Question 1

Wide-range sound with extended low- and high-frequency response results from using:&#10;A) high-quality microphones and adequate EQ.&#10;B) digital recording.&#10;C) analog recording.&#10;D) bass boost and treble boost.

Accepted Answer

Using high-quality microphones and adequate EQ allows for better capture and manipulation of a wider range of frequencies, resulting in a more balanced and full sound. Digital or analog recording can affect the sound quality, but the use of EQ is more crucial in achieving a wide-range sound. Bass boost and treble boost can also manipulate the frequency response, but can lead to an unnatural or unbalanced sound if not used carefully.

Question 2

&#34;Tonal balance&#34; refers to the balance of __________________.&#10;A) timbre and envelope.&#10;B) a mix.&#10;C) bass, midrange and treble.&#10;D) tones.

Accepted Answer

Tonal balance refers to the balance between the bass, midrange, and treble frequencies in a mix or sound system.

Question 3

A &#34;clean&#34; recording is __________________.&#10;A) digital.&#10;B) analog.&#10;C) free of noise and distortion.&#10;D) free of guitar-amp distortion.

Accepted Answer

A "clean" recording is one that is free of any unwanted noise or distortion. It can be either digital or analog, and may or may not include guitar-amp distortion depending on the desired sound.

Question 4

&#34;Presence&#34; is achieved by __________________.&#10;A) close miking, overdubbing, upper midrange boost, less reverb.&#10;B) recording an entire band at once&#10;C) lo-fi microphones&#10;D) extra reverb to add a sense of space

Accepted Answer

"Presence" in audio production refers to the clarity and immediacy of sound, often achieved through techniques like close miking, overdubbing, boosting the upper midrange frequencies, and using less reverb. These methods help sounds stand out more distinctly in a mix.

Question 5

Dynamic range is _________________.&#10;A) loudness.&#10;B) signal-to-noise ratio.&#10;C) the range of expression of a vocalist.&#10;D) the range of volume levels from softest to loudest.

Accepted Answer

Dynamic range refers to the range of volume levels from the softest to loudest. It is a measure of the difference between the quietest and loudest parts of a sound or music recording.

Question 6

An ideal reverberation time for classical music is __________ seconds.&#10;A) 0.5 to 1.2&#10;B) 1.2 to 2&#10;C) 2 to 5.1&#10;D) 5.1 to 10

Accepted Answer

A reverberation time of 1.2 to 2 seconds is ideal for classical music. This allows for a pleasant blending of the individual instruments and creates a sense of spaciousness without causing excessive blurring or muddiness in the sound.

Question 7

In a classical-music recording, &#34;perspective&#34; is controlled by _________________.&#10;A) miking distance&#10;B) direct-to-reverb ratio&#10;C) microphone polar pattern&#10;D) amount of artificial reverb&#10;E) all of the above.

Accepted Answer

Perspective in a classical-music recording is influenced by all the listed factors: miking distance affects the balance between direct sound and ambient sound; direct-to-reverb ratio controls the sense of space and depth; microphone polar pattern influences the capture of direct vs. ambient sound; and the amount of artificial reverb can enhance or alter the natural acoustics of the recording space.

Question 8

When judging stereo imaging, ____________________.&#10;A) always use headphones.&#10;B) sit equidistant from the speakers.&#10;C) sit closer to one speaker than the other to make sure the imaging is robust.&#10;D) sit farther from the speakers than their spacing.

Accepted Answer

Sitting equidistant from the speakers ensures a balanced stereo image, allowing for accurate assessment of the stereo field.

Question 9

Some cures for &#34;muddy sound&#34; are ___________________.&#10;A) reverberation and delay.&#10;B) omnidirectional microphones and digital recording.&#10;C) overdubbing, recording direct.&#10;D) boost EQ at 300 Hz and cut at 5 kHz.

Accepted Answer

Overdubbing and recording direct can help eliminate unwanted ambient noise and focus the sound, reducing muddiness. Reverberation and delay might add to the problem, omnidirectional microphones can capture more ambient sound, and specific EQ adjustments without context are not universal cures for muddy sound.

Question 10

Some cures for distortion are _________________.&#10;A) use less gain, insert a pad&#10;B) set master fader to minimum and faders to maximum.&#10;C) higher gain, lower fader setting.&#10;D) record no higher than 0 dBFS in rms meter mode.

Accepted Answer

The best cure for distortion is to use less gain or insert a pad to reduce the signal level. Setting the master fader to minimum and faders to maximum may help to reduce distortion to some extent, but it is not a recommended practice as it can cause other issues such as noise and reduced dynamic range. Higher gain and lower fader settings can actually increase the distortion. Recording no higher than 0 dBFS in rms meter mode is a good practice to avoid digital clipping, but it does not directly address distortion caused by overdriving an analog circuit.

Question 11

One cure for noise is ________________________.&#10;A) use a highpass filter for hiss and a lowpass filter for rumble.&#10;B) switch out a mic pad if not needed.&#10;C) turn down gain.&#10;D) keep master fader high and channel faders low.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One cure for noise is ________________________.&#10;A) use...

Question 12

A cure for breath pop is __________________.&#10;A) use a pop filter.&#10;B) place the mic above or to the side of the mouth.&#10;C) use an omnidirectional microphone.&#10;D) use a highpass filter.&#10;E) all of the above.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A cure for breath pop is __________________.&#10;A)...

Question 13

To add a sense of depth, _________________.&#10;A) turn up the reverb slightly on all tracks.&#10;B) add some delay.&#10;C) mike instruments farther away.&#10;D) use varied amounts of reverb on each track.

Accepted Answer

The answer of To add a sense of depth, _________________.&#10;A)...

Question 14

If an orchestral recording sounds too dry, _________________.&#10;A) record in a concert hall with a longer reverb time.&#10;B) use spot mics.&#10;C) mike closer to the orchestra.&#10;D) turn down artificial reverberation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If an orchestral recording sounds too dry,...

Question 15

If a reproduced orchestra sounds too narrow, ___________________.&#10;A) pan the left mic hard left and pan the right mic hard right.&#10;B) angle or space the mics closer together.&#10;C) angle or space the mics farther apart.&#10;D) place the monitor speakers farther apart.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If a reproduced orchestra sounds too narrow,...

Deck 15: Judging Sound Quality