Early Reflections@Short clusters of direct reflections from the closest surfaces in a reverberant space, usually occurring within the first 30 to 100 milliseconds after the onset of a sound. Some reverb processors can simulate these clusters of short delays, utilizing this early reflection effect in small amounts to increase the perceived reverb time and apparent size of the reverberant space. See also PreDelay, Slap Echo.@EASI@Enhanced Audio Streaming Interface (pronounced "easy"), developed by Emagic (manufacturers of Logic, Logic Audio, MicroLogic, and other MIDI/audio related software, along with some associated hardware). Like Steinberg's ASIO (see definition), EASI is a middle layer of software, a collection of drivers and programming standards that mediates the communication between audio-capable programs and multi-channel audio cards. It is also cross-platform standard (that is, both Win 95/98 and Macintosh). The idea is that an audio card manufacturer supplies drivers EASI drivers for their hardware, and then any EASI-capable program will be able to use that card. Again, like ASIO, the idea is to get away from each software manufacturer having to write specific drivers for every potentially compatible piece of audio hardware, and vice versa. In order to promote EASI (which they claim is more powerful and flexible than ASIO, which preceded EASI into the marketplace), Emagic has made the source code freely available, with no non-disclosure agreements required from developers in order to create EASI-compliant products.@EBU@European Broadcasting Union. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the EBU Technical Committee publishes technical standards, developed by subgroups of professionals within that organization.@EBU@European Broadcasting Union. An organization for the definition of technical standards, resolution of legal problems, etc., in the European broadcast industry. It was created in 1950. The EBU publishes standards, newsletters, and so on for its members; recent topics including: HDTV standards , DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), and DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting). As audio users may have guessed from the well-known AES/EBU digital audio standard, the EBU coordinates with the AES as well.@EBU Format@European Broadcasting Union. The SMPTE TimeCode format used throughout Europe for television and video; 25 frames per second. See also SMPTE.@Echo@The effect of a sound reflecting off a distant surface and returning to the point of origin. In signal processing applications, an echo is commonly described as one or more distinctly audible delay repeats, which follow the original, or "direct" sound by an interval of more than 40 or 50 milliseconds. See also Delay.@Edit Window@Digidesign term. One of the two principal windows in the Pro Tools software (the other is the Mix Window). The Edit Window provides a graphic display of audio waveforms and MIDI data along a time line. This is the graphic editing environment where the segments or cues ("Regions") of audio or MIDI data can be placed, rearranged, faded, etc. anywhere within the tracks. Automated volume and panning can also be viewed and edited, appearing as graphic curves superimposed over the audio waveforms. As in the Mix window, each track includes controls for record-enable, automation record-enable, mute/solo, "Voice" assignment, etc. Optionally, EQ and effects sends can also be displayed in the Edit window.@Editor/Librarian@An Editor is a computer program for creating, modifying, manipulating, and storing settings for MIDI-based devices, such as synthesizers and signal processors. Editor programs provide a more graphic, user-friendly interface for manipulating sound parameters than the display on the unit itself can usually offer. A Librarian program assists in the organization of multiple sound Banks for MIDI-programmable devices, facilitating reorganization and backup of sound libraries, and moving programs from one location to another. As you may have guessed, an Editor/Librarian program does both!@EDL, Edit Decision List@A record of all the edits to be made in assembling a video program, either on paper, or floppy disk, which is used by a dedicated video editing system. These time-coded references can be used to automate the assembly of the finished program. CMX and several other EDL formats have become industry standards, and are supported by various video and audio editing systems as an interchange format for indicating SMPTE timing references to start and end points of various scenes, locations where a particular actor or sound effect appears, etc. The essence of the EDL concept is that non-sequential segments, from diverse sources, are seamlessly joined together in a finished form. The equivalent concept in audio editing programs is the Playlist, see definition.@Effects (FX)@Signal processing in general, especially reverb, delay, chorus, compression etc., as opposed to EQ.@EIAJ@Electronics Industry Association of Japan. A professional organization, formed in the 1960's to define standards for electronic equipment, in particular helical-scan video recording formats.@EIN@Equivalent Input Noise. A technical specification for audio components. Indicates the input noise level necessary to produce a given output noise level from a preamp. Used to rate the relative "quietness" of a gain stage, in professional gear this typically ranges between -125 and -129.5 dBm.@EISA@Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture. A common 32-bit, PC-compatible data bus standard for 386/486 and Pentium-based computers, which maintains compatibility with older 16- and 8-bit ISA cards from the previous generation of PC's. (ISA, Industry Standard Architecture is compatible with the bus, slots and cards used in the original IBM "AT" computer design.)@ELCO Connector@A large, rectangular multi-pin connector (usually 56 pins, can also be 90 pins). 56-pin ELCO connectors are used on the Alesis ADAT for attaching cables that break out into individual +4dBm, balanced audio lines. (ELCO connectors are also used for multi-channel audio connections on some large recording consoles, such as Midas and Soundcraft.)@Electret-Condenser Microphone@A common type of condenser microphone (also known as a capacitor, or electrostatic microphone), which has the polarizing charge permanently stored in either the diaphragm or back plate ("back-electret"), which consists of an "electret" substance. An electret is a dielectric material, which maintains a polarity applied by an electric field, even after this field is no longer active. Because this electrostatic charge is permanent, no high-voltage bias supply or voltage regulator is required for the capacitor itself, simplifying the circuit design.However, the microphone's internal preamp still requires a power source. Also known as Electret Capacitor Microphone. See also Condenser Microphone.@Electric Musical Instrument@A musical device that uses an electrical means of reproducing or reinforcing sounds originally created by acoustical or mechanical means. For example, instruments using electromagnetic, electrostatic, or piezoelectrical pickups, such as the electric guitar and bass, or the Fender Rhodes electric piano. See also Electronic Musical Instrument.@Electronic Musical Instrument@A device that uses electronic circuits as the source for creating musical sounds, e.g. synthesizers and samplers, Theremin, Hammond organ, etc., which use electronic oscillators or digitally stored audio waveforms as sound sources. See also Electric Musical Instrument.@EMI@Electromagnetic Interference. Electrical and magnetic fields in the environment surrounding audio cabling and components. Such fields can be a cause of undesired noise in audio circuits, particularly when the line-level audio cables being used are not Balanced Lines, see definition.@Emphasis, Pre-Emphasis@1) In the process of recording compact discs, a data flag which may be inserted into the "Q" subcode channel for a CD track, as defined within the Red Book standard. Indicates that a high-frequency boost was used to compensate for the poor performance of some early CD players. The high frequencies were subsequently attenuated during playback, also reducing background noise. Now very rarely used in current digital recordings. Also known as Pre-Emphasis. See also PQ Codes, Red Book.
2) General audio term. A noise reduction technique, where high frequencies are boosted in the input audio, in order to overcome some deficiency in the frequency response of the recording or transmission medium. Used in FM radio broadcasts, tape recorders, and inexpensive digital delays. Also used, in conjunction with companding, in dbx noise reduction. See also dbx, Companding.@Encode, Decode@In the context of MPEG audio, an Encoder program turns ordinary audio files (e.g., in .WAV or AIFF file format) into MP3 files. In the process the Encoder program analyzes the content, then applies data compression (according to the desired throughput or file size you've specified) to the audio data. Since there's a lot of number-crunching involved, the faster your computer, the faster an encoder program will work.
The data compression used in creating MP3 files is "lossy" (in other words, some of the original information is inevitably lost as a result of the compression process). Obviously, more extreme data compression results in a greater loss of sound quality - but in many contexts (such as the spoken word, and the Internet in general), this may be acceptable for a given purpose.
Common encoder programs include, CDex and XingMP3 for Windows, and Mpecker for Macintosh.
Another related kind of program is the MP3 "Player" - which might also be called a "decoder". These programs play back MP3 files using your computer's sound capabilities (duh!). In addition newer versions of Microsoft's Media Player will support MP3 directly, as will interactive authoring programs from Macromedia and others.
Some manufacturers also offer hardware players for MP3 files (typically downloaded from a PC), you can carry around.
See also MP3.@Encrypt@To reorganize information a formalized way, making it incomprehensible to any person (or program) that lacks the "key" indicating how it was restructured. Remember that Super Spy secret code kit that came in the cereal box? Anyone who didn't have the secret Super Spy decoder ring couldn't decipher even the simplest text message - such as "When I grow up, I'm going to be a big star and own my very own digital audio workstation!".
For privacy during the transmission of electronic mail from server to server, it's a good thing for these to be encrypted. You'd probably appreciate it if the security code you punch into the automatic teller was encrypted before being sent along the phone lines, just in case anyone was listening in - No?
More the the point, encrypted information can be embedded within an image file, or digital audio files. For example, the killer MP3 files that you've posted on your band's website might incorporate encrypted information regarding the copyright owner and source of these files - which may help you out if some slug tries to pirate your stuff. See also Watermarking, MP3.@ENG@Electronic News Gathering. The recording and editing of news on video.@Envelope@The contour of a sound, reflecting changes in amplitude, pitch, or timbral characteristics over time. An amplitude envelope describes the varying gain levels of a sound from beginning to end. A filter envelope similarly describes how a filter is being used to change the spectral content of a sound over time. In traditional sound synthesis, the traditional ADSR model commonly used to describe a basic envelope, is composed of four stages: Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release. See ADSR.@Envelope Generator@An electronic circuit or similar software construct which creates a signal contour, used to vary some parameter of another signal over time; for example, the gain of an amplifier, cutoff frequency of a filter, or the pitch of an oscillator. See Envelope, ADSR.@EOX@End of Exclusive, a System Common MIDI message (not specific to any channel) used as a flag to indicate the end point of a System Exclusive message being transmitted over MIDI. EOX flags are necessary because, unlike other MIDI message types, there is no fixed length for SysEx messages. See System Exclusive.@EPROM, EEPROM@Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory, a type of non-volatile memory chip that can be erased when its contents need to be updated (exposing a small window on the chip to ultraviolet light erases its contents). EEPROM chips (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) can be erased by an electrical voltage, making them easier to update. EEPROMs are commonly used to install small operating systems and store other data onto circuit boards, particularly in synthesizer and effects processor designs. See also ROM.@Equalization, Equalizer, EQ@A circuit or device for frequency-selective manipulation of an audio signalÕs gain. The best-known equalizers are shelving types, like the treble and bass "tone" controls on home stereo systems or guitar amps, which cut or boost the gain above/below a given frequency. More sophisticated equalizers permit tonal shaping in multiple frequency bands, for example graphic and parametric equalizers. Abbreviated EQ. See Graphic Equalizer, Parametric Equalizer, Filter.@Ergonomic@Term used to describe an aspect of a device or software interface that has been designed to adapt itself to the comfort and productive requirements of its human operator, rather than vice versa. Designed to minimize eyestrain, muscle fatigue, bad posture, etc. Ergonomics is the study of the relationship between humans and their work environment.@Ethernet@A relatively high-speed local networking system for computers. Ethernet can use "Thick" cable (10Base5 twinaxial with a 15-pin D connector), "Thin" cable (the common 10Base2, the RG58, 50-Ohm coax cable with BNC "T" connectors), or twisted-pair telephone-type cables (10BaseT) extending from a central wiring concentrator (also known as "hub" or "multiport repeater"), terminating in RJ-45 connectors.@Exabyte@A manufacturer of tape cartridge subsystems for data storage and retrieval, particularly used for backup on computers and digital audio workstations. Exabyte drives use 8mm videocassettes and Sony mechanisms, some models achieving data capacities of up to 10Gb per tape through non-destructive data compression.@Expander, Expansion@An audio signal processor that provides a gradual attenuation of signals falling below a user-defined threshold, by a user-specified Ratio of input to output signal. This process, known as Expansion, can be useful for reducing background noise, and increases the dynamic range of the output signal with respect to the input. It has the opposite effect of a Compressor; in traditional analog expanders a variable gain amplifier makes the dynamic range of the output signal greater than that of the input. A Gate, or Noise Gate, is in fact an expander set to an extremely high ratio of Expansion. See also Compression, Noise Gate.@Expansion Chassis@Hardware peripheral for Apple Macintosh computers. Provides additional expansion slots for the installation of more cards than would ordinarily fit into the chassis of the computer itself. Can be of particular interest for video and audio editing systems, since these often use more than the customary number of cards.@Extension (Macintosh)@A type of file which adds functionality to the Macintosh operating system. Some hardware and software applications require that specific Extensions be active at system start-up. They are located in the Extensions folder, inside the System Folder of the Macintosh's current startup disk. When your system is powered on (or restarted), while the operating system is loaded, icons appear at the lower left of the screen as these Extensions are loaded in alphabetical order. See also Extensions Manager.@Extensions Manager@A Control Panel utility on Macintosh computers (operating system 7). It permits choosing which Extensions, Control Panels, and other System Folder items will be active the next time the computer is started up. This utility creates folders called "Control Panels (Disabled)", "Extensions (Disabled)", etc. The items which you inactivate are moved into these folders. If you choose to make an item active again, it is moved back into the appropriate location within the System Folder. See also Extensions.@EZ135@A 135 MB, removable hard-drive mechanism formerly manufactured by SyQuest; now discontinued. See SyQuest Cartridge.@
