Fundamentals.

The maximum possible level in a digital audio system. "dBFS" stands for decibels relative to Full Scale. Any signal r…

Distortion that occurs when a digital audio system attempts to represent frequencies above the Nyquist limit (half th…

The magnitude of a sound wave's displacement from its resting position, directly corresponding to the intensity of th…

Audio represented as a continuously varying electrical voltage that corresponds proportionally to changes in acoustic…

Distortion that occurs when an audio signal exceeds the maximum level a system can handle. In digital systems, clippi…

A filter network that divides an audio signal into separate frequency bands and routes each band to the appropriate d…

A logarithmic unit used to measure the relative intensity of a sound or the level of an audio signal. Because human h…

A measurement unit for digital audio levels, where 0 dBFS represents the maximum possible level. All practical signal…

A voltage-referenced measurement unit used in professional analog audio equipment. 0 dBu equals 0.775 volts RMS. The …

Any alteration of an audio signal that adds harmonic content not present in the original. Can be unintentional (clipp…

The shape of a sound's amplitude over time, typically described in four stages: Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release (…

The rate at which a sound wave completes one full cycle per second, measured in Hertz (Hz). Frequency determines the …

A measurement of how accurately a device — microphone, speaker, amplifier, or headphone — reproduces different freque…

The amplification applied to an audio signal, typically at the input stage of a preamp, interface, or plugin. Gain is…

Distortion that adds harmonic overtones — multiples of the original frequency — to an audio signal. Even-order harmon…

The difference between the current operating level of a signal and the maximum level the system can handle before cli…

The total opposition a circuit presents to alternating current, measured in ohms. In audio, impedance matching betwee…

Timing irregularities in the clock signal that governs digital-to-analog or analog-to-digital conversion. Jitter caus…

A dedicated audio channel in surround and immersive audio formats designed specifically for low-frequency content bel…

The perceived intensity of a sound, which correlates with — but is not identical to — level or amplitude. Influenced …

The amount of volume reduction a streaming platform applies to a track that exceeds its loudness normalization target…

A statistical measurement of the variation in loudness over the duration of a program, expressed in LU (Loudness Unit…

A decades-long trend in music production — peaking in the mid-2000s — in which mastering engineers were pressured to …

A standardized unit of integrated loudness measurement that accounts for human hearing perception across frequencies …

The range of frequencies roughly between 250 Hz and 4 kHz, encompassing the fundamental harmonics and presence of mos…

The level of background noise present in an audio system or recording environment. Determines the lower limit of the …

The position of a sound wave within its cycle at a given point in time. When two identical signals combine out of pha…

The reduction or elimination of audio signal that occurs when two signals with similar content are combined out of ph…

A graphical representation of a microphone's sensitivity to sound arriving from different directions. Common patterns…

The absolute positive or negative orientation of an audio signal's waveform. Inverting polarity (flipping the wavefor…

A bass boost that occurs naturally when a directional microphone (cardioid, figure-8) is placed very close to a sound…

A measurement of the average power of an audio signal over a window of time, giving a better indication of perceived …

The ratio between the level of the desired audio signal and the level of background noise in a system, measured in de…

A two-channel audio format using left and right channels to create a horizontal sense of space and width. The standar…

A loudspeaker designed to reproduce very low frequencies, typically below 80–120 Hz. The ".1" in surround formats suc…

The characteristic quality of a sound that distinguishes it from another sound at the same pitch and volume. Determin…

A short-duration, high-energy spike in a waveform. Transients are not limited to the beginning of a sound — each perc…

The perceived loudness of a sound. In a mix context, volume refers to the fader level controlling the output of a cha…

A visual representation of an audio signal showing amplitude changes over time. The shape of the waveform reveals the…