Studio Glossary
Don’t know what a “stem” is? “DAW” sounds like a curse word? This glossary explains the most important terms you’ll hear in a recording studio.
Digital audio connection transmitting 8 channels over one optical cable. Used to expand interfaces with additional inputs.
ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement)
Section titled “ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement)”Recording dialogue for film after filming is complete. The actor synchronizes voice with the image. Also known as: dubbing, looping. We offer ADR →
Automation
Section titled “Automation”Recording parameter changes over time. E.g., vocal volume rises in the chorus — that’s volume automation.
Auto-Tune
Section titled “Auto-Tune”Plugin for pitch correction. Used subtly (correction) or aggressively (T-Pain effect). At Flightcore, it works in real-time thanks to FPGA.
Bit depth
Section titled “Bit depth”How many bits are used to record each audio sample. 16-bit = CD, 24-bit = studio standard. More = better quality, larger files.
BPM (Beats Per Minute)
Section titled “BPM (Beats Per Minute)”Tempo of a track measured in beats per minute. 60 BPM = one beat per second. Trap: 140-160 BPM, pop: 100-130 BPM.
Bounce
Section titled “Bounce”Exporting a project to an audio file (WAV, MP3). “Bounce it” = export it.
Virtual channel collecting signal from multiple tracks. E.g., “vocal bus” = all vocals go to one channel where they can be processed together.
Clipping
Section titled “Clipping”Distortion — signal exceeds maximum level and gets cut off. Sounds like distortion. Avoid.
Comping
Section titled “Comping”Choosing the best fragments from multiple recordings (takes) and assembling them into one perfect vocal. We do this during sessions with an engineer →
Compressor
Section titled “Compressor”Reduces the difference between quiet and loud parts. Quiet becomes louder, loud becomes quieter. Basic mixing tool.
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
Section titled “DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)”Software for recording and music production. Examples: FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, Studio One, Reaper.
dB (decibel)
Section titled “dB (decibel)”Relative unit — alone it doesn’t say much, needs a reference point. That’s why you’ll see different suffixes after “dB”:
- dBFS (Full Scale) — in digital, 0dBFS is maximum level before clipping
- dBu — in analog equipment, reference to voltage (0.775V)
- dBSPL — acoustic pressure, how many decibels in the air
General rule: -6dB is roughly half as quiet, +6dB is roughly twice as loud.
Echo effect. Sound repeats with a delay. Different types: slapback (short), ping-pong (left-right), tape delay (analog character).
Sound without effects. “Send me dry vocal” = vocal without reverb, delay, etc.
EQ (Equalizer)
Section titled “EQ (Equalizer)”Adjusts the volume of individual frequencies. You can boost bass, cut harsh highs, remove “boxy” mids.
Export
Section titled “Export”Saving a project to an audio file. Synonyms: bounce, render.
Slider controlling channel volume. Physical on a mixer, virtual in a DAW.
Feedback
Section titled “Feedback”- Audio feedback (unpleasant squeal)
- Information from the engineer (“give more energy”)
Programmable chip in some audio interfaces. Allows processing effects (Auto-Tune, compression) with minimal latency — faster than through a computer.
Signal amplification. “Add gain on the vocal” = make it louder at the input.
Effect that mutes signal below a set threshold. Used to remove noise between vocal phrases.
Headphones mix
Section titled “Headphones mix”Mix sent to the artist’s headphones during recording. May be different from what the engineer hears.
Headroom
Section titled “Headroom”Volume reserve before clipping. “-6dB headroom” = peak doesn’t exceed -6dBFS, leaving 6dB of reserve.
High-pass filter (HPF)
Section titled “High-pass filter (HPF)”Filter that passes high frequencies, cutting lows. Used to remove rumble and unwanted low frequencies.
Input — where you connect a microphone or instrument.
Interface (audio interface)
Section titled “Interface (audio interface)”Device connecting microphones/instruments to a computer. Converts analog signal to digital and vice versa.
Latency
Section titled “Latency”Delay between playing a sound and hearing it in headphones. Lower is better. FPGA gives the lowest latency.
Limiter
Section titled “Limiter”Type of compressor with high ratio, controlling maximum signal level. Brickwall limiter (∞:1) completely blocks signal above threshold.
Loudness unit used in streaming. Spotify normalizes to -14 LUFS.
Master
Section titled “Master”- Final, mastered track ready for publication
- Master bus = main channel through which the entire mix passes
Mastering
Section titled “Mastering”Final production stage — optimizing loudness and sound before publication. More → | Our service →
Protocol transmitting note information (not sound). Allows controlling synthesizers and virtual instruments.
Process of combining all tracks into a cohesive song. More → | Our service →
Monitoring
Section titled “Monitoring”- Studio speakers (monitors)
- What you hear during recording
One audio channel. Opposite of stereo.
Multitrack (trackout)
Section titled “Multitrack (trackout)”Multiple tracks separately. “Send multitrack” / “send trackout” = send all tracks separately, not one mix.
Output
Section titled “Output”Output — where you connect speakers or headphones.
Overdub
Section titled “Overdub”Recording a new track over an existing recording. First you record the beat, then you “overdub” vocals.
Pan (panorama)
Section titled “Pan (panorama)”Sound position between left and right channel. Pan 100% L = only left headphone.
Loudest point of signal. “Peak -3dB” = loudest moment reaches -3dB.
Phantom power (+48V)
Section titled “Phantom power (+48V)”Power for condenser microphones provided by interface or mixer.
Sound height. “Pitch correction” = fixing off-key notes.
Plugin
Section titled “Plugin”DAW add-on — effect or virtual instrument. VST, AU, AAX, CLAP are plugin formats.
Preamp
Section titled “Preamp”Amplifies weak microphone signal to working level. Preamp quality affects the sound.
Premix
Section titled “Premix”Preliminary mix before finalization. Demo showing direction, not yet finished.
Reverb
Section titled “Reverb”Space effect — simulates sound reflections in a room. From small room to large cathedral.
Room tone
Section titled “Room tone”Natural sound of a room — AC hum, wall reverb. Recorded as “silence” for editing.
Sample
Section titled “Sample”- Single audio sample in a digital file
- Fragment of recorded sound used in production (e.g., drum samples)
Sample rate
Section titled “Sample rate”How many samples per second are recorded in a file. 44.1 kHz = 44,100 samples/s (CD standard), 48 kHz = video standard.
Saturation
Section titled “Saturation”Gentle distortion adding warmth and character. Simulation of analog equipment.
Routing signal to an effect (e.g., reverb) without affecting the original track.
Session
Section titled “Session”- Meeting in the studio — what does the first session look like? →
- DAW project file with all tracks
Sidechain
Section titled “Sidechain”Controlling an effect with signal from another track. E.g., compressor on bass reacts to kick — bass makes room on each hit.
Single track or group of tracks exported to a separate file. “Vocal stem” = all vocals in one file. How to prepare stems →
Stereo
Section titled “Stereo”Two audio channels — left and right. Standard playback format.
Single recording. “Let’s do another take” = let’s record again. During a session, we record many takes, from which we create a perfect comp.
Speed of a track, measured in BPM.
Single channel in a DAW project. One song can have 5-50+ tracks.
Vocal chain
Section titled “Vocal chain”Equipment chain through which voice passes: microphone → preamp → compressor → EQ → interface.
Volume
Section titled “Volume”Loudness.
Lossless audio format. Standard for studio work. Larger than MP3, but without quality loss.
Sound with effects. Opposite of dry.