Attack
How a processor responds after a signal triggers it; implementations differ, so the knob value is not the whole behaviour.
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Music and audio glossary
36 practical definitions connecting the language of music, recording and release preparation.
Bit depth
The number of bits used to represent each sample in a specified PCM format. File size also depends on channels and duration.
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A block of samples processed together. Smaller blocks shorten the block duration but can increase processing pressure.
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A signal exceeding a stage’s available range. Its sound depends on the circuit or processing; digital overs can be abrupt.
Try related toolsCompression ratio
The relationship between input and output level changes above threshold in a simple static compressor model.
Try related toolsCrest factor
The difference or ratio between a signal’s peak and average level, using a stated measurement method.
Try related toolsDI
A direct instrument signal or a device used to adapt it for a recording or live signal path.
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Returning part of an output to an earlier point. Delay repeats and stability depend on the design and level.
Try related toolsGain staging
Setting levels between stages to control noise, headroom and intentional saturation.
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The margin between the current signal level and the level at which a stage overloads. Check it at each stage, not just the final meter.
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A memorable musical or lyrical feature; it need not be a riff or a chorus.
Try related toolsLUFS
A loudness measure using specified filtering and averaging. Programme context and measurement duration matter.
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Delay between an input and its audible or recorded result. A buffer calculation represents only part of a complete system.
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One sound making another harder to hear. Arrangement, level and spectral overlap all influence it.
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Descriptive release information such as title, credited artists and contributors. Check it against the actual submission requirements.
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A recognisable short musical idea that can be repeated, varied, displaced or developed.
Try related toolsMultitrack
Separate recorded or rendered tracks that can be mixed individually, rather than only grouped stems.
Try related toolsOstinato
A recurring musical pattern. Development can happen around it while its identity stays stable.
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Position within a periodic cycle, often expressed in degrees. The effect of a time offset depends on frequency.
Try related toolsPolarity
The sign of a signal. Reversing polarity changes the sign of all samples; it is not the same operation as delaying a signal.
Try related toolsPolymeter
Concurrent meter groupings sharing a pulse but grouping it differently; distinguish the repeat cycle from tempo.
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Contrasting rhythmic groupings played over the same time span, such as three pulses against two.
Try related toolsProvenance
A record of how an asset was created and where source material came from. Documentation does not itself establish legal permission.
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A measure associated with the selectivity of a resonant or filter response. Its interpretation depends on filter design.
Try related toolsReamping
Sending a recorded signal through an amplifier or other equipment, with suitable level and interface matching.
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How a processor returns after gain reduction or another action; programme-dependent processing can vary it.
Try related toolsRiff
A repeated or recurring musical figure that helps establish a song’s character or structure.
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The number of digital samples per second per channel. It affects the available frequency range and buffer timing.
Try related toolsSidechain
A signal path used to control processing. It may use the main signal or a separate input.
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A grouped export such as all drums or all guitars. Ask for the intended grouping because people use the term inconsistently.
Try related toolsSubdivision
A division of a beat into smaller units; specifying the beat unit avoids ambiguity.
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The level at which a dynamics processor begins its specified action, subject to its detector and knee behaviour.
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An estimate of peaks in the reconstructed signal between stored samples; it can exceed the highest sample value.
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How individual lines move between chords; register, spacing and motion affect what listeners perceive.
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The balance between processed and unprocessed sound. Parallel paths can also introduce timing interactions.
Try related toolsdBFS
Decibels relative to digital full scale. It is a digital level reference, not a measure of acoustic loudness in the room.
Try related toolsDefinitions are starting points. For detailed methods and limitations, use the related guides and tool explanations.