Acoustics R-10 Diffraction
The breaking up of a sound wave caused by some type of mechanical interference such as a cabinet edge, grill frame, or other similar object.

Distorted
The way your PA sounds just before it blows up. Fuzzy and scratchy. If you hear this, it either means you have something hooked up wrong, or something in the system is going bad. It could be anything from your super expensive soundboard to a five dollar patch cord.

BNO Acoustics 6k-52 Acoustic Amplifier
The portion of the instrument which makes the vibrating source move more air or move air more efficiently; this makes the sound of the instrument louder. Examples of acoustic amplifiers include:
1) The body of an acoustic guitar,
2) The sounding board of a piano,
3) The bell of a horn and
4) The shell of a drum.

Fade
1) A gradual reduction of the level of the audio signal.
2) A gradual change of level from one pre-set level to another.

Ground Lifter
An adapter that takes a three prong power cord and plugs into a two prong outlet, used to disconnect the third (ground) pin of the power outlet. WARNING: It can be VERY DANGEROUS to have no ground connection to the case by using a ground lifter and not grounding the unit by other means.

Centre Frequency
The frequency of the audio signal that is boosted or attenuated most by an equalizer with a peak equalization curve.

BNO Acoustics HD-70 Atom

The smallest particle which makes up a specific substance. It's composed of a center around which electrons revolve.

Group Faders
The VCA faders of individual channels that are all controlled by a Group Master Fader (a slide control used to send out a control voltage to several VCA faders in individual channels).

BNO Acoustics R-10 Keyboard
1) Any musical instrument controlled by pressing a key.
2) The part of the computer that has the keys.

Highs
Short for the term High Frequencies (the audio frequencies from 6000 Hz and above).

BNO Acoustics TS-10 Earth
The British version of the term Ground (In electronics, a place that has zero volts).

Cycle
1) An alternation of a waveform which begins at a point, passes through the zero line, and ends at a point with the same value and moving in the same direction as the starting point.
2) On a Solid State Logic Console, a command to have the console computer control the tape machine to play and replay a certain section of the tape.

AES
An abbreviation of Audio Engineering Society.

Cut-off Rate (Slope)
The number of dB that a filter reduces the signal for each octave its frequency past the filter's cut-off frequency (outside of the pass band).

BNO Acoustics R-10 Electric Current

A more formal term meaning the same as the term Current (the amount of electron charge passing a point in a conductor per unit of time).

Delay
Outboard sound equipment that can momentarily stores a signal being sent to part of a P.A. system so that delayed reinforced sound reaches the audience at the same time as live sound from the stage.

BNO Acoustics YM-44 Hearing Limitation
An inability of the ear to hear important characteristics of sound under certain conditions. Characteristics that can be affected include pitch, level, clarity, presence and direction.

Attenuator (Pot)
The electronic dohickey under the knobs that increases or reduces the strength of the signal running through it. When these get old and dirty, they can make popping noises or rumbles in your PA (As in "my pots are dirty").
Assign Tochoose to which place an output is going to be sent.

BNO Acoustics BP-40 Bulk Dump
Short for System Exclusive Bulk Dump (a method of transmitting data, such as the internal parameters of a MIDI device to another MIDI device).

Gain Structure
The way in which the gain varies in the stages or sections of an audio system.

Bi-Directional Pattern
A microphone pick up pattern which has maximum pick up directly in front and directly in back of the diaphragm and least pick up at the sides.

Head
1) In tape recording, the transducer (energy converter) that changes the audio energy from electrical energy to magnetic energy and back; also the devices that apply magnetism to the recording tape for other purposes such as in the erase head.
2) The part of a device that immediately includes the transducer to change sound or audio signals from one energy form to another.

BNO Speakers Front Loaded

A speaker cabinet where the speaker faces out toward the front.

Contact Microphone
A device that senses vibrations and puts out an audio signal proportional to the vibrations.

BNO TS-10 Acoustic/Acoustical
Having to do with sound that can be heard by the ears.
AcousticsThe behaviour of sound and its study. The acoustics of a room depend on its size and shape and the amount and position of sound-absorbing and reflecting material.

Compact Disc, Interactive CDI
A Compact Disc, usually containing audio, video, and text, which the user can interact with in that the display or playback changes after the user performs some action.

BNO Acoustics YM-44 Gate
A dynamic processing device that turns a channel off or down when the signal drops below a certain level.

Crosstalk
Leakage of an audio signal into a channel that iris not intended to be in, from an adjacent or nearby channel.

Compressor
A signal processing device that does not allow as much fluctuation in the level of the signal above a certain adjustable or fixed level.

Balance Control
A control on a stereo amplifier that when moved clockwise will make the right channel louder (and the left channel softer) and will do the reverse when moved counter-clockwise.

BNO Acoustics R-10 kHz

An Abbreviation of kilo-Hertz.

Efficiency
The acoustic power delivered for a given electrical input. Often expressed as decibels/watt/meter (dB/w/m). ESL �" Abbreviation for electrostatic loudspeaker.

BNO Acoustics BP-40 Electromagnetic Theory
A statement of the principles behind electromagnetic induction: When a conductor cuts magnetic lines of force, current is induced in that conductor.

Clip
The action of deforming a waveform during overload.

BNO Acoustics HD-70 Comb Filter
1) The frequency response achieved by mixing a direct signal with a delayed signal of equal strength especially at short delays.
2) Loosely used to also describe effects that can be achieved with comb filtering as part of the processing.

Cascade
To set and interconnect two mixers so that the stereo mixing buss(es) of the first mixer feeds the stereo buss(es) of a second mixer.

Cycle
1) An alternation of a waveform which begins at a point, passes through the zero line, and ends at a point with the same value and moving in the same direction as the starting point.
2) On a Solid State Logic Console, a command to have the console computer control the tape machine to play and replay a certain section of the tape.

Clock Signal
The signal put out by a circuit that generates steady even pulses or steady codes used for synchronization.

BNO Acoustics R-10 Speakers Cycles Per Second

A unit used in the measure of frequency, equivalent to Hertz. Cycles Per Second is an outdated term replaced by Hertz in 1948.

Auxiliary Equipment
Effects devices separate from but working with the recording console.

BNO Acoustics QT-5 Bottom
The bass frequencies (as in "needs more bottom end").

AES/EBU
Professional Interface A standard for sending and receiving digital audio adopted by the Audio Engineering Society and the European Broadcast Union.

BNO Acoustics TS-10 Interface
Any device that allows one unit to work, drive or communicate with another unit when they cannot do so by just feeding each other often because the units are manufactured by different companies.

Balance Control
A control on a stereo amplifier that when moved clockwise will make the right channel louder (and the left channel softer) and will do the reverse when moved counter-clockwise.

Dolby
Trade name for a series of noise reduction systems that have become standard on many tape playback machines. Many film soundtracks are produced using this process. Different varieties are found from Dolby B on most personal cassette players, to Dolby SR and Digital, the current state of the art for cinema.

Buss (Bus)
A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources.

BNO Acoustics XV-16 Limiter

A device which reduces gain when the input voltage exceeds a certain level.

Graphic Equalizer
An device with several slides controlling the gain of audio signal present which is within one of several evenly spaced frequency bands (spaced according to octaves).

BNO TS-10 Absorption
Short for the term Acoustical Absorption (quality of a surface or substance to take in, not reflect, a sound wave).

Buss (Bus)
A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources.

BNO Speakers Cascade
To set and interconnect two mixers so that the stereo mixing buss(es) of the first mixer feeds the stereo buss(es) of a second mixer.

Crosstalk
Leakage of an audio signal into a channel that iris not intended to be in, from an adjacent or nearby channel.

Amplitude
The height of a waveform above or below the zero line.

Intermodulation Distortion
Distortion caused by one signal beating with another signal and producing frequencies that are both the sum and the difference of the original frequencies.

BNO Acoustics R-10 Speakers Half Step

A pitch difference of the amount that is present between adjacent keys on a piano.

Feedback
1) The delayed signal sent back to the input of a delay line, used in repeat-echo effects.
2) The pickup of the signal out of a channel by its input or the howling sound that this produces.
3) In an amplifier, the phase reversed output signal sent back to its input, reducing gain but also distortion and noise.
4) This occurs when the sound coming out of the speakers goes back into the microphones, then back out the speakers, then back into the mics…and so on. This can build very quickly to a point where everyone in the room is holding their ears and screaming at you. It can also cause damage to the PA.

BNO Acoustics GT-60 Full
A quality of the sound of having all frequencies present, especially the low frequencies.

Inductance
The property of an electric circuit by which a varying current in it produces a varying magnetic field that introduces voltages in the same circuit or in a nearby circuit. It is measured in henrys.

BNO Acoustics QS-4 Graphic Equalizer
An device with several slides controlling the gain of audio signal present which is within one of several evenly spaced frequency bands (spaced according to octaves).

Effects
1) Various ways an audio signal can be modified by adding something to the signal to change the sound.
2) Short for the term Sound Effects (sounds other than dialogue, narration or music like door closings, wind, etc. added to film or video shots).

Guitar Controller
An electric guitar or device played like an electric guitar that puts out MIDI signals that can be used to control synthesizers and sound modules.

Bi-Amplification
1) A way of optimizing the efficiency of a speaker system by separately amplifying the High Frequency (HF) and Low Frequency (LF) portions of the sound signal and sending them down two pairs of cables to the speaker. Multipin Speakon connectors have been developed to do this.
2)The process of having of having low-frequency speakers and high-frequency speakers driven by separate amplifiers.

BNO Acoustics Speakers Floppy Disk (Floppy Disc)

A round flat object (usually housed in a protective sleeve) coated with material that can be magnetized in a similar manner to tape.

DC
Abbreviation for direct current.

BNO Acoustics QS-4 Front Loaded
A speaker cabinet where the speaker faces out toward the front.

Figure Eight Pattern
Another name for Bi-directional Pattern (microphone pickup pattern picking up best from the front and back of the diaphragm and not picking up from the side of the diaphragm).

BNO Acoustics TR-12 Auxiliary Input or Return
A route back into the sound desk for a signal sent to a piece of outboard equipment via an auxiliary send.

Horn
1) The part of the speaker that emits midrange and higher range frequencies.
2) A speaker or speaker enclosure where sound waves are put into a narrow opening (by a speaker cone or driver) and the narrow opening flairs out to a larger opening.

Grouping
1) Controlling the gain of several individual channels with a Group Fader.
2) The mixing together of several individual audio signals to send a mixed signal out of the console to record a track on a multitrack tape machine.

FOH (Front of House)
Refers to the speakers that face toward the audience. Also called the "main" speakers.

BNO Acoustics HD-70 Frequency

Practically speaking, high frequency means high pitch and low frequency means low pitch.

Foot Switch
A switch placed on the floor and pressed by a musician to do various functions.

BNO Acoustics GT-60 Ampere
The unit of current, abbreviated Amp.

Images
The squaring of the waveform that happens in the conversion of digital audio bits into analog signals.

BNO Acoustics Speakers Analog (Analogue)
Representative, continuous changes that relate to another quantity that has a continuous change.

Attenuation
A making smaller: reduction of electrical or acoustic signal strength.

IC
Abbreviation of Integrated Circuit (A miniature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment).

Current
The amount of electron charge passing a point in a conductor per unit of time.

BNO Acoustics QS-4 Generating Element

The portion of the microphone that actually converts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current or voltage changes.

Electricity
Electrical current (the amount of electron charge passing a point in a conductor per unit of time) or voltage (the force pushing electrons to obtain electrical current).

BNO Acoustics GK-3 Grouping
1) Controlling the gain of several individual channels with a Group Fader.
2) The mixing together of several individual audio signals to send a mixed signal out of the console to record a track on a multitrack tape machine.

Digital Recording
1) ADAM : (Akai Digital Audio Multitrack). 12 track recording onto Video 8 tape. 16 bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz sampling rate.
2) DAT (Digital Audio Tape) Cassette-like system which has much higher quality than standard audio cassettes. Widely used in gathering sound effects, for news gathering, and for playback of music.
3) DCC (Digital Compact Cassette) Rival to DAT which also plays standard audio cassettes.
4) MiniDisc : Uses computer disk technology, rather than tape. A laser heats an area of magnetic disk which is then written to by a magnetic head. When cooled, the magnetic information is read from the disk by laser. Tracks can be named, and are instant start. Very theatre-friendly system.
5) Direct to Disk : Uses the hard disk present in most PCs as the recording medium.

BNO Acoustics R-10 Speakers Hertz
The unit of frequency. Equivalent to cycles per second. Abbreviation: Hz.

Information Bits
The bits in the digital signal that make up actual values or commands being communicated as opposed to bits that are used for checking & correcting data or other purposes.

Fader
A control to control the gain of a channel on the console, thereby determining the level of the signal in that channel.

Ground Loop
A double grounding of a line or electronic device at two different "ground" points of differing voltage.

BNO Acoustics XR-90 Impedance Matching

Having or converting the output impedance of a device so that it matches the impedance of the input it will feed.

Head Amp
British name for Preamplifier (A low-noise amplifier designed to take a low-level signal, such as the output of a tape head, and bring it up to normal line level).

BNO Acoustics LK-61 Clock Signal
The signal put out by a circuit that generates steady even pulses or steady codes used for synchronization.

Auxiliary Equipment
Effects devices separate from but working with the recording console.

BNO Acoustics TS-10 Hi-Z
An abbreviation of the term High Impedance (Impedance of 5000 or more ohms).

Boost
To increase gain, especially to increase gain at specific frequencies with an equalizer.

Clipping
Distortion of a signal by its being chopped off. An overload problem caused by pushing an amplifier beyond its capabilities. The flat-topped signal has high levels of harmonic distortion which creates heat in a loudspeaker and is the major cause of loudspeaker component failure.

Infinite Repeat
A function on some delay lines that establish enough feedback so that the repeat echo will last forever, but not so much as to cause a howling sound.

BNO Acoustics R-10 Lift

1) To boost gain of audio at a particular band of frequencies with an equalizer.
2) An elevation device in the star trek series of TV programs.

Envelope
1) How a sound or audio signal varies in intensity over a time span.
2) How a control voltage varies in level over time controlling a parameter of something other than gain or audio level.

BNO Acoustics GK-3 Driver
See transducer. Dynamic Range �" The range between the quietest and the loudest sounds a device can handle (often quoted in dB).

Error Correct
Exact replacement of lost information bits in digital audio.

BNO TS-10 Infinite Repeat
A function on some delay lines that establish enough feedback so that the repeat echo will last forever, but not so much as to cause a howling sound.

Cycle
1) An alternation of a waveform which begins at a point, passes through the zero line, and ends at a point with the same value and moving in the same direction as the starting point.
2) On a Solid State Logic Console, a command to have the console computer control the tape machine to play and replay a certain section of the tape.

Amplitude
The extreme range of a signal. Usually measured from the average to the extreme.

Ground Adapter Plug
Adapts a three pronged electrical plug to a two pronged wall outlet. This bypasses the ground and may create a hum in the system. A lack of a good ground can cause mild electrical shock when touching a microphone.

BNO Acoustics HD-70 Electric Instrument

Any musical instrument that puts out an electrical signal rather than an acoustic sound.

Impedance Matching
Having or converting the output impedance of a device so that it matches the impedance of the input it will feed.

BNO Acoustics 6k-52 Arc
The visible sparks generated by an electrical discharge.

Horn
1) The part of the speaker that emits midrange and higher range frequencies.
2) A speaker or speaker enclosure where sound waves are put into a narrow opening (by a speaker cone or driver) and the narrow opening flairs out to a larger opening.

BNO Acoustics TR-12 Inverse Square Law
Simply stated, the fact that in an un-obstructed area (like an open field) the sound pressure level will drop to half-pressure (-6 dB) every time the distance to the sound source is doubled.

Balls
1) The depth and thickness of a sound, usually on the bottom end of the EQ (as in "needs more balls"). 2) The strength of the voice on the mic (as in "check it like you have some balls").

Frequency Range
The range of frequencies over which an electronic device is useful or over which a sound source will put out substantial energy.

Hearing Limitation
An inability of the ear to hear important characteristics of sound under certain conditions. Characteristics that can be affected include pitch, level, clarity, presence and direction.

BNO Acoustics XV-16 Frequency Range

The range of frequencies over which an electronic device is useful or over which a sound source will put out substantial energy.

Balance Control
A control on a stereo amplifier that when moved clockwise will make the right channel louder (and the left channel softer) and will do the reverse when moved counter-clockwise.

BNO Acoustics GT-60 Keying Input (Key Input)
An input on a dynamics processing device to control the device by an external audio signal.

Foot Switch
A switch placed on the floor and pressed by a musician to do various functions.

BNO Acoustics R-10 Speakers Capacitor
1) A device consisting of two or more conducting plates separated from one another by an insulating material and used for storing an electrical charge. Sometimes called a condenser.
2) An electronic device that is composed of two plates separated by an insulator.

Group
1) A number of channels or faders that can be controlled by one Master VCA slide.
2) A shortening of the term Recording Group (a buss or the signal present on a buss).

Information Bits
The bits in the digital signal that make up actual values or commands being communicated as opposed to bits that are used for checking & correcting data or other purposes.

Insert
1) A punch in of the all of the tracks being recorded in a recording session.
2) On Solid State Logic consoles, placing an outboard piece of gear in the channel by patching and activating a switch.

BNO TS-10 Fret Buzz

A buzzing sound made when a note is not properly fretted. Common with cheap guitars or beginning guitar players.

Instrument Amplifier
A device that has a power amplifier and speaker in a case (or in separate cases) to reproduce the signal put out by an electric instrument (such as an electric guitar) and to allow the instrument to be heard.

BNO Acoustics HD-70 Ambient Micing
Placing a microphone in the reverberant field (where the reverberation is louder than the direct sound) so as to do a separate recording of the ambience or to allow the recording engineer to change the mix of direct to reverberant sound in recording.

Expander
A device that causes expansion of the audio signal.

BNO Acoustics YM-44 Buss (Bus)
A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources.

Group Faders
The VCA faders of individual channels that are all controlled by a Group Master Fader (a slide control used to send out a control voltage to several VCA faders in individual channels).

Attenuation
A making smaller: reduction of electrical or acoustic signal strength.

Barrier Micing
A method of placing the head of a microphone as close as possible to a reflective surface, preventing phase cancellation.

BNO Acoustics GT-60 CD (Compact Disc) :

1) Digital sound storage medium. Provides a high quality source of music, sound effects etc. Also used as a playback medium for sound effects etc. by large theatres with long running shows, although CDR (Recordable CD) is becoming more affordable by the day.
2) An abbreviation of the term Compact Disc (a small optical disk with digital audio recorded on it).

Cardioid Pattern
A microphone pick up pattern, which has maximum pick up from the front, less pick up from the sides, and least pick up from the back of the diaphragm.

BNO Acoustics XV-16 Lead
The musical instrument that plays the melody of the tune, including the vocal.

Input/Output Module
A set of controls, on one housing, for an in-line console that has two channels (one for recording and one for monitoring) and has controls for all console sections.

BNO Acoustics YM-44 Diffraction
The breaking up of a sound wave caused by some type of mechanical interference such as a cabinet edge, grill frame, or other similar object.

Comb Filter
1) The frequency response achieved by mixing a direct signal with a delayed signal of equal strength especially at short delays.
2) Loosely used to also describe effects that can be achieved with comb filtering as part of the processing.

Echo Return
An input of the console, which brings back the echo (reverberation) signal from the echo chamber or other echo effects device.

Gate
A dynamic processing device that turns a channel off or down when the signal drops below a certain level.

BNO Speakers Crossover (Crossover Network)

A set of filters that "split" the audio signal into two or more bands (two or more signals, each of which have only some of the frequencies present).

Auxiliary Equipment
Effects devices separate from but working with the recording console.

BNO Acoustics TR-12 Equalizer (Parametric, Graphic)
This is used to filter out and adjust specific frequencies in the PA. This is the part of the PA where you have the most control over the band's overall sound. It is also the number one weapon against feedback.

Half Step
A pitch difference of the amount that is present between adjacent keys on a piano.

BNO Acoustics QT-5 Imaging
To make a representation or imitation of the original sonic event.

Kilo
A prefix meaning 1000.

DC
Abbreviation for direct current.

BPM
An abbreviation of Beat Per Minute (the number of steady even pulses in music occurring in one minute and therefore defining the tempo).

BNO Acoustics SQ-9 Barrier Micing

A method of placing the head of a microphone as close as possible to a reflective surface, preventing phase cancellation.

Crosstalk
Leakage of an audio signal into a channel that iris not intended to be in, from an adjacent or nearby channel.

BNO Acoustics LK-61 Generation
A term used to describe the number of times that the recorded audio signal has been copied.

Bulk Dump
Short for System Exclusive Bulk Dump (a method of transmitting data, such as the internal parameters of a MIDI device to another MIDI device).

BNO Acoustics QT-5 Input
1) The jack or physical location of where a device receives a signal.
2) The signal being received by a device.
3) The action of receiving a signal by a device.

Compander
1) A two section device that is used in noise reduction systems. The first section compresses the audio signal, before it is recorded, and the second section, expands the signal after recording.
2) In Yamaha brand digital consoles, a signal processing function that applies both compression and expansion to the same signal.

Capacitor
1) A device consisting of two or more conducting plates separated from one another by an insulating material and used for storing an electrical charge. Sometimes called a condenser.
2) An electronic device that is composed of two plates separated by an insulator.

Ambient Field
A term with the same meaning as the term Reverberant Field (the area away from the sound source where the reverberation is louder than the direct sound).

BNO Acoustics HD-70 Balance Control

A control on a stereo amplifier that when moved clockwise will make the right channel louder (and the left channel softer) and will do the reverse when moved counter-clockwise.

Hi-Z
An abbreviation of the term High Impedance (Impedance of 5000 or more ohms).

BNO Acoustics R-10 Channel
1) In multitrack tape machines, this term means the same thing as the term Track (one audio recording made on a portion of the width of a multitrack tape).
2) A single path that an audio signal travels or can travel through a device from an input to an output.

Centre Frequency
The frequency of the audio signal that is boosted or attenuated most by an equalizer with a peak equalization curve.

BNO Acoustics QS-4 Beat
1) The steady even pulse in music.
2) The action of two sounds or audio signals mixing together and causing regular rises &.falls in volume.

Auxiliary Equipment
Effects devices separate from but working with the recording console.

Inductance
The property of an electric circuit by which a varying current in it produces a varying magnetic field that introduces voltages in the same circuit or in a nearby circuit. It is measured in henrys.

Echo Send Control
A control to send the signal from the input module to the echo chamber or effects device via the echo buss.

BNO TS-10 Full Range

Describes a sound which covers all audible frequency ranges. As in "full range speaker cabinets."

Inverse Square Law
Simply stated, the fact that in an un-obstructed area (like an open field) the sound pressure level will drop to half-pressure (-6 dB) every time the distance to the sound source is doubled.

BNO Acoustics GT-60 Icon
A visual picture or symbol on a computer screen that represents a file, program or disc that can be used.

Infinite Repeat
A function on some delay lines that establish enough feedback so that the repeat echo will last forever, but not so much as to cause a howling sound.

BNO Acoustics TS-10 DC
Abbreviation for direct current.

Electric Current
A more formal term meaning the same as the term Current (the amount of electron charge passing a point in a conductor per unit of time).

Chip
1) A slang term with the same meaning as the term IC (a miniature circuit of many components that is in small, sealed housing with prongs to connect it into equipment).
2) The thread cut away from the master lacquer to make the groove, while disc recording.

Circuit
1) One complete path of electric current.
2) Similar to definition 1, but including all paths and components to accomplish one function in a device.

BNO Acoustics R-10 Generating Element

The portion of the microphone that actually converts the movement of the diaphragm into electrical current or voltage changes.

Condenser
An older term meaning the same thing as Capacitor (an electronic device which is composed of two plates separated by an insulator and can store charge) but sill in common use when referring to a microphone's active element.

BNO Acoustics TS-10 Cut
1) One selection (one song) on a pre4ecorded music format.
2) A term with the same meaning as Mute (to turn off a channel or a signal).
3) To reduce gain of a particular band of frequencies (with an equalizer).
4) To not pass a particular band of frequencies (said of a filter)

Feed
To send an audio or control signal to.

BNO Acoustics HD-70 Gain
1) Knob usually found at the top of each input channel on the soundboard. Used to set input levels of the separate channels to relatively equal positions.
2) The amount of increase in audio signal strength, often expressed in dB.

Beats Per Minute BPM
The number of steady even pulses in music occurring in one minute and there fore defining the tempo of the song.

Hypercardioid Pattern
A microphone pick up sensitivity pattern where the least sensitive pick up point is more than 90 degrees but less than 150 degrees off axis (usually 120 degrees).

Compressor
1) Effect used to squash the sound together. Used properly, it can take the edge off or your sound. Used improperly, it can take the life right out of your system and make it sound like an MTV mix.
2) A piece of sound processing equipment that ensures all wanted signals are suitably placed between the noise and distortion levels of the recording medium. It evens out the unwanted changes in volume you get with close-miking, and in doing so, adds punch to the sound mix. A Limiter is used to stop a signal from exceeding a preset limit. Beyond this limit, the signal level will not increase, no matter how loud the input becomes. A Limiter is often used to protect speaker systems (and human ears) by preventing a system from becoming too loud.

BNO Acoustics QS-4 Clip

The action of deforming a waveform during overload.

Line Out (Line Output)
Any output that sends out a line level signal, such as the output of a console that feeds a recorder.

BNO Acoustics QT-5 Level
The amount of signal strength; the amplitude, especially the average amplitude.

Hearing Limitation
An inability of the ear to hear important characteristics of sound under certain conditions. Characteristics that can be affected include pitch, level, clarity, presence and direction.

BNO Acoustics GT-60 Hertz
The unit of frequency. Equivalent to cycles per second. Abbreviation: Hz.

Crossover
1) A route leading from one side of the stage to the other, out of the audiences view.
2) An electronic filter in a sound system that routes sound of the correct frequency to the correct part of the speaker system. Different speakers handle high frequencies (tweeters) and low frequencies (woofers). Sometimes known as a crossover network. An active crossover splits the signal from the mixing desk into high, mid and low frequencies which are then sent to three separate amplifiers.
3) An electrical circuit that divides a full bandwidth signal into the desired frequency bands for the loudspeaker components.

Group
1) A number of channels or faders that can be controlled by one Master VCA slide.
2) A shortening of the term Recording Group (a buss or the signal present on a buss).

Early Reflections
The first echoes in a room, caused by the sound from the sound source reflecting off one surface before reaching the listener.

BNO Acoustics TR-12 Capacitance

That property of a capacitor which determines how much charge can be stored in it for a given potential difference between its terminals, measured in farads, by the ratio of the charge stored to the potential difference.

Edit
A switch that does different things depending on the operational mode that the machine is in:
1) If a computer-controlled transport is in "Stop," pushing the "Edit" switch deactivates the computer-controlled tension system and allows the reels to be moved by hand to find the exact spot desired on the tape.
2) If the machine is in "Play", the "Edit" switch makes the take-up reel cease taking up the tape and it falls to the floor.
3) If the machine is in a fast-wind mode, the tape lifters are defeated so the tape is in contact with the reproduce head and the engineer can hear where the selections begin and end.

BNO Acoustics XV-16 Kilo
A prefix meaning 1000.

Crossover (Crossover Network)
A set of filters that "split" the audio signal into two or more bands (two or more signals, each of which have only some of the frequencies present).

BNO Acoustics BP-40 Crossover Frequency
1) The frequency that is the outer limit of one of the bands of a crossover.
2) In the Lexicon 480L delay/reverberation effects unit, the frequency at which the bass frequency reverb time is in effect rather than the mid frequency reverb time.

Effects
Electronic boxes (usually rack mounted) added to a PA system to subtly change and enhance the signals going through it. Examples include; Reverb, Delay, Compressor, Chorus.

Efficiency
The acoustic power delivered for a given electrical input. Often expressed as decibels/watt/meter (dB/w/m). ESL �" Abbreviation for electrostatic loudspeaker.

Fundamental
The tuned frequency and (almost always) the lowest frequency that is present in the sounding of a pitch by a musical instrument.