Midas M32R User Manual page 31

60 DIGITAL RACK MIXER M32R User Manual
Bank: A fi xed number of channels displayed on a GUI screen.
Bass: Lower frequencies in a signal.
Bay: One of the main control surface sections.
Bus: A pathway down which one or more signals can travel.
C
Cat 5e: A specifi cation for a type of cable used typically for Ethernet
computer networks.
Channel: Single path taken by an audio signal (input or output) through the
control centre.
Channel strip: Row of controls in traditional analogue layout used for the
shaping of a signal.
Checkpoint: A patching data store point, created by clicking CHECKPOINT.
See Patching.
Click: A method of GUI operation, mainly for button operation and
selection purposes.
CMR: Abbreviation for 'common mode rejection'. A measure of how well a
diff erential amplifi er rejects a signal that appears simultaneously and in-phase at
both input terminals. CMR is usually stated as a dB ratio at a given frequency.
Comb fi ltering: Removal of signal components at a number of regularly
spaced frequencies.
Compressor: A dynamics processor that reduces the level of any signal
exceeding a specifi ed threshold volume.
Condenser microphone: A high quality mic that uses a capacitor to detect
changes in the ambient air pressure, which it then converts into an electrical
signal. This type of mic requires power from a battery or external source.
Control centre: The M32's console, comprising control surface and GUI.
Control surface: Area on the control centre that houses all of the user's
hardware controls, such as pushbuttons, control knobs, switches etc.
Crossfade: To combine signals such that one channel or source fades out while
another fades in, but maintaining an essentially constant programme volume.
Cursor: Generally, used to describe the 'I'-shaped pointer on the GUI that
indicates a text insertion point. See Pointer.
D
D zone: Section in the input channel strip for controlling dynamic parameters.
D/A: Abbreviation for 'digital to analogue'. The conversion of digital data to
analogue audio.
DARS: Abbreviation for 'digital audio reference signal'.
Dashboard: A standard GUI screen display - usually on the master bay - that
shows all channel meters (inputs, auxes, returns, masters etc.) all of the time.
DAW: Abbreviation for 'Digital Audio Workstation'. A digital audio workstation
is an electronic system designed solely or primarily for recording, editing and
playing back digital audio.
dB: Symbol for 'decibel'. A unit of measurement of the loudness of sound.
See dBu.
dBu: A unit of measurement of sound used in professional audio. Derived from
the decibel, where the 'u' stands for unloaded, this unit is an RMS measurement
of voltage based on 0.775 VRMS, which is the voltage at which you get 1 mV of
power in a 600 ohm resistor. This used to be the standard impedance in most
professional audio circuits.
DC: Abbreviation for 'direct current'.
Delay: An eff ect by which a reproduction of a signal is played back later then
its original.
Destination: The patch connector to which a signal is routed. See Patching.
Device: A diagram(s) in the I/O tabs representing a physical rack unit, such as a
line I/O, mic splitter, DN9696, AES50 etc. See Patching.
DI: Abbreviation for 'direct inject' or 'direct injection'. Signal is plugged directly
into the audio chain without using a microphone.
DI box: Device for matching signal level impedance of a source to mixer input.
Drag: A method of GUI operation, mainly for control adjustment. Also used for
selecting blocks of patch connectors during patching.
DSP: Abbreviation for 'digital signal processing' or 'digital signal processor'.
Any signal processing done after an analogue audio signal has been converted
into digital audio. Can be used to create, for example, compression, equalisation
etc., of a digital signal. A digital signal processor is a piece of equipment
specifi cally designed for carrying out signal processing.
E
E zone: Section in the input channel strip for controlling EQ parameters.
Eff ect: One of a number of audio processes that can be applied to a signal to
modify it, such as reverb, fl anging, phasing, delay etc.
Eff ects rack: A virtual rack of internal processors. See Virtual rack.
Envelope: 1. How a sound or audio signal varies in intensity over time.
2. The visual representation of such, usually shown on a graph in a GUI
channel strip.
EQ: Abbreviation for 'equaliser' or 'equalisation'.
Equalisation: Adjusting the frequency response so that the levels
of all frequencies are equal or the same. Bass and treble controls are
equalisation controls.
F
Fader: Slider-type device for precise adjustment of signal level or
volume of a channel.
Fast strip: One of the strips in the input, mix and output fast zones. See Input
fast strip, Mix fast strip, Output fast strip and Fast zone.
Fast zone: An area on a bay that contains quick controls. See Input fast zone,
Mix fast zone, Output fast zone and Fast strip.
FB: Abbreviation for 'front-back'. A term used in surround panning.
Feedback: See Acoustic feedback.
Filter: A device for removing frequencies above or below certain levels.
FOH: Abbreviation for 'front of house'. The area in a theatre used by the public.
Used to describe a control centre being used to control the sound that the
audience will hear (and not the performers' monitor system).
Frequency: The number of times that a sound wave's cycle repeats within
one second.
Fricative: A consonant, such as 'f' or 's', produced by the forcing of breath
through a constricted passage.
From section: The leftmost area of the patching screen that contains the source
patch connectors. See Patching.
G
Gain: Another term for signal level.
Gain reduction (compressor): Decrease in gain when input signal is above
threshold. See Gain.
GEQ: Abbreviation for 'graphic equaliser'. See Graphic EQ.
GEQ rack: A virtual rack of GEQs. See Virtual rack.
Granularity: A measure of the size of components or a description of the
components comprising a system.
Graphic EQ: A form of EQ that has a number of faders for controlling the gain of
the audio signal. The faders are set at frequency bands that are evenly-spaced
according to octaves.
GUI: Abbreviation for 'graphical user interface'.
GUI channel strip: Right section of a GUI screen that represents the processing
area of the input or output channel strip selected to the control surface.
61 DIGITAL RACK MIXER M32R User Manual
GUI menu: A menu selectable at either GUI screen by clicking the home button
(upper-left corner).
GUI screen: One of the M32's two screens, which comprise the GUI.
H
HPF: Abbreviation for 'high pass fi lter'. A fi lter that removes lower frequencies
from a signal, leaving the higher frequencies unaff ected.
Hum: Undesirable low frequency tone present in a signal due to grounding
problems or proximity to a power source.
Hz: Symbol for 'Hertz'. A unit of frequency equal to one cycle of a sound wave
per second.
I
I zone: Area on the master bay that contains the operator-assignable
eff ects controls.
I/O: Abbreviation for 'input/output'.
ID: Abbreviation for 'identifi cation'.
Ident: Scale marking, or gradation, around a control knob to help indicate the
current setting and to assist in accurate adjustment.
Impedance (Z): Opposition to the fl ow of alternating current in a circuit,
measured in ohms.
K
Kernel: For computers, the kernel is the central component of most
operating systems.
L
LCD select button: LCD button in the input fast strips and VCA groups, used for
channel/group navigation and selection, and operator feedback.
LFE: Abbreviation for 'low frequency eff ects'. Typically, the '.1' in '5.1 surround' is
an LFE channel.
LFO: 1. Abbreviation for Low-Frequency Oscillation, an electronic signal which
is usually below 20 Hz and creates a rhythmic pulse or sweep. This pulse or
sweep is often used to modulate synthesizers, delay lines and other audio
equipment in order to create eff ects used in the production of electronic music.
2. Abbreviation for Low-Frequency Oscillator, the device itself which produces
low-frequency oscillation.
LS: Abbreviation for 'left surround'. The left rear speaker in a
5.1 surround system.
M
MADI: Abbreviation for 'multi-channel audio digital interface'.
Master bay: Control area for masters, automation, comms, monitoring etc.
Also contains the primary navigation zone.
Masters: The three master channels (mono and stereo left and right) in the
master bay.
MB: Abbreviation for 'megabyte'.
MC: Abbreviation for 'master controller'.
Meter: Visual device to indicate the level of a signal.
Meters screen: One of the GUI screens. This is the default screen of the
master bay.
Mic: Abbreviation for 'microphone'.
Microphone: Device for converting sound waves into audio signals.
MIDI: Acronym for 'musical instrument digital interface'. A digital signal system
standard that facilitates integration of musical instruments, such as synthesizers
and guitars, with computers.
Mix: 1. A signal that contains a combination of signals, such as a pair of stereo
signals with numerous eff ects. 2. The act of creating such a combination.
3. A type of bus. See Bus.
Mix bay: Control area for outputs and groups.
Mixer: 1. A console or other device that blends input signals into composite
signals for output. 2. An engineer/technician who carries this out,
especially during a live performance.
mm: Symbol for 'millimetre' (one thousandth of a metre).
MON: Abbreviation for 'monitor', used to describe a control centre being used to
mix the signals sent to the stage monitor speakers.
Monitor: 1. Speaker(s) used for listening to a mix or live audio. 2. The act of
listening to a mix or live audio.
Monitor A: Primary monitor bus system.
Monitor B: Secondary monitor bus system.
Monitors: Control area on the master bay for monitoring the A and
B signal paths.
Mono: A single signal.
Mute: Function that allows a channel's signal to be silenced.
Mute safe: Function that means a mute cannot be controlled by scene recall or
auto-mutes.
N
N/A: Abbreviation for 'not applicable'.
nm: Symbol for nanometre (one billionth of a metre).
Normalise: To boost the amplitude of a digital sound so that it is as high as it
can be without clipping (0 dB).
Normalisation: An automatic process whereby the gain of all program material
is adjusted so that the peak level will just arrive at 0 dB.
Normalised connection: Also known as 'normalled connection'. A connection
that allows a signal to pass through it when no plug is inserted in it, but breaks
the connection when a plug is inserted.
Normalising: The process of making audio fi les the same volume.
NVRAM: Abbreviation for 'Non-volatile random access memory'. this is the
general name used to describe any type of RAM that retains its information when
power is switched off . For example, fl ash memory.
O
O/B: Abbreviation for 'outside broadcast'.
Oct: Abbreviation for 'octave'.
Octave: A diff erence in pitch where one tone has a frequency that is double or
half of the frequency of another tone.
ohm (Ω): Unit of electrical resistance.
OS: Abbreviation for 'operating system'.
OSC: Abbreviation for 'oscillator' or 'oscillation'.
Out of phase: 1. A signal, being similar to another in amplitude, frequency and
wave shape, but off set in time by part of a cycle. 2. 180° out of phase or having
opposite polarity. See Phase.
Outboard: External, as in an 'external device'.
Outboard equipment: External equipment used with the M32 Control Centre,
but that is not part of it.
Output: 1. The signal put out by a device. 2. The physical location of where a
device sends out a signal.