Glossary

AIFF   an abbreviation for audio interchange file format; a sound file format capable of high-quality reproduction.

Aliasing   a digital audio artifact typically heard when the frequency (cycles per second) of a reproduced sound is more than half the value of the sampling frequency (samples per second) used to capture that sound. Ambiance a sound cue that acts as an environmental backdrop to a scene, often a wash of sound without loud or distinguishing elements that would bring undesired attention to the track.

Associate sound designer   a member of the sound team who works with the sound designer in a design capacity, making artistic decisions. An associate designer might also be employed when the primary designer is unavailable due to scheduling conflicts.

Attenuate   to lower the volume.

Aural identifiers   readily identifiable sounds added to difficult to recognize ambiance. A soft, lazy summer wind might sound like white noise, but adding in an aural identifier such as a leaf rustle or a branch creak helps to say “wind” to the audience. These added elements are sometime called “sweeteners.”

Auralizing   imagining the occurrence of a specific sound spatially and over time.

Autofollow cue   a sound cue that a sound operator initiates after another cue, without it being called by the stage manager. Autofollow cues are often used when a sequence of cues happens so quickly that it would be impossible for the stage manager to call them.

Balanced connection   an audio connection that is resistant to interference. This type of connection uses a three-conductor cable and connector. XLR or tip/ring/sleeve connectors are examples of balanced connectors.

Bed track   a track of music or sound that, when used with a spot effect or specific music cue, allows such cues to emerge naturally from a sound mix. With a soft, early-morning ambiance of birds and distant cows mooing as a bed track, a loud rooster crow would emerge out of the ambiance, rather than seeming to pop out of nowhere.

Bit rate   a general term used to express the transmission rate of digital signals. A bit is a binary digit representing two different states, either on or off. The higher the bit rate of a sound file, the better the resolution or clarity of that file.

Board tape   white artist’s tape used to mark mixing boards.

Comb filtering   an undesirable audio effect that happens when a sound from the same source is heard at slightly different times at the same volume. Comb filtering is commonly caused by using multiple microphones to pick up the same source. Combining those signals causes phase cancellation in the waveform of that sound, producing comb filtering.

Computer-assisted playback system   a sound system that uses a computer and software to store, route, and play back audio.

Control surface   a device that connects to a digital audio workstation to provide better control and functionality than simply using a mouse and keyboard. The control surface functions like a mixing console by communicating to the software through touch sensitive faders and rotary encoders that set parameters, write automation, and route tracks.

Count   a unit of time, roughly equivalent to one second, used by sound operators and the designer to express how long a cue should take to be executed.

Crash box   a box designed to hold the items needed to create the sound of an offstage crash.

Crossfade   to overlap the fadeout of one sound with the fade-in of another.

Cue list   a list of the sound cues, in order of occurrence. This either can be found in one of the windows of a computer-assisted playback system or can be produced using the database from which the sound plot is developed.

Deck   any playback device, such as a CD player or sampler. This term originally referred to a tape deck, the only commonly used playback device.

DI   the common abbreviation for a direct input. A DI is often used as an unbalanced input for a musical instrument, like a guitar or synthesizer, into a mixing board. A DI is sometimes routed through a direct box, which has an unbalanced input and a balanced output, the most common input found on professional mixing boards.

Digital audio artifact   an unnatural sound that is a by-product of digital signal processing. Often undesirable, digital artifacts are occasionally so unusual, they become a new and interesting component.

Digital audio workstation   A computer-based sound recording, editing, and mixing system.

Digital delay   an audio device that processes a sound signal to provide special effects such as reverb or vibrato. Originally used primarily to create a delayed audio signal for rear speakers in a reinforcement setup.

Digital sampler   a device that stores sound as digital (computer) information. Incoming sounds are sampled thousands of times a second. The sampler stores the information, and can then play the sounds back at a wide range of pitches or with other modifications.

Doppler effect   the lowering in pitch of an approaching sound as it passes by.

Dry tech   a rehearsal of specific problem sections without actors.

Echo   a distinct repeat or series of repeats of a sound (as opposed to reverberation, which is a blend of many sounds).

Effects return   the pathway of a sound signal as it returns to the mixer from an effects unit such as a digital delay.

Effects send   the pathway of a sound signal as it moves from the mixer to an effects unit.

Entr’acte   music or sounds played during the intermission of a play.

Equalization (EQ)   boosting or filtering the low, mid, and/or high frequencies of sound in order to make a recording seem more natural, provide clarity, or alter sound so that it seems unusual.

Establish and fade   a technique used with ambiance whereby the track plays for long enough to create a mood or sense of place, then is either faded out gradually or taken out abruptly.

Fill loudspeakers   loudspeakers used to provide coverage to places that the main sound system cannot reach, such as under the balcony or front row.

Focus   the part of the installation procedure when the loudspeakers are pointed (focused) vertically and horizontally (pan and tilt).

Foldback speaker   a loudspeaker typically used in musical performances to play the house mix to the performers. This could also be called a monitor loudspeaker.

Found sounds   naturally occurring sounds that are captured (recorded and/or sampled) and utilized in the creation of sound effects and music. The found sound of a gunshot could be used to replace a snare drum sound in a drum set. The sound of a cork squeaking while being extracted from a bottle of wine could be abstracted into a representation of the chirp or “call” of a bat.

Framing cues   the preshow, entr’acte, and curtain call, which act as the bookends of a production. Framing cues exist outside the actual action of a play; they can comment on what will be or has been seen, but function independently of the actors’ presentation of the play. Musically, the preshow is a prelude, the entr’acte a bridge, and the curtain call a coda or finale.

Ground plan   a bird’s-eye view blueprint of how the set is to be placed in the theatre that shows where scenery, masking drapes, doorways, windows etc. will be placed onstage.

Haas effect   a psycho-acoustic phenomenon that has to do with the brain’s perception of where a sound is coming from, when there is more than one source of that sound. A typical example of this is when a singer is amplified through a sound reinforcement system. Because the ear tends to focus on the sound that it hears first, if the arrival time between the first source (the singer) and the second source (the sound system) is 30 milliseconds (ms) or less, the ear will perceive this as one event (coming from the singer). If the gap between the first arrival and second arrival time is over 30 ms, the ear will perceive this as being two events, as if that second source (the sound system) was a repeat or an echo. This is also referred to as the precedence effect.

Hook   a central concept that motivates or is drawn upon to evolve ideas for a design or composition.

Hookup   a text document that defines everything in the schematic block diagram and exactly how it’s hooked up. It includes every cable, connector, length, mult, processor, mixer, amplifier, loudspeaker, sound source, DI, RF, and in some cases, power connects.

Hotspot   an instance when shifting a control knob on a piece of sound equipment from, for example, 2 to 3 produces a greater effect than does moving the same knob from 1 to 2 or 3 to 4, making setting levels difficult.

Indicated cue   a particular piece of music or a specific sound effect that the playwright has called for in the script.

Jump drive   a small, portable storage device, typically a USB memory drive. Also referred to as a thumb drive, because its size is about the same size as a thumb. Convenient for storing and transferring documents, photos, and sound files.

Layering   a technique in which a number of discrete sounds are mixed together to produce a new sound or ambiance.

Loop   a repeated section of sound or music. Traditionally made from tape (the ends of the tape are spliced together), loops are now made digitally with the use of samplers or digital audio workstations.

Lossless   a form of data compression used on audio files. The sound file is compressed into a smaller size, which allows for less storage space and faster download times. Lossless uses complex algorithms for compressing data that result in no loss in sound quality.

Lossy   a form of data compression used on audio files. Data compression makes the audio file smaller, allowing for less storage space and faster download times. Lossy compression compromises the quality of the audio in the sound file.

Magic sheet   a simple but handy diagram that shows your sound system layout. It’s a helpful reference to have during technical rehearsals.

MIDI   Musical Instrument Digital Interface, a technology by which electronic instruments (synthesizers and samplers), computers, and some signal-processing gear can communicate with each other. With MIDI, one keyboard can play other instruments, computers can store sequences of notes that can be accessed by a keyboard, or a reverb unit can be adjusted quickly and consistently.

Mix   the balance of volume between simultaneously playing tracks.

Mixing board, mixing console, or mixing desk   a piece of audio equipment that processes audio signals. The audio signal comes in through the board’s inputs, and the signal’s levels, tonality, and pan position are controlled by the board’s controls. The audio signal is then routed out to the loudspeakers or other signal processing gear. All these terms are used synonymously.

Monitor loudspeaker   a loudspeaker used is to transmit the sound of another performer or the sound in the performance space.

MP3   an abbreviation for MPEG-1 audio layer 3, a compressed audio file format. MP3s, because they use compression technology to reduce file size, do not sound as good as uncompressed audio file types such as AIFF.

Mult   an area on a patch panel that allows you to multiply the number of instances of a connection. For example, if you wanted to send the output of a mic preamplifier to two different devices, you would patch the preamplifier into the mult, and then patch the inputs of the two devices into the same mult. Also a large cable, consisting of many conductors that connects signals from one section of a sound system to another. This is also known as a snake.

Musicality   the human quality of being sensitive to the rhythm, phrasing, concept, and interpretation of music.

Noise-based sounds   nonpitched sounds with irregular (sometimes random) wave shapes. They are observed in ambiant sounds like wind, rain, ocean waves, fire, electric fans, and even in the sound of frying foods. This differs from the kind of noise that describes an unwanted or annoying sound.

Outboard gear   sound-processing equipment, such as a reverb or equalizer, that isn’t built into a mixing board.

Pan pot   a control knob on a mixing board that allows for moving a sound from one output to another.

Paper tech   a meeting for the director, stage manager, lighting designer, and sound designer to discuss where light and sound cues will happen in the show. This is when the stage manager puts the cueing information into the script. Paper tech usually takes place just before technical rehearsals.

PDA   an abbreviation for personal digital assistant. A PDA is a portable, versatile, hand-held computer. It’s a very convenient device for storing contact information, taking notes, doing calculations, keeping a calendar, and playing music.

Plan view   See Ground plan.

Practical   a working device that produces sound onstage just as it would in real life, such as a telephone, doorbell, TV set, or radio.

Production sound mixer   the person responsible for mixing the sound reinforcement of a performance. They are typically found working on musical productions, but can be found whenever there is live miking of performers or musicians.

Quiet time   the designated time in the load-in process when the sound department can work in the performance space without other departments making noise. Typically, quiet time is used for balancing the sound system or setting preliminary sound cue levels.

Required music   a particular piece of music indicated at a certain moment in the script that is played as part of the action onstage or offstage.

Reverberation   multiple blended sounds caused by reflections from hard surfaces. It naturally occurs when sound bounces off of floors, walls, and ceilings. It can also be created using processing equipment. Reverberation differs from echo, which is a repeat of a sound, not a blend.

SBD   an abbreviation for a schematic block diagram, or full system line drawing.

Show-control   a technology used to link together multiple production elements such as lighting, sound, video, and special effects. For example, show-control allows for synchronization between a lighting console and a computer-assisted playback system.

Soloing   listening to a specific track by using the solo function on a mixing board. The act of soloing a track mutes all other tracks.

Soundscape   sounds that create the experience of a realistic or imagined acoustic environment.

Soundscore   a musical composition that uses realistic and/or nonrealistic sounds.

Specific cue   a cue that is primarily informational in purpose, supplying of-the-moment information to the audience, and supporting the play’s development. Specific cues include required music, spot effects, ambiance, and a progression of effects.

Spot effect   a sound effect that occurs at a specific point in the play’s action, as opposed to ambiance.

SRC   an abbreviation for the word source, typically used in sound plots.

Subwoofer   a speaker designed specifically to reproduce low-frequency sounds.

Surrounds loudspeakers   loudspeakers placed in the side and rear of the performance space.

Sweeteners   See Aural identifiers.

System balance   the part of the installation procedure when the output levels of individual loudspeakers are adjusted to create the desired balance between all of the loudspeakers.

Themed entertainment   productions set in specific locations such as theme parks, casinos, and museums.

Timbre   the tone color that distinguishes the quality/voice of one instrument or singer from another (e.g., flute from clarinet, lyric soprano from mezzosoprano).

Unbalanced connection   an audio connection that uses two conductors to transmit the audio signal. This type of connection is more susceptible to audio interference. RCA or tip/sleeve ¼?” audio connectors are examples of unbalanced connectors.

WAV   an abbreviation for waveform audio format, a high-quality sound file format commonly used with PCs.