A
ADDITIVE EQ: Boosting of Frequencies with an EQ
ADDITIVE SYNTHESIS: A sound synthesis technique that creates timbre by adding sine waves together
ALIASING: (In Digital Audio): Artifacts that are created when sample rate is reduced and the instrument or sound played contains frequencies above the Nyquist frequency and are re-populated in lower frequencies. Can sound metallic, tinny, or shimmery.
ANALOG: A method of recording audio that replicates the original sound waves (unlike digital audio which is recorded by taking samples of the original audio at a specified rate).
ANALOG SYNTH: An analog (or analogue) synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog signals to generate sound electronically.
ANTI ALIASING FILTER: A function in specific plugins that removes unwanted artifacts caused by aliasing
ARTIFACT (Digital Audio): Unwanted and sometimes unpredictable extra noise, sounds, clicks, pops, or distortion that shows up in audio.
ATTACK: A parameter or function in audio that controls the beginning of a sound. The duration of time it takes for a sound to reach it’s peak volume, or effect to reach it’s peak effect characteristic. A short attack means that the effect happens quickly, a long attack means the effect happens slowly. A short attack on volume means the volume kicks in fully very quickly. A long attack on the volume means it takes quite a bit of time before the volume reaches it’s maximum. Attack is usually measured in milliseconds.
ATTENUATION: Reduction, bringing down. A term often used with audio compression and dynamic processing.
B
BANDPASS FILTER: A filter mode that preserves one band of audio only, while eliminating or dramatically reducing everything else. 
j
BANDWIDTH: The range of frequencies over which a tape recorder, amplifier or other audio device is useful. 2) The range of frequencies affected by an equalization setting.
BASS – A sound which takes up the majority of space in the low frequencies of a song.
BIT DEPTH: In digital audio using pulse-code modulation (PCM), bit depth is the number of bits of information in each sample, and it directly corresponds to the resolution of each sample.
BOUNCING: Taking songs out either in real-time or offline (sped up) from session with all processing in tact.
C
CHORD – A polyphonic sound used by playing at least 2 notes at once.
CHORUS: A chorus effect (sometimes chorusing, choruser or chorused effect) occurs when individual sounds with approximately the same time, and very similar pitches converge and are perceived as one.
CLIPPING: Distortion of a signal by its being chopped off. An overload problem caused by pushing an amplifier beyond its capabilities.
COMPRESSOR: A compressor uses a threshold control which lets the user decide where in the peak the gain reduction process starts, then a ratio control determines the amount the gain is reduced.
CREST (aka Dynamic Range): The middle of the RMS/LUFS and the PEAK of a waveform in audio.
CROSSOVER: An electrical circuit that divides a full bandwidth signal into the desired frequency bands for the loudspeaker components.
D
DAC: Digital Analog Convertor
dBFS: Decibels Relative to Full Scale
DECAY: The measurement of time it takes a sound or effect to fade to silence
DELAY: An effect that produces a duplicate signal of the original audio and adds an elongated repeating tail effect, usually tapering off into silence. Postponing or preponing a sound, often measured in milliseconds.
DIRECT EXPORTING: Taking song or files out of session without processing.
DITHER: Add white noise to (a digital recording) to reduce distortion of low-amplitude signals.
DYNAMIC PROCESSING: A type of audio effect that continuously changes in response to audio signals. The amount of processing or effect changes in relation to the volume or frequency response of the audio. Examples include compressors, multiband compressors, Gates, dynamic EQ, and limiters.
DYNAMIC RANGE: The ratio of the largest to the smallest intensity of sound that can be reliably transmitted or reproduced by a particular sound system, measured in decibels.
DYNAMICS: Dynamic range describes the ratio of the softest sound to the loudest sound in a musical instrument or piece of electronic equipmen
E
ECHO – Is term used to describe a delay effect on a sound which is characterized by repetitive sounds which typically decrease in volume following the original initiated sound.
EQ: Equalizer, facilitates frequency specific volume increases or decreases
EXPANSION (Compression): A form of audio compression that makes the audio louder instead of quieter. Sometimes referred to as upward compression.
F
FLANGER: A comb filter style effect caused by mixing two identical signals together, one signal delayed by a small and gradually changing period, usually smaller than 20 milliseconds.
FM SYNTHESIS: A form of sound synthesis where the timbre of a simple waveform (such as a square, triangle, or sawtooth) called the carrier, is changed by modulating its frequency with a modulator frequency that is also in the same or similar audio range, so that a more complex timbre results.
FREQUENCY: The speed of the vibration of sound, which causes it’s pitch (measured in Hz/Hertz).
FREQUENCY MODULATION/FM:
G
GAIN: The input volume level of audio. The power delivered at the pre-amp stage of sound formation.
GAIN STAGE: In audio engineering, a gain stage is a point during an audio signal flow that the engineer can make adjustments to the level, such as a fader on a mixing console or in a DAW. Gain staging is the process of managing the relative levels in a series of gain stages to prevent introduction of noise and distortion.
GRANULAR SYNTHESIS: A very interesting technique used to create new sounds from existing sounds by breaking them down into smaller components known as grains.
GRAPHIC EQ: A device with a visual representation for adjusting the frequency response of audio by means of a number of controls each of which adjusts the response for a band centered on a particular frequency.
H
HARMONY – A sound used by combining at least 2 notes that typically have an auditory fit as a result of a mathematical frequency relationship. The interaction between these notes creates what is known as harmony. Notes played within the same scale are often in harmony
HERTZ: The unit of measurement for the vibrational frequency of a sound, cycles per second. 30hz = 30 vibrational cycles per second.
HIGHPASS: The process of filtering out the low and mid frequencies in a sound leaving primarily the high frequency range of the audio spectrum.
HZ: The unit of measurement for the vibrational frequency of a sound, abbreviated. Cycles per second. 30hz = 30 vibrational cycles per second. .
I
IN PHASE: When the two waves are “in phase” the crests and troughs are precisely in sync and the result is greater amplitude or sound level.
INTERLEAVED: A stereo sound file or digital recording where the data making up the left and right channels are mixed together as one contiguous block of data.
IN-THE-BOX: All digital and plug-in based. No analog gear used.
ISP: Inter Sample Peaks
L
LEAD – A sound used to stand out and grab a listeners attention. Typically monophonic (only producing one note), leads tend to drive the core melody of a part of a song/track.
LISTENING MEDIUM: What type of medium you listen on. (i.e. CD, Vinyl, Digital, etc)
LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale): Loudness, K-weighted, relative to Full Scale (or LKFS) is a loudness standard designed to enable normalization of audio levels for delivery of broadcast TV and other video. Loudness units relative to Full Scale (or LUFS) is a synonym for LKFS that was introduced in EBU R128.
M
MASTERING: Mastering, a form of audio post production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device (the master); the source from which all copies will be produced (via methods such as pressing, duplication or replication)
MASTERING CHAIN: Plugins or Outboard used one after the other in various orders and arrangement to apply Mastering FX and Dynamics for Mastering Audio.
MELODY – A combination of notes used to create a catchy phrase of a song combining rhythm and pitch. Often the backbone or common thread of a song.
MIXING: Mixing is the process of blending all the individual tracks in a recording to create a version of the song that sounds as good as possible – the “mix”. The process can include: Balancing the levels of the tracks that have been recorded. Fine-tuning the sound of each instrument or voice using equalisation
MONOPHONIC – A instrument or sound that is only playing one note at a time.
MULTI-MONO: Two files with information from the Left side and Right side only. Multiple Mono Files from the original stereo session of file.
N
NORMALIZATION: Audio normalization is the application of a constant amount of gain to an audio recording to bring the average or peak amplitude to a target level (the norm). Because the same amount of gain is applied across the entire recording, the signal-to-noise ratio and relative dynamics are unchanged.
NOTE – A sound generating a specific frequency which may be of short or long duration.
NULL TEST: Testing two identical audio files in 180 degrees phase so it is entirely canceling itself out.
NYQUIST FREQUENCY: The highest frequency that can be sampled with accuracy based on the sampling rate being used.
O
OUTBOARD GEAR: Analog or “outside the box” gear.
OUT OF PHASE: When two waves are out of sync (Also known as phase cancellation), the crest of one overlaps the trough of the other and they effectively cancel each other out which flattens/reduces the amplitude or sound (leading to silence).
P
PAD – A type of sound which has a slow attack and long sustain. Typically used to create ambience.
PARAMETRIC EQ: A device which includes knobs or faders for adjusting the frequency response of audio. Common parameters are Gain, Frequency, and Q.
PEAK: Loudest point of audio
PEAK LIMIT: Limiting the peak of the output on a limiter to ensure it does not exceed this set peak when the threshold is increased.
PERCUSSION – A musical element performed by striking rhythmically in a song, these sounds are used to create from simple to complex rhythm signatures while providing critical beat guidance and consistency. Drums, percussion instruments, plucks, vocal chops, fx hits, foley, and more can all be used to create percussive elements in music.
PHASE: A term used to describe the overlapping relationship between two sounds waves of the same frequency, which can be In-Phase or Out-of -Phase (or some intermediary state).
PHASE CANCELLATION: When two waves are out of sync, the crest of one overlaps the trough of the other and they effectively cancel each other out which flattens/reduces the amplitude or sound (leading to silence or unintended audio artifacts).
PHASER: An electronic sound processor that creates a sweeping effect by modulating a narrow notch signal filter.
PLAYBACK MEDIUM: What device you listen on. (i.e. CD player, Boombox, Earbuds, Speakers, etc)
PLUCK – A sound with a fast attack and short sustain. A pluck is a percussive sound.
POLYPHONIC – A instrument or sound that is playing more than one note at a time.
PRINTING: Recording out with all processing in place (in Real-Time) through a bus send or aux send.
PSYCHOACOUSTICS: A branch of science that deals with how humans perceive sound. Psychoacoustics processing in music production often uses harmonic content to make audio sound more full, louder, or wider in the stereo field (without actually making it louder in decibels.
Q
Q/QUE (EQ): – Q refers to the width of a band in an equalizer. A narrow Q will result in steep boosting or cutting. A wide Q will result in in gradual boosting or cutting with a longer roll off point.
QUANTIZE: To place audio or midi perfectly on a grid in a DAW. Shifting audio or MIDI off of the grid can create a music and more “humanized” swing like effect. Audio or MIDI that is perfectly quantized can sound mechanical and robotic.
R
RELEASE: The amount of time it takes for an an audio signal to return to silence, or it’s unaffected state.
REVERB: Audio bouncing off of walls and ceilings. An audio effect used to create a sense of space. A characteristic of sound that emulates the affect of being generated in a room/space with very limited sound absorption ability. Reverb can be used to push a sound farther back into a mix (create depth).
ROLL OFF POINT: A portion of an EQ cut or boost that has a smaller cut/boost than the peak frequency cut point. For instance, an EQ cut at 200hz with a Q of 1 or 2, will have a bell shaped EQ curve beginning before 200hz, and after 200hz. 
RMS (Root Mean Squared): The peak value is the highest voltage that the waveform will ever reach, like the peak is the highest point on a mountain. The RMS (Root-Mean-Square) value is the effective value of the total waveform. It is really the area under the curve. In audio it is the continuous or music power that the amplifier can deliver.
S
SAMPLE RATE: Sampling rate or sampling frequency defines the number of samples per second (or per other unit) taken from a continuous signal to make a discrete or digital signal.
SEQUENCE: The arrangement of a song and all of it’s audio layers. The sequencing phase of production is where we piece audio and midi together to tell a captivating musical story.
SPECTRUM ANALYSIS: the analysis of light, sound, or other system of vibrations into a spectrum.
SRC: Sample Rate Conversion
STEMS: The individual instrument tracks of an audio production
STEM MASTER: The process of final audio mastering using several stems, rather than one complete stereo mix waveform. This is often used to give the engineer more flexibility and capacity to make more fine tuned audio adjustments, with the intention of a better quality master.
STEREO FIELD: Placement in space between a stereo image
SUBTRACTIVE EQ: Attenuation of Frequencies with an EQ
SUBTRACTIVE SYNTHESIS: A method of sound synthesis in which partials of an audio signal (often one rich in harmonics) are attenuated by a filter to alter the timbre of the sound. While subtractive synthesis can be applied to any source audio signal, the sound most commonly associated with the technique is that of analog synthesizers of the 1960s and 1970s, in which the harmonics of simple waveforms such as sawtooth, pulse or square wavesare attenuated with a voltage-controlled resonant low-pass filter. Many digital, virtual analog and software synthesizers use subtractive synthesis, sometimes in conjunction with other methods of sound synthesis
SUSTAIN: How long a sound will play once produced without significant decay. Example; short sustain will give you pluck like sound well a long sustain would be used for a pad.
SYNTHESIZER: An electronic instrument used to produce sounds (notes) with the ability to vary pitch on a continuum of frequencies.
T
TEMPO: The rate or speed of audio or song/track, measured in Beats Per Minute (BPM).
TIMBRE: In music, timbre (TAM-bər), also known as tone color or tone quality is the perceived sound quality of a musical note, sound or tone. Timbre distinguishes different types of sound production, such as choir voices and musical instruments, such as string instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments.
TRANSIENT: A burst of audio energy, usually at the very beginning of a sound. The attack. A transient is a high amplitude, short-duration sound at the beginning of a waveform.
TREMOLO: A wavering effect in a musical tone, typically produced by rapid reiteration of a note, or sometimes by rapid repeated variation in the pitch of a note or by sounding two notes of slightly different pitches to produce prominent overtones.
U
UNISON: Unison comes from the Latin root words uni, meaning “one,” and sonous, meaning “sound.” So unison literally means one sound, and in music, it still retains that meaning. Unison occurs when two or more sounds/voices play or sing the same pitch or in octaves. Multiple sounds or voices (both human and synthesizer) blend to create the sense of only one sound happening.
UNITY GAIN: Input and Output voltage is the same at 0.0
UPWARD COMPRESSION: See expansion
V
VIBRATO: A rapid, slight variation in pitch in singing or playing some musical instruments, producing a stronger or richer tone.
VOICE (Synthesizer): One layer of sound amidst multiple layers, each layer is called a voice. When multiple voices blend together it creates a rich, deep, and full sound. When each voice has a change in pitch or time, it changes the overall character of the sound.
VOLUME: A term used to reference the loudness of a sound from a source. Most commonly measured in decibels, which decrease with distance from the source.
W
WAVEFORM: A visual representation of audio, showing the shape of a sound.
WHITE NOISE: A scratchy textured static like sound that seems to have no pattern or rhythm. Radio or television static is white noise.