B

Baffles

Sound-absorbing panels used to prevent sound waves from entering or leaving a certain space.

Balance

1. The relative level of two or more instruments in a mix, or the relative level of audio signals in the channels of a stereo recording.
2. To make the relative levels of audio signals in the channels of a stereo recording even.

Balance Control

A control on a stereo amplifier that when moved clockwise will make the right channel louder (and the left channel softer) and will do the reverse when moved counter-clockwise.

Balanced

1. Having a pleasing amount of low frequencies compared to mid-range frequencies and high frequencies.
2. Having a pleasing mixture of the various instrument levels in an audio recording.
3. Having a fairly equal level in each of the stereo channels.
4. A method of interconnecting electronic gear using three-conductor cables.

Balanced input/output

A “balanced” connection is one that has three wires to move the signal. One is a ground, and the other two (called conductors) carry signals of equal value. This is why they are called balanced. Low Z cables and connections are the most common example.

Balls

1. The depth and thickness of a sound, usually on the bottom end of the EQ (as in “needs more balls”).
2. The strength of the voice on the mic (as in “check it like you have some balls”).

Band Track

1. A mixdown of a song without the lead vocal or without the lead and background vocals.
2. A term with the same meaning as the term Rhythm Track.
3. The recording of the rhythm instruments in a music production.

Bandwidth

1. 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.

Bank

1. A collection of sound patches (data as to the sequence and operating parameters of the synthesiser generators and modifiers) in memory.
2. A group of sound modules as a unit.

Bar

A term meaning the same thing as the term Measure (the grouping of a number of beats in music, most-often four beats).

Barrier Micing

A method of placing the head of a microphone as close as possible to a reflective surface, preventing phase cancellation.

Basic Session

The First session in recording an audio production to record the Basic Tracks.

Bass

1. The lower range of audio frequencies up to approximately 250 Hz.
2. Short for Bass Guitar.
3. Lower end of the musical scale. In acoustics, the range (below about 200 Hz) in which there are difficulties, principally in the reproduction of sound, due to the large wavelengths involved.
4. The lower frequencies.
5. On the soundboard this should refer to the bass guitar channel, not the bass drum.
6. The lowest frequencies of sound. Bi-Amplification uses an electronic crossover or line-level amplifiers for the high and low frequency loudspeaker drivers.

Bass Roll Off

An electrical network built into some microphones to reduce the amount of output at bass frequencies when close-micing.

Beat

1. The steady even pulse in music.
2. The action of two sounds or audio signals mixing together and causing regular rises &.falls in volume.

Beats Per Minute (BPM)

The number of steady even pulses in music occurring in one minute and there fore defining the tempo of the song.

Bi

A prefix meaning two.

Bi-Amplification

1. A way of optimising the efficiency of a speaker system by separately amplifying the High Frequency (HF) and Low Frequency (LF) portions of the sound signal and sending them down two pairs of cables to the speaker. Multipin Speakon connectors have been developed to do this.
2. The process of having of having low-frequency speakers and high-frequency speakers driven by separate amplifiers.

Bi-Directional Pattern

A microphone pick up pattern which has maximum pick up directly in front and directly in back of the diaphragm and least pick up at the sides.

Binary

A numbering system based on two. In binary there are two symbols used (“l” and “0”).

Bit

The smallest unit of digital information representing a single “0” or 1.

Blending

1. A condition where two signals mix together to form one sound or to give the sound of one sound source or one performance.
2. Mixing the left and right signal together slightly which makes the instruments sound closer to the centre of the performance stage.
3. A method of panning during mixing where instruments are not panned extremely left or right.

Boom

1. A hand-held, telescoping pole used to hold the microphone in recording dialogue in film production.
2. A telescoping support arm that is attached to a microphone stand and which holds the microphone.
3. Loosely, a boom stand.

Boom Stand

A microphone stand equipped with a telescoping support arm to hold the microphone.

Boost

To increase gain, especially to increase gain at specific frequencies with an equaliser.

Bottom

The bass frequencies (as in “needs more bottom end”).

Boundary Mic

A microphone mounted on a flat plate that acts as a reflective surface directing sound into the mic capsule. Used for general pick-up over a large area. See PCC, PZM.

Bridge

The bridge assembly, or just “bridge” is an area on the face of the guitar where the string meet or are connected to the face.

Board

1. Another, less formal, term for Console.
2. A set of controls and their housing which control all signals necessary for recording and for mixing.
3. A slang shortening of the term Keyboard Instrument.

Bouncing

Alternate name for Ping-Ponging (playing several tacks with sync playback through a console to mix them together and record them on an open track).

BPM

An abbreviation of Beat Per Minute (the number of steady even pulses in music occurring in one minute and therefore defining the tempo).

Bulk Dump

Short for System Exclusive Bulk Dump (a method of transmitting data, such as the internal parameters of a MIDI device to another MIDI device).

Buss (Bus)

A wire carrying signals to some place, usually fed from several sources.

Byte

A grouping of eight information bits.