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| A/D converter |
|
| A circuit that converts an analog audio signal
into a digital audio signal. |
|
| AD/DA |
|
| Conversion of an audio signal from analog to
digital, or from digital to analog. All processing within the AW series
workstations is performed in digital form, but when an analog audio
signal is input, it passes through AD conversion, and when sound from
the AW workstation is monitored (*see entry), it passes through DA
conversion. |
|
| AES/EBU |
|
| This is one of the professional formats for exchanging
digital audio signals, and is a versatile format used on many devices.
The MY8-AE (separately sold option), which can be installed in the
YGDAI slot (*see entry), provides a D-sub 25 pin connector that can
simultaneously transmit and receive eight channels of digital audio
signals. |
|
| ATAPI |
|
| A specification for CD-RW drives that can be
installed in the AW2816. The specification is the same as IDE, but
on the AW2816 this term is used to distinguish it from the internal
hard disk. |
|
| Audio source |
|
| A collective term for the signals that are input
to a mixer or recorder. In the field of recording, the similar terms
"tone generator" or "sound module" usually refer to an electronic
instrument that produces sound, such as a synthesizer. |
|
| Automix |
|
| A function by which operations of mixer parameters
such as knobs and faders are recorded along the time axis defined
by the AW4416/AW2816's internal time code or externally received MTC
(*see entry), and can reproduce these movements during playback. |
|
| AUX |
|
| Stands for "auxiliary." Signal output destinations
used when using the two internal effects of an AW series workstation,
or when using an external effect processor. |
|
| Bus |
|
| An audio signal route within the AW workstation's
mixer section, used to combine multiple channels (*see entry). Normally
you will not need to be aware of buses if you use the QUICK REC function
to prepare for recording. However you can also use buses to perform
more sophisticated recording or mixdown techniques. |
|
| Channel |
|
| A signal routing unit through which a sound that
is input to the mixer section is adjusted by volume and pan (*see
entry) and then output. The mixer section of the AW4416 provides a
total of 44 channels, while the AW2816 provides 28 channels, including
the recorder playback and the outputs of the two effects. |
|
| Chase |
|
| A state in which the AW workstation is receiving
MTC (*see entry) from an external device and running in synchronization
with it. A standby state in which synchronization operation is possible
is sometimes called "chase on" or "chase standby." |
|
| Coaxial |
|
| Refers to a type of connector that carries IEC60958
(S/P DIF) format digital audio signals. |
|
| Compressor |
|
| An effect that lowers the volume when the input
sound exceeds the specified Threshold level, or boosts the sound when
it is below this level, in this way making the overall volume more
consistent. |
|
| D/A converter |
|
| A circuit that converts a digital audio signal
into an analog audio signal. |
|
| Default setting |
|
| The state of a setting when a device is purchased
or powered-on. Also called "factory setting" or "initial setting."
The AW4416 and AW2816 can be restored to the default settings by recalling
scene memory 00. |
|
| Disc at once (CD recording) |
|
| In Disc-at-Once recording, one or more tracks are recorded
without ever turning off the recording laser. Media that you write
using Disc At Once will be finalized automatically, and can be played
back by a CD-RW drive or CD player that supports that type of media.
However, no further data can be written to a disc that was written
using Disc At Once. |
|
| Dithering |
|
| When a digital audio signal is transmitted to
a device with a lower quantization (*see entry), dithering combines
some of the rounded-off portion with the data that is retained (i.e.,
instead of simply discarding the lower-value bits), in order to reduce
the noise that is generated by this conversion. Since this changes
the data itself, there are situations in which it is better not to
apply dithering. |
| Dynamic range |
|
| The range from maximum volume to silence, expressed
in dB (decibels). This is one aspect from which you can determine
the accuracy with which a certain device can handle audio signals. |
|
| Dynamics |
|
| Refers to changes in the volume; for example
if the volume varies dramatically between loud and soft, one might
say that there is "a lot of variation in the dynamics." Effects such
as compressor (*see entry) or limiter (*see entry) that are used to
compensate the volume are referred as "dynamics effects." |
|
| Equalizer |
|
| A function that adjusts the sound by boosting/cutting
a specific frequency band (*see entry) of the sound that is input
to that channel. A four-band parametric equalizer with adjustable
frequency (*see entry) is provided on every channel of the AW series
workstations. |
|
| Frequency band |
|
| Refers to a point or area on the frequency axis
of sound, from low to high ranges. This term is used when specifying
the point at which an equalizer (*see entry) will adjust the sound. |
| Gain |
|
| A knob that adjusts the sensitivity of the head
amp (*see entry) in the input section of the AW4416,AW2816 or AW16G.
If this control is adjusted to keep the input volumes consistent at
this point, it will be easier to use the faders of each channel to
create a balance. |
|
| Head amp (HA) |
|
| A circuit placed before the A/D converter (*see
entry) of an input jack on the AW workstations, used to adjust the
analog input signal to a level that is suitable for digital con-version.
(Also called mic preamp.) |
|
| Impedance |
|
| Resistance to alternating current. In general,
this refers to the load of a signal input or output. The input/output
jacks of the AW4416, AW2816 and AW16G have specific impedances depending
on their type or intended input/output signal, and must be connected
to a device of the same or similar impedance. Even if its cable connector
has the same form as a line input, a high-impedance source such as
a guitar must be connected to a high-impedance jack, not to a regular
input. |
|
| Internal arithmetic precision (bits) |
|
| The arithmetic precision with which digital signals
are processed inside a device. AW series workstations use 32 bit arithmetic
internally, guaranteeing an excellent dynamic range (*see entry) of
192 dB. |
|
| Jitter |
|
| When digital audio signals are transferred, the
word clock (*see entry) of the devices must match. If this word clock
is not generated accurately, a type of noise called jitter will occur.
Less variation in the word clock rate as compared to a square wave
with precise spacing (i.e., a more stable clock) will mean less jitter
and better audio quality. |
|
| Library |
|
| Preset settings for the AW workstations' equalizers
(*see entry), dynamics processors (*see entry), and their two effect
units, created with a wide range of uses in mind. |
|
| Limiter |
|
| An effect that limits the volume to prevent overload
when the input sound exceeds a specified threshold. |
|
| Mastering |
|
| The process of adjusting the overall tone and
volume of a song that has been mixed down. On AW series workstations,
the term is used in reference to the process up to creating an audio
CD. |
|
| Mini YGDAI |
|
| The YGDAI (*see entry) input/output expansion
slot found on the rear panel of the AW4416 and AW2816. |
|
| Mixdown |
|
| Also called "track down." The process of combining
multiple tracks of sound into a final two-track mix that can be played
back on an audio CD player, etc. |
|
| MMC (MIDI Machine Control) |
|
| A group of MIDI messages used to control recorder
operations such as Play, Stop, and Record. |
|
| Monitor |
|
| The headphones or speakers used to reproduce
the sound that is output from the AW workstation. Also used to refer
to the act of listening to the playback from the headphones or speakers. |
|
| Moving faders |
|
| Faders that automatically move to a position
that corresponds to the value of the parameters that were recalled,
for example when you switch the selection of the MIXING LAYER section
or recall another scene from scene memory. All seventeen faders on
the AW4416 and all nine faders on the AW2816 (including the ST channel)
are moving faders. This is very convenient, since the faders will
move according to the parameter changes during automix, providing
visual confirmation of the mixdown status. |
|
| MTC (MIDI Time Code) |
|
| A type of MIDI message used to convey time data
in realtime over a MIDI cable, in order to synchronize the operation
of the AW workstation and devices such as rhythm machines, sequencer
software, or other recorders. |
|
| Nominal level |
|
| The "nominal level" referred to on a mixer or
recorder indicates the standard level setting for that device. When
all parameters are set to the nominal level, the audio quality will
be the closest to the specifications given in the catalog. |
|
| Optical |
|
| Refers to a type of connector to which an optical
cable is connected. For consumer audio, a format called IEC60958 (S/P
DIF) is used. However, the MY8-AT (separately sold) option that can
be installed in the YGDAI (*see entry) slot of the AW4416/AW2816 provides
an optical connector that uses the ALESIS ADAT format, and allows
eight channels of digital audio to be input or output when connected
to a compatible device. |
|
| Overdubbing |
|
| A technique that can be used on multi-track recorders
such as the AW4416, AW2816 and AW16G, in which (for example) drums
are recorded first, and then other instruments such as guitar and
bass are recorded on other tracks while the musician listens to the
previously recorded tracks, in this way accumulating a larger number
of tracks. |
|
| Pan |
|
| A term derived from "panorama," referring to
a parameter that specifies the location of a sound within the stereo
field. Normally if a sound that is originally stereo is assigned to
two monaural channels, the pan controls of the two channels are set
to far left and far right so that the sound can be monitored in its
original spatial state. |
|
| Phantom power |
|
| Power that is supplied via the cable of a microphone,
and is normally required when using a condenser mic. This is defined
as 48 volts. |
|
| Pop guard |
|
| A thin mesh card placed between the vocalist's
mouth and the mic to reduce "breath" noise or "pop" noise when recording
a vocal. Tissue paper is sometimes used. |
|
| Punch-in/punch-out |
|
| When you want to re-record just a specified area
of a previously recorded track, the action of switching from playback
into record mode at the beginning of that area is called "punch-in,"
and the action of switching from record mode back into playback at
the end of that area is called "punch-out." |
|
| Q |
|
| A parameter of the parametric-type equalizers
(*see entry) featured on AW series workstations. Q specifies the width
of the frequency band (*see entry) that will be boosted or cut. High
settings of Q will make the band narrower, producing a steeper curve
of change. |
|
| Quantization (number of bits) |
|
| The resolution of the data when an analog input
signal is converted into a digital signal. |
|
| Restore |
|
| The action of recalling a previously backed-up
song from CD-R/CD-RW back into the internal hard disk. |
|
| SCSI (Small Computer System
Interface) |
|
| This was originally a specification used to transfer
data between a computer and an external storage device, but the AW4416
and AW2816 also use this connector to connect external hard disks
or external CD-R/RW drives. (*Do not connect the SCSI connector of
the AW4416/AW2816 directly to a computer. Doing so may damage both
devices.) |
|
| S/N |
|
| The ratio of audio signal to noise. In dB (decibel)
units, this indicates the level of the residual noise that is produced
when absolutely no sound is being output. |
|
| S/P DIF |
|
| Stands for Sony/Philips Digital Audio Interface.
The specification is formally called IEC60958, but is more generally
known as S/P DIF. This is a consumer format for transferring digital
audio signals, and simultaneously transmits or receives two channels
(one stereo pair) of audio. |
|
| Sampling rate |
|
| Also called Sampling Frequency. The number of
times per second that an analog sound is converted into digital data.
A sampling rate of 44.1 kHz means that 44,100 digital conversions
are being performed each second. If this number is higher, a broader
frequency range of sound can be captured as data. |
|
| Scene memory |
|
| A function that collectively saves the parameter
settings of the AW workstation's mixer section. A scene that you saved
can be recalled at any time to reproduce those settings. |
|
| Solo |
|
| A function that allows you to listen only to
the sound of a desired channel during mixdown, etc. |
|
| Time code |
|
| Time data that is used when making an AW workstation
operate in synchronization with a rhythm machine, sequencer program,
or another recorder. The AW4416, AW2816 and AW16G can all transmit
and receive MTC (*see entry). |
|
| Track |
|
| A number assigned to an audio signal that is
recorded or played back by a recorder. All AW series workstations
have 16 tracks x 8 virtual tracks (*see entry), for a total of 128
tracks. |
|
| Track at once (CD Recodring) |
|
| In Track-at-Once recording, the recording laser is
turned off after each track is finished, and on again when a new track
must be written, even if several tracks are being written in a single
recording operation. Tracks recorded in Track-at-Once mode are divided
by gaps.The gap between audio tracks is usually 2 seconds. In order
for a disc written using Track At Once to be playable by the CD-RW
drive or a CD player, you must perform a process known as “finalizing”
to write track information to the disc. Once you have finalized a
disc, you cannot write any more data to it. |
|
| Virtual track |
|
| Although the AW4416, AW2816 and AW16Gcan play
back 16 tracks simultaneously, each track actually has eight tracks,
and you can select one of these tracks for playback. The eight tracks
that can be selected for each track are called "virtual tracks." |
|
| Word clock |
|
| A synchronization signal used when transferring
digital audio data, which is used to ensure that the audio data is
received at the same rate it is being transmitted. When two or more
devices are digitally connected, all devices must be using the same
word clock. If not, it may be impossible to transfer audio signals,
or noise may occur in the signal. |
|
| XLR connector |
|
| This is type of three-pin connector used for
mics. It has a locking mechanism that prevents the cable from being
pulled out accidentally. |
|
| YGDAI |
|
Stands for Yamaha General Digital Audio Interface.
Digital mixers or digital recorders that have a YGDAI slot allow
you to install separately sold I/O cards that support various professional
digital audio formats or provide AD/DA functionality. There are
two types of cards; YGDAI cards (CD series) that can be used by
the Yamaha 02R and 03D, and Mini YGDAI cards (MY series) that can
be used by the Yamaha 01V, D24, AW4416 and AW2816. Two optional
Mini YGDAI cards can be installed in the AW4416 and one in the AW2816.
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