How to record and mix audio
  • 1. What is the primary purpose of a microphone?
A) To process audio effects.
B) To store digital audio files.
C) To amplify audio signals.
D) To convert sound waves into electrical signals.
  • 2. Which microphone polar pattern is most sensitive to sound from all directions?
A) Shotgun
B) Bidirectional
C) Cardioid
D) Omnidirectional
  • 3. What does the term 'phantom power' refer to?
A) A method of recording ambient noise.
B) A type of dynamic microphone.
C) A DC voltage supplied through a microphone cable to power condenser microphones.
D) An audio effect that adds a ghostly sound.
  • 4. What is the purpose of a pop filter?
A) To increase microphone sensitivity.
B) To add reverb to a recording.
C) To eliminate background noise.
D) To reduce plosive sounds (e.g., 'p' and 'b' sounds).
  • 5. What does 'EQ' stand for in audio mixing?
A) Echo Quality
B) Electrical Quantity
C) Equal Amplitude
D) Equalization
  • 6. What is the purpose of a compressor in audio processing?
A) To remove background noise.
B) To increase the dynamic range of an audio signal.
C) To add echo to an audio signal.
D) To reduce the dynamic range of an audio signal.
  • 7. What is reverb?
A) A digital audio workstation (DAW).
B) A type of audio cable.
C) A type of microphone.
D) The persistence of sound after a sound is produced.
  • 8. What is the difference between a mono and stereo audio signal?
A) Mono is analog, stereo is digital.
B) Mono is two channels, stereo is one channel.
C) Mono is high frequency, stereo is low frequency.
D) Mono is one channel, stereo is two channels.
  • 9. What does 'gain staging' refer to?
A) Arranging instruments in a mix.
B) Adding effects to vocals.
C) Optimizing signal levels at each stage of the audio chain.
D) Choosing the correct microphone.
  • 10. What is latency in digital audio?
A) The frequency response of a microphone.
B) The amount of reverb in a recording.
C) The delay between input and output in a digital audio system.
D) The file size of an audio file.
  • 11. What is a DAW?
A) Digital Audio Wiring
B) Dynamic Audio Waveform
C) Direct Audio Output
D) Digital Audio Workstation
  • 12. What does 'clipping' in audio refer to?
A) Distortion caused by exceeding the maximum signal level.
B) Creating a loop in an audio file.
C) Applying a filter to an audio file.
D) Cutting parts of an audio file.
  • 13. What is the Nyquist Theorem related to?
A) Microphone polar patterns.
B) The minimum sampling rate required to accurately reproduce a signal.
C) Speaker impedance.
D) Audio compression techniques.
  • 14. What is the role of a limiter in audio mixing?
A) To increase the stereo width.
B) To prevent the audio signal from exceeding a certain level.
C) To add delay to the audio signal.
D) To remove unwanted frequencies.
  • 15. What is the frequency range of human hearing?
A) 2 Hz to 200 Hz
B) 200 Hz to 2 kHz
C) 20 kHz to 200 kHz
D) 20 Hz to 20 kHz
  • 16. What is the purpose of a sidechain in compression?
A) To create a stereo image.
B) To add distortion to the audio signal.
C) To control the compressor's action based on a different audio signal.
D) To bypass the compressor.
  • 17. What is panning in audio mixing?
A) Filtering the frequency content of a sound source.
B) Positioning a sound source in the stereo field.
C) Adding reverb to a sound source.
D) Adjusting the volume of a sound source.
  • 18. What does the term 'sweetening' refer to in audio mixing?
A) Removing unwanted noise.
B) Converting audio formats.
C) Increasing the volume.
D) Subtle adjustments and enhancements to the overall sound.
  • 19. What is dither used for in audio mastering?
A) To add noise to an audio signal.
B) To reduce quantization noise when reducing bit depth.
C) To remove noise from an audio signal.
D) To increase the dynamic range of an audio signal.
  • 20. What is the purpose of using a reference track during mixing?
A) To identify copyright issues.
B) To compare your mix to a professionally produced track.
C) To copy the settings from another song.
D) To create a karaoke version of a song.
  • 21. What is the difference between destructive and non-destructive editing?
A) There is no difference.
B) Destructive is faster, non-destructive is slower.
C) Destructive permanently alters the original file, non-destructive does not.
D) Destructive is used for vocals, non-destructive is used for instruments.
  • 22. What is a high-pass filter used for?
A) To create a stereo image.
B) To attenuate frequencies above a certain point.
C) To attenuate frequencies below a certain point.
D) To boost frequencies in the mid-range.
  • 23. What is the difference between 'additive' and 'subtractive' EQ?
A) Additive is used for vocals, subtractive is used for instruments.
B) There is no difference.
C) Additive boosts frequencies, subtractive cuts frequencies.
D) Additive cuts frequencies, subtractive boosts frequencies.
  • 24. What is a 'room tone' recording used for?
A) To remove unwanted noise.
B) To fill in gaps and provide a consistent background ambiance during editing.
C) To add reverb to a recording.
D) To create a stereo image.
  • 25. What does ADR stand for in audio post-production?
A) Acoustic Digital Restoration
B) Advanced Dynamic Range
C) Automated Dialogue Replacement
D) Audio Digital Recording
  • 26. What is the purpose of automation in a DAW?
A) To remove unwanted noise.
B) To automatically generate music.
C) To convert audio formats.
D) To control parameters over time, like volume or pan.
  • 27. What is M/S (Mid/Side) processing used for?
A) To add reverb to an audio signal.
B) To create a mono signal from a stereo signal.
C) To remove sibilance from vocals.
D) To manipulate the center and side information of a stereo signal independently.
  • 28. What is the purpose of using a de-esser?
A) To tune vocals automatically.
B) To add echo to vocals.
C) To remove background noise from vocals.
D) To reduce sibilance ('s' and 'sh' sounds) in vocals.
  • 29. What is the difference between a VST and an AU plugin?
A) VST is used primarily on Windows and AU on macOS.
B) VST is used primarily on macOS and AU on Windows.
C) There is no functional difference.
D) VST is free, AU is paid.
  • 30. What is the role of a mastering engineer?
A) To compose the music.
B) To create sound effects.
C) To record the initial audio tracks.
D) To prepare a final mix for distribution across different platforms.
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