4/4 – common time signature in Western music denoting four beats to each bar
AM (amplitude modulation) – type of radio signal
audio spectrum – range of sonic frequencies
binaural recording – recording made with two microphones, to simulate the precise audio image heard by human ears
boundary-type microphone – omni-directional microphone mounted on a flat surface
bpm – beats per minute
CDR – CD that can be recorded to on a one-time basis
choke – valve to restrict air flow to a car engine
circuit-bent drum machine – drum machine that’s been hacked or modified
contact mic – microphone physically touching the thing it wishes to record
crossfade – segue between two audio files
delay – treatment of a sound that creates an artificial echo of the original
digital distortion – corruption of a digital audio file
downbeat – first beat of the bar
DPA mic – manufacturer often associated with small microphones worn on TV or film sets
EQ – short for equalisation, adjusting the tone of a sound
frequency spectrum – see audio spectrum
FX – synonym for special effects
high-pass filter – filter that removes lower frequencies
hydrophone – microphone for recording in fluids, usually water
Hz – unit measurement for hertz, the unit measurement of frequencies
kick drum – also known as bass drum, the largest drum in a drum set played with the foot, now associated with drum machines
laid in – mixed within
Lomo shotgun mic – Russian-made microphone, used to record from a distance
loop (v.) – to repeat a section of music
metal-plate reverb – made famous by German company, EMT, an effect that creates the impression of a room or space by passing sound through a metal plate
mix value – control function to allow you to mix between untreated audio and the chosen effect
omni microphone – microphone that can record in all directions at once
overlay (v.) – to lay on top of
pitch-shifter – change the pitch of a sound
reverb – the effect of sound within a space
reverb tail – end of the reverb part of a sound wave
ribbon microphone – microphone that uses an electro-magnetic ribbon to capture sound
room-simulation reverb – a technique to remotely simulate the sound of specific spaces
semitone – the smallest interval in Western classical music
shotgun microphone – microphone used to record from a distance
sound image (page 65 stereo image, and other places) – the complete audible landscape of a recording
sub rumble – cluster of particularly low frequencies
tape delay – delay effect created with a tape loop
transient (n.) – the peak of an audio wave, usually at the start
vamp (n.) – musical phrase that loops indefinitely until the music or musicians are ready to move on to the next section
volume ride – moving the fader to allow for amplitude changes