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Brief history of Digidesign (Avid Audio) Modier Keys & Special Characters Fundamentals of Digital Audio
Keyboard Commands
Sound Basics
Sound is caused by vibrations Vibrating objects cause air molecules to vibrate at the same rate Humans hear vibrations as sound when the frequency is between 20 and 20,000 cycles per second
Waveform
Vibrations from different objects create different "shapes" Each sound is complex - inuenced by materials and surroundings The waveform gives each sound its unique character
Frequency
The pitch of the sound Measured in cycles per second (CPS) or Hertz (Hz) 1 Hz is the same as 1 CPS 1,000 Hz = 1 kilohertz (kHz)
Frequency
Humans hear frequencies between 20 Hz and 20 kHz Each time the frequency doubles, the pitch rises one octave Example - the note A has frequencies of: 110Hz, 220Hz, 440Hz, 880Hz, etc.
Frequency
Humans hear frequencies between 20 Hz and 20 kHz
Amplitude
The loudness or softness of a sound Dynamic range of hearing Measured in decibels (dB) Threshold of hearing = 0 dB Threshold of pain = 120 dB
Hearing Damage
88 dB ! 8 hours per day 91 dB ! 2 hours per day 94 dB ! 1 hour per day 97 dB ! 30 minutes per day 100 dB ! 15 minutes per day
Hearing Damage
103 dB ! 7.5 minutes per day 106 dB ! 3.75 minutes per day 109 dB ! 1.875 minutes per day 140 dB ! instantaneous hearing damage
Earplugs
etymotic.com $13 Etymotic Research ETY-Plugs ER-20
Amplitude
Humans perceive a doubling of loudness with an increase 10 dB (approximately) The decibel is a logarithmic ratio (non-linear)
Amplitude
Analog Audio
Sound is vibrations in air pressure A microphone translates the vibrations in air pressure into an electric signal (with waveform, frequency, and amplitude) This signal is analogous to the original vibrations in pressure
Analog Audio
The electrical signal can be captured on magnetic tape The signals on tape can be played back through an amplier and loudspeaker The speaker translates the electrical waveform into vibrations in the air
Sample Rate
Sample Rate
Harry Nyquist (1889-1976)... For digital audio, a sound must be sampled at twice its highest frequency A lower sampling frequency will produce strange overtones known as alias tones
Sample Rate
Frequency range of human hearing = 20 Hz to 20 kHz Full-frequency audio requires a 40 kHz sample rate (at least) CDs use 44.1 kHz DV tape uses 48 kHz
Sample Rate
Sample rate determines the highest frequency a digital system can accurately capture.
Dynamic Range
Dynamic Range
Full dynamic range of human hearing is 0dB to 120dB CDs have a dynamic range of 96dB Popular music typically has a dynamic range of 6 to 10 dB, with some forms of music having as little as 1 dB or as much as 15 dB
Quantization
Loudness is captured using quantization Each sample is quantied (assigned) to the closest amplitude value Computers use binary digits called bits (zero or one) A set of bits is a binary word
Bit Depth
Bit Depth = Binary Word Length = Resolution A binary word with 4 bits can have 16 possible values (2 to the 4th) 16 bits = 65,536 possible values (2 to the 16th) 24 bits = 16,777,216 possible values (2 to the 24th)
Bit Depth
Bit Depth determines the dynamic range a digital system can accurately capture.
8-bit example
Review
Frequency, loudness, waveform? Human hearing - frequency range? Human hearing - dynamic range? Nyquist? Bit depth -- dynamic range?