Edexcel A-Level Music Technology Recording techniques overview quiz quiz

Condenser

Ribbon

Dynamic

Boundary

A coil attached to the diaphragm moves through a fixed magnetic field

A thin metal ribbon vibrates between the poles of two strong magnets

A piezoelectric crystal is compressed by the incoming sound waves

A charged capacitor (diaphragm and backplate) changes capacitance

Figure-of-eight

Cardioid

Omnidirectional

Hyper-cardioid

Mostly the room sound, ambience and natural reverberation

Mostly direct sound with little room

Only the low frequencies of the source

A noticeably wider stereo image

A boost in high frequencies

A loss of all bass

A boost in low frequencies

A stereo image

Widely spaced pair (AB)

The Decca tree array

Binaural dummy head

Coincident pair (XY)

Time-of-arrival differences

Level differences between the capsules only

Deliberate phase inversion

Differences in EQ

The analogue-to-digital converter

The microphone preamplifier

The DAW software mixer

The studio monitor speakers

The signal immediately clips and distorts because it exceeds the converter's maximum level

The recorded pitch of the source drops

A poor signal-to-noise ratio when the quiet signal is amplified later

The project sample rate automatically changes

They carry significantly more bass than unbalanced cables do

They are cheaper to manufacture

They raise the recording sample rate

They reject interference by common-mode rejection

To provide a steady tempo so separately recorded parts line up

To add reverb and ambience to every overdubbed part automatically

To tune all of the instruments to a common reference pitch

To master the final mix

To save disk space by storing every part together in one single combined audio file

To keep independent control of level, panning, EQ and processing at the mix

To increase the overall tempo of the finished recording

To avoid having to use a microphone preamplifier