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Sound Physics and Digital Audio Basics

The document contains 23 multiple choice questions about topics in digital audio and sound engineering. The questions cover topics such as common file formats for digital audio like WAV and AIFF, units of measurement like decibels, processes involved in digital audio like sampling and quantization, and standards like General MIDI.

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Saranya Jsaran
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24 views8 pages

Sound Physics and Digital Audio Basics

The document contains 23 multiple choice questions about topics in digital audio and sound engineering. The questions cover topics such as common file formats for digital audio like WAV and AIFF, units of measurement like decibels, processes involved in digital audio like sampling and quantization, and standards like General MIDI.

Uploaded by

Saranya Jsaran
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

QUESTION 1

1. The branch of physics that studies sound is _______________.

Acoustics

0.04 points   
QUESTION 2

1. Sound pressure levels (loudness or volume) are measured in _______________.

Decibels

0.04 points   
QUESTION 3

1. To adjust the level of a number of tracks to bring them all up to about the same level is to
_______________ them. (Hint: check the glossary of the textbook.)

Normalize

0.04 points   
QUESTION 4

1. When audio is measured in order to be digitally stored, the value of each measurement is rounded off to the
nearest integer in a process called _______________.

Quantization

0.04 points   
QUESTION 5

1. Reducing the number of separate measurements of an audio file is called _______________.

Resampling

0.04 points   
QUESTION 6

1. Digital audio data is the actual representation of a sound, stored in the form of thousands of individual
_______________ that represent the amplitude (or loudness) of a sound at a discrete point in time.

samples

0.04 points   
QUESTION 7

1. The most common file format for editing sound on the Macintosh is _______________.

AIFF
Not QuickTime

0.04 points   
QUESTION 8

1. The audio file format introduced by Microsoft and IBM with the introduction of Windows is the
_______________.

WAV

0.04 points   
QUESTION 9

1. The process of playing a sound file while part of the file is still downloading is called _______________.

Streaming

0.04 points   
QUESTION 10

1. Some software allows you to begin playing a downloading sound file as soon as enough of the sound is
cached in your computer’s _______________.

Buffer

0.04 points   
QUESTION 11

1. The file format that uses a shorthand representation of musical notes and durations stored in numeric form
is:

a.
MIDI

b.
DSP

c.
CD-
ROM/XA

d.
AIFF

e.
QuickTime

0.04 points   
QUESTION 12

1. Which of these statements regarding the MIDI audio format is not true?
a.
Spoken audio can easily be included.

b.
The sound can easily be changed by changing instruments.

c.
Files are generally smaller than the same digital audio sound.

d.
Sound tracks can be created using sequencing software.

e.
Sounds can be stretched and timing changed with no distortion of the quality.

0.04 points   
QUESTION 13

1. The primary benefit of the General MIDI over the previous MIDI specification is that:

a.
MIDI files can be easily integrated into the computer’s operating system as system sounds

b.
the file sizes are much smaller due to the compression scheme.

c.
users can easily edit and adjust the data structures.

d.
the instruments are the same regardless of the playback source

e.
it can be easily converted into the CD- ROM/XA format

**not MIDI files can be easily integrated into the computer’s operating system as system sounds

**not the instruments are the same regardless of the playback source

0.04 points   
QUESTION 14

1. What happens when an audio signal exceeds the recording device’s maximum recording level?

a.
The extra bits go into a buffer for later use.

b.
The audio clip is extended to accommodate the extra data.
c.
“Clipping” of the signal occurs, introducing distortion.

d.
The entire clip’s volume is reduced correspondingly.

e.
The signal is compressed to an appropriate level.

0.04 points   
QUESTION 15

1. As one story goes, the criterion used to set the length of the sectors and ultimately the physical size of the
compact disc format was based on the length of:

a.
Iron Butterfly’s live rendition of “Innagaddadavida”

b.
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

c.
Handel’s Messiah

d.
Bach’s St. John’s Passion

e.
the Beatles’ “White Album”

0.04 points   
QUESTION 16

1. The process of recording a sound, stored in the form of thousands of individual measurements, each at a
discrete point in time, is called:

a.
synthesizing

b.
sampling

c.
quantizing

d.
streaming

e.
sizing
0.04 points   
QUESTION 17

1. The file size of a five-second recording sampled at 22 kHz, 16-bit stereo (two tracks) would be about:

a.
550,000 bytes

b.
880,000 bytes

c.
220,000 bytes

d.
440,000 bytes

e.
110,000 bytes

0.04 points   
QUESTION 18

1. Which of the following sound file characteristics does not directly affect the size of a digital audio file?

a.
sample rate

b.
sample size

c.
compression

d.
tracks (stereo vs. mono)

e.
Volume

Not Tracks (stereo vs mono)

0.04 points   
QUESTION 19

1. Each individual measurement of a sound that is stored as digital information is called a:

a.
sample
b.
byte

c.
Stream

d.
buffer

e.
capture

0.04 points   
QUESTION 20

1. Audio recorded at 44.1 kHz (kilohertz), 16-bit stereo is considered:

a.
FM-quality

b.
CD-quality

c.
phone-quality

d.
voice-quality

e.
AM-quality

0.04 points   
QUESTION 21

1. Removing blank space or “dead air” at the beginning or end of a recording is sometimes called:

a.
pre-rolling

b.
flashing

c.
quieting

d.
quantizing

e.
trimming
0.04 points   
QUESTION 22

1. DSP (adding reverberation, multitap, delay, chorus, flange, etc.) stands for:

a.
direct splicing and partitioning

b.
delayed streaming playback

c.
dynamic sound programming

d.
data structuring parameters

e.
digital signal processing

0.04 points   
QUESTION 23

1. Sequencing software:

a.
manages a project by creating a timeline of events

b.
applies filters to digital audio clips in a predetermined order

c.
helps synchronize images with a sound track

d.
records and edits MIDI data

e.
places audio clips in order in a soundtrack

0.04 points   
QUESTION 24

1. The slower a user’s connection, the longer s/he must wait for enough of the sound to download so that the
entire file will have downloaded by the time the sound reaches the end. This effect is called:
a.
compression

b.
digital signal processing

c.
multitap delay

d.
streaming latency

e.
post-processing

0.04 points   
QUESTION 25

1. A codec:

a.
is an acronym for “common object desciphering environment client”

b.
is a filename extension that identifies which method of storage is used.

c.
is a type of software that compresses a stream of audio or video data for sotrage or transmission and
decompresses it for playback.

d.
is a sound format for Macintosh computers.

e.
is a classic physical anthropology law that proposes that the evolution of eyesight, locomotor speed, sense of
smell, or any other species trait will cease when the trait becomes sufficiently adequate to meet survival
requirements of the competitive environment.

Common questions

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MIDI files use a shorthand representation of musical notes and durations stored as numeric data, allowing easy changes in instruments and extremely small file sizes compared to digital audio formats. Unlike recorded sounds, MIDI data describes the properties of the music performance itself .

When blank space is removed from the beginning or end of a recording, it results in a more concise audio file with no 'dead air'. This process is known as trimming and is used to tidy recordings for better flow and storage efficiency .

Digital Signal Processing (DSP) is used in the context of manipulating audio signals to improve their quality or to add effects. Common applications include adding reverberation, delay, and chorus effects to audio tracks, contributing to enriched sound experiences in music production .

The process involved in adjusting the levels of multiple audio tracks to ensure they all have uniform volume is called normalization. It balances the audio levels so that tracks can be played comparably .

Clipping occurs when an audio signal exceeds the recording device’s maximum recording level, leading to distortion. It happens because the audio exceeds the dynamic range that can be captured, causing the waveforms to be truncated .

The original criterion for the length and size of compact discs was influenced by the ability to hold Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in its entirety. This decision was made to accommodate the length of one of the longest classical pieces, ensuring that the format could handle a substantial amount of data .

Streaming latency affects audio playback by delaying the time before playback can begin, particularly on slower internet connections. This is because buffering time increases, requiring more audio data to be downloaded before playback can start to ensure smooth performance .

Sampling is essential in digital audio as it involves recording a sound through thousands of individual measurements at discrete points in time to represent the sound's amplitude. This digitizes the sound, enabling it to be stored and processed by computers .

A codec enhances the efficiency of audio or video data storage and transmission by compressing the data for storage or transmission and decompressing it for playback. This reduces file sizes and transmission times while maintaining quality .

The primary benefit of General MIDI over the previous MIDI specification is that the instruments are the same regardless of the playback source, providing a consistent audio experience across different devices .

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