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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Hard Disk: A storage medium for digital data which can hold more information and access it faster than a floppy disk.
Hard disk recorder: A computer-based hardware and software package specifically intended for the recording, manipulation, and reproduction of the digital audio data that resides upon hard diskand/or within the computers own RAM.
Hardware-based sequencer: Stand-alone devices for the sole purpose of MIDI sequencing. These systems make use of a dedicated operating structure, microprocessing system, and memory that is integrated with top- panel controls for performing sequence-specific functions.
Harmonic Distortion: The presence of harmonics in the output signal of a device which were not present in the input signal.
Hertz/Hz: A unit of frequency equal to 1 cycle per second. Named after Heinrich R. Hertz.
High Pass Filter: See Filter
Initialize: To prepare a disk to receive data. A hard disk or a floppy disk must be initialized before it can be accessed.
Interactive sequencer: A computer-based sequencer that directly interfaces with MIDI controllers and sequenced MIDI files to internally generate MIDI prformance data according to a computer algorithm.
Internal sequencer: A sequencer designed into an electronic instrument that directly interfaces with the instrument's keyboard and voice structure.
Just Intonation: A system of tuning in which the distances between pitches are based on the natural harmonic series instead of the octave being equally divided.
K: Abbreviation for Kilo or 1000
Keyboard Assignment: The assignment of specific sounds to an area of the keyboard. For example, the lowest octave could be drum sounds, the next octave could be an electric bass, the rest of the keyboard could have various piano samples assigned to it.
Keyboard controller: A keyboard device expressly designed to transmit performance-related MIDI messages throughout a modular MIDI system
Layering: The ability to place or stack two or more sounds on the same area of the keyboard to create a denser sound.
LFO: Low Frequency Oscillator. An oscillator used for modulation whose range is below the audible range (20 Hz). Example: Varying pitch cyclically produces vibrato.
Loading: To transfer from one data storage medium to another. This is generally from disk to RAM memory or vice-versa, as opposed to saving from RAM to disk.
Lock: To prevent data from being edited, discarded or renamed, or to prevent entire banks or disks from being altered.
Longitudinal time code :(LTC): Time code which is recorded onto an audio or video cue track. LTC encodes the biphase time-code signal onto an analog audio or cue track as a modulated square-wave signal
Looping: Looping is the process of repeating a portion of a sample over and over in order to create a sustaining sound. The looped sound will continue as long as the key is depressed. A sound is usually looped during a point in its evolution where the harmonics and amplitude are relatively static in order to avoid pops and glitches in the sound.
Low Note Priority: When more than one note is played on a monophonic synthesizer, only the lowest note will sound.
Low Pass Filter: A filter whose frequency response remains flat up to a certain frequency, then rolls off (attenuates signals appearing at its input) above this point.
M: Abbreviation for Mega or million.
Memory: Used for storing important internal data, such as patch information, setup configurations, and digital waveform data.
Merge:< To combine or unite. To Merge means to combine sequences, sounds, tracks, MIDI data, etc.
Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI): A digital communications language that allows multiple electronic instruments, controllers, computers and other related devices to communicate within a connected network. MIDI is an asynchronous, serial interface, which is transmitted at the rate of 31.25 KBaud or 31,250 bits per second.
MIDI Clock: Allows instruments interconnected via MIDI to be synchronized. The MIDI Clock runs at a rate of 24 pulses-per-quarter- note.
MIDI Continuous Controller: Allows continuously changing information such as pitch wheel or breath controller information to be passed over the MIDI line. Continuous controllers use large amounts of memory when recorded into a MIDI sequencer. Some standard MIDI Continuous Controller numbers are listed below.
PWH = Pitch Wheel
CHP = Pressure
1 = Modulation Wheel
2 = Breath Controller
3 = (Pressure on Rev. 1 DX7)
4 = Foot Pedal
5 = Portamento Time
6 = Data Entry
7 = Volume
8 = Balance
10 = Pan
11 = Expression Controller
16-19 = General purpose controllers 1-4 (High Res.)
64 = Sustain Switch (on/off)
65 = Portamento Switch (on/off)
66 = Sustenuto (chord hold)
67 = Soft Pedal (on/off)
69 = Hold Pedal 2 (on/off)
80-83 = General purpose controllers 5-8 (Low Res.)
91 = External Effects Depth
92 = Tremolo Depth
93 = Chorus Depth
94 = Detune
95 = Phaser Depth
96 = Data Increment
97 = Data Decrement
MIDI echo: The selectable MIDI echo function is used to provide an exact copy of any information recieved at the MIDI in port, and route this data directly to the MIDI out/echo port.
MIDI filter: A dedicated digital device, onboard processor, or computer algorithm that allows specific MIDI messages or range of messages within a data stream to be either recognized or ignored.
MIDI implementation chart: A standardized that easily relates information to all of the MIDI capabilities that are supported by a specific MIDI device.
MIDI in: This port receives MIDI messages from an external source and communicates this performance, control, and timing data to the device's internal microprocessors.
MIDI interface: A device used to translate the serial message data of MIDI into a data structure that can be directly communicated both to and from a personal computer's internal operating system.
MIDI mapper: A dedicated digital device, onboard processor, or computer algorithm that can be used to reassign the scaler value of a data byte to another assigned value.
MIDI messages: These are made up of a group of related 8-bit words, which are used to convey a series of performance or control instructions to one or all MIDI devices within a system.
MIDI out: This port is used to transmit MIDI messages from a single source device to the microprocessor of another MIDI instrument or device.
MIDI thru: This port provides an exact copy of the incoming data at the MIDI in port and and transmits this data to another MIDI instrument or device that follows within the MIDI data chain.
MIDI time code (MTC): A system for easily and cost-effectively translating SMPTE time code into an equivalent time code that conforms to the MIDI 1.0 Specification. It also allows for time-based code and commands to be distributed throughout the MIDI chain to devices or instruments capable of understanding and executing MTC commands.
Mixer: A device which allows combination of different audio signals together and outputs them in mono or stereo. Mixers come in many sizes and are referred to by the number of channels (different audio inputs) they have. Most software sequencers also have a mixer onboard which lets you control the volume levels of the individual parts of your song.
Modulation: The process of one audio or control voltage source influencing a sound processor or other control voltage source. Example: Slowly modulating pitch cyclically produces vibrato. Modulating a filter cyclically produces wa-wa effects.
Modulation Index: The depth of modulation when performing frequency modulation.
Module Identifier: The screen that displays information about what module is currently activated.
Monophonic: A musical instrument that is only capable of playing one note at a time. Music with only one voice part.
Multi-timbral: The ability of a musical instrument to produce two or more different sounds or timbres at the same time.
Multi-track: A way to record a complex musical piece by dividing it into simple tracks, and combining the tracks during playback.
Module: Same as tone module or sound module or tone generator. See tone module.
Monitor: This word can mean at least three different things.
- A computer screen
- A studio or stage speaker system
- A kind of lizard
Multitasking: The ability for many of the faster, more powerful personal computer's to process more than one program and/or task at a time.
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