Group 7: Audio Information and Media

Group 7: Audio Information and Media
What is an Audio?
• sound, especially when recorded, transmitted, or reproduced
AUDIO MEDIA
• media communication that uses audio or recordings to deliver and transfer information through the means of
sound
Types of Audio Information

1. Radio Broadcast - live or recorded audio sent through radio waves to reach a wide audience
2. Music - vocal or instrumental sounds combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and
expression of emotion
3. Sound Recording - recording of an interview, meeting, or any sound from the environment
4. Sound Clips / Effects - any sound artificially reproduced to create an effect in a dramatic presentation (ex.
sound of a storm, or a creaking door)
5. Audio Podcast - a digital audio or video file or recording, usually part of a themed series, that can be
downloaded from a website to a media player or a computer
Ways to Store Audio Information

1. Tape - magnetic tape on which sound can be recorded
2. CD (Compact Disc) - a plastic-fabricated, circular medium for recording, storing, and playing back audio,
video, and computer data
3. USB Drive - an external flash drive, small enough to carry on a key ring, that can be used with any
computer that has a USB Port
4. Memory Card (aka Flash Memory Card or Storage Card) - is a small storage medium used to store data
such as text, pictures, audio, and video, for use on small, portable, or remote computing devices.
5. Computer Hard Drive - secondary storage devices for storing audio file
6. Internet / Cloud - websites or file repositories for retrieving audio files, and more precisely the files are
stored in some datacenter full of servers that is connected to the Internet
Audio File Formats

1. MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer 3) - a common format for consumer audio, as well as a standard of digital audio
compression for the transfer and playback of music on most digital audio players.
2. M4A / AAC (MPEG4 Audio / Advanced Audio Coding) - an audio coding standard for lossy digital audio
compression. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves better sound quality
than MP3 at similar bit rate
3. WAV - is a Microsoft audio file format standard for storing an audio bit stream on PCs. It has become a
standard file format for game sounds, among others
4. WMA (Windows Media Audio) - is an audio data compression technology developed by Microsoft and
used with Windows Media Player
Units of Sound
Decibel
• or simply dB
• noise of sound measurement
Hertz
• or simply Hz
• unit of sound frequency
Phon
• unit of subjective loudness
Characteristics and Purposes of Sound

Characteristics of a Sound:
1. Volume – intensity of a sound
2. Tone – the audible characteristic of a sound
3. Pitch - is how high or low a sound is
4. Loudness - refers to the magnitude of the sound heard
Purposes of a Sound:
• Give instruction or information.
• Provide feedback.
• To personalize or customize
Elements of Sound Design

1. Dialogue - speech, conversation, voice-over
2. Sound Effects – any sound other than music or dialogue
3. Music – vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form,
harmony, and expression of emotion
Principles of Sound Design

1. Mixing – the combination, balance and control of multiple sound elements
2. Pace – time control, editing, order of events (linear, non-linear or multi-linear)
3. Stereo Imaging – Using left and right channel for depth. This refers to the aspect of sound recording and
reproduction.
4. Transition – how you get from one segment or element to another
Types of Transitions
1. Segue – one element stops, the next begins (“cut” in film)
2. Cross-fade – one element fades out, the next fades in, and they overlap on the way
3. V-Fade – first element fades to inaudible before the second elements begins
4. Waterfall – As first element fades out, the second element begins at full volume. Better for voice transitions,
than for effects
Hearing vs. Listening

Hearing
• the act of perceiving sound by the ear
• Hearing is simply the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired, hearing simply
happens.
Listening
• requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences. Listening leads to
learning.
• Listening, however, is something you consciously choose to do. Listening requires concentration so that your
brain processes meaning from words and sentences. Listening leads to learning.
Involuntary vs. Voluntary

The process of hearing is an involuntary act that detects any noise or vibrations in your environment, while
listening is a voluntary act that requires you to make sense of the sounds you hear.
Continuous vs. Temporary
Another significant difference between hearing and listening is that hearing is continuous, while listening is
temporary. It’s impossible to listen to what’s going on around you all day long – you’ll eventually tune out the
noise and choose what to focus on. Hearing, however, is a natural act that is always happening, even when
you’re not aware of it. To get more technical, the act of hearing is physiological, which means that it is a natural
sense. Listening is a conscious act which makes it psychological.
Active vs. Passive
Listening is an active process – you have to engage in the act of listening. Hearing is a passive action that
occurs naturally, even while we’re asleep. Hearing is an ability you’re born with, while listening is a learned skill
that is developed over time with practice. You may not always be aware of the sounds you hear, but you’re
always aware of the words you choose to listen to.

Group 7: Audio Information and Media

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Group 7: Audio Information and Media

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Group 7: Audio Information and Media

Types of Audio Information

Ways to Store Audio Information

Audio File Formats

Characteristics and Purposes of Sound

Elements of Sound Design

Principles of Sound Design

Hearing vs. Listening

Involuntary vs. Voluntary

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