Beats Per Minute (BPM) | The tempo of a piece of music can be written as a number of beats in one minute. If the |
| tempo is 60 BPM, a single beat occurs once every second. |
|
|
Bit | The most elementary unit in digital systems. Its value can only be 1 or 0, corresponding to |
| a voltage in an electronic circuit. Bits are used to represent values in the binary |
| numbering system. As an example, the |
| unsigned value of 154 in the decimal system. In digital sampling, a binary number is used |
| to store individual sound levels, called samples. |
|
|
Bit Depth | The number of bits used to represent a single sample. For example, 8- or |
| common sample sizes. While |
| they are inherently noisier than |
|
|
Buffer | Memory used as an intermediate repository in which data is temporarily held while |
| waiting to be transferred between two locations. A buffer ensures an uninterrupted flow |
| of data between computers. Media players may need to rebuffer when there is network |
| congestion. |
|
|
Bus | A virtual pathway where signals from tracks and effects are mixed. A bus's output can be a |
| physical audio device in the computer from which the signal is heard. |
|
|
Byte | Refers to a set of 8 bits. An |
| bit sample takes two bytes of memory to store. |
|
|
Clipboard | The clipboard is the location where data cut or copied from ACID is stored. You can then |
| paste the data back into the software at a different location. |
|
|
Clipping | Occurs when the amplitude of a sound is above the maximum allowed recording level. In |
| digital systems, clipping is seen as a clamping of the data to a maximum value, such as |
| 32,767 in |
|
|
Codec | Coder/decoder: refers to any technology for compressing and decompressing data. The |
| term codec can refer to software, hardware, or a combination of both technologies. |
|
|
Compression Ratio | A compression ratio controls the ratio of input to output levels above a specific threshold. |
(audio) | This ratio determines how much a signal has to rise above the threshold for every 1 dB of |
| increase in the output. For example, with a ratio of 3:1, the input level must increase by |
| three decibels to produce a |
| Threshold = |
| Compression Ratio = 3:1 |
| Input = |
| Output = |
| Because the input is 3 dB louder than the threshold and the compression ratio is 3:1, the |
| resulting signal is 1 dB louder than the threshold. |
|
|
Compression Ratio | The ratio of the size of the original noncompressed file to the compressed contents. For |
(file size) | example, a 3:1 compression ratio means that the compressed file is |
| the original. |
|
|
Computer ID | Each computer has a unique number, similar to a license plate. Sony creates an activation |
| number based on that number. Since the activation number is based on the Computer ID, |
| it is important that you have the ACID application installed on the computer where you |
| will be using it. The Computer ID is automatically detected and provided to you when you |
| complete the installation process. |
| The Computer ID is used for registration purposes only. It doesn't give Sony access to any |
| personal information and can't be used for any purpose other than for generating a |
| unique activation number for you to use the software. |
|
|
Crossfade | Mixing two pieces of audio by fading one out as the other fades in. |
|
|
DC Offset | DC offset occurs when hardware, such as a sound card, adds DC current to a recorded |
| audio signal. This current results in a recorded wave that is not centered around the zero |
| baseline. Glitches and other unexpected results can occur when sound effects are applied |
| to files that contain DC offsets. |
312 APPENDIX E