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Glossary

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Nevada Music Glossary

A

Amp
Short term for Amplifier; referring to a means of increasing sound level.

Acoustic Feedback
This happens when sound from a speaker is picked up by a microphone or transducer and is fed back to the amplifier and increases in volume, thus producing that familiar howl. Avoid at all costs!

B

Bass
Can be a bass guitar or when referring to low frequencies of the audio spectrum

C

Cab
Abbreviation for cabinet and is basically a speaker in a box

Cardioid
The heart shaped pickup pattern of a microphone

D

Delay
The time between something happening, effective in guitar effect pedals

E

Echo
Repeated sounds with a time delay between them

F

Flange
A mix of delay and echo effects - best heard in stereo

G

Guitar
The name given to any electric, bass or acoustic instrument

H

Headroom
The dynamic range of an amplifier and also a reference to the input against maximum output level

I

Impedance
The load into which an amplifier will deliver its optimum power. Expressed in Ohms, a typical amplifier will work into an impedance of 4 or 8 ohms

J

Jack
The standard connector for plugging instruments to an amplifier. The standard jack plug is ¼"

K

Kilohertz
A frequency of 1000 cycles per second

L

Loudspeaker
Converts electrical energy into audible sound

M

MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface is the standard used by the industry to control a whole host of equipment

N

Noise
Not the type made by musicians, but unwanted sounds like hisses, pops, hum and buzz

O

Ohm
The measurement of electrical resistance and impedance

P

Pick
Short for plectrum, the small shaped device used for playing a stringed instrument

Q

Quantisation
This is the process of converting or digitising an analogue waveform into a form which can be processed by a computer

R

Reverb
An abbreviation for reverberation, this is a complex mix of multiple sounds which combine with the original sound to give the effect of sound in a large room or venue

S

Studio Monitors
Speakers which can reproduce a recording exactly as it was made. They have a flat response across the audio spectrum.

T

Tube
Another word for a valve, amplifiers with valves will produce a better sound at high volume without distorting like solid state amplifiers.

U

Used Equipment
There are many bargains to be had out there, but we suggest never buy without seeing or hearing it working first!

V

Valves
Valves have been around for a long time now, but the music industry still loves them for the sound they produce. It's worth remembering that valves will need replacing as they have a limited life.

W

Watt
The output power of an amplifier rating and the 'loudness' of it

Y

Y Cable or Adaptor
Used for splitting a signal into two parts

Z

Z
Z is a reference to impedance and can be 'Hi Z' which is a resistance of 47,000 ohms or 'Low Z' which can be as little as 4 ohms