Glossary 1

Misc Terms

Acid - Wav files encoded by the Acid program to align tempo and key to provide stretching and transposition.

Analog - Sound waves not encoded digitally (reel to reel tape, cassette, 8 track cartridge).

Archive - To record for safe-keeping. Recordings are sometimes kept in controlled-environment rooms.

Audio file - A wav file with extra information for CD players,

Booklet - A single or multiple page insert for jewel cases which usually serves as a cover for the album.

Cassette - Standard Phillips tape cartridge used in current cassette players.

CD - Compact Disc

CDR - Recordable Compact Disc

CDRW - Re-recordable (re-writable) Compact Disc

Crop - To trim the beginning and end of a sound file to eliminate hiss, unwanted noise, and save space.

DAT - Digital Audio Tape. A precision tape cassette read with a spinning head used to record digital audio.

Demo - Unpolished or bare-bones recordings created to show off the song rather than the musical arrangement. Used to "shop" the songs to publishers and record companies. A demo can be as simple as a vocal plus guitar or piano, or a 90% finished composition with lead, rhythm, bass, drums, and vocal. Some demos, with mastering, have been used as the final product. Short for "demonstration record".

Duplication - Making copies using CDR's and a CD burner.

DVD - Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc

DVDR - Recordable DVD

DVDRW - Re-recordable DVD.

Embossing/Debossing - Raised/sunken letters or patterns in paper or metal.

EQ - Equalization used to balance the high and low frequencies to insure all the instruments and vocals can be heard. Sometimes used to enhance the bass.

Glossy - A paper coating that results in various amounts of shine and smoothness.

J card - An insert for a standard cassette that can be unfolded to show album name and selections. Serves as album cover and back. Goes into a J Box.

Jewel case - Standard plastic CD case that holds 1 CD. Not a slimline case.

Leader - Paper or plastic tape at the beginning and end of a reel of recording tape. Also used to create space between songs.

Lite mastering - Professional mastering utilizes a tuned room, perfectly matched speakers, top-of the line equipment, and the "golden ears" of a person who has extensive experience with many high-end systems, and state-of-the-art equipment. We don't have a perfect sound space or expensive high end equipment. We don't pretend to be able to master your recording to that perfection and we don't charge hundreds of dollars per hour. We have coined the term "lite mastering" to mean that we do the same thing the pros do but on a less precise scale.

Matte - A paper coating that produces various dull finishes and textures.

Media - Any tape, cartridge, card, or disc that can be recorded on and played back from.

Mini-CD - 3 inch CD disc that fits in the center of a player's tray. Holds 21 min's/185MB of data.

MP3 - Compressed sound files using the mpeg 3 layer 3 encoder.

Normalizing - Making sure the songs are as loud as possible without distortion. Bringing them up to "digital 0".

RA - Real Audio compressed format.

Reel to Reel - Recording tape wound on reels that is threaded around a playback/recording head on older recorders. Can be 1/4", 1/2", 1", 2".

Replication - Making copies using a glass master and stamping process in a professional lab.

Sequencing - Putting the songs in the correct order with a standard space (2 seconds) between them.

Slimline case - A thin CD case that usually does not have a cover or tray card.

Splicing - Physically joining two pieces of recording tape or leader by cutting them diagonally and putting adhesive splicing tape on them.

Specialty papers - Paper with non-standard finishes (foil, embossing, debossing, handmade, silk/linen), patterns, and textures.

Talkers - A way to display retail goods in a store. These can be window, floor, or counter talkers. They can be fancy plastic with 4 color headers or plain cardboard.

Template - Pattern for generic parts of packaging (see right).

Tray card - An insert for jewel cases which goes under the plastic on the disc side and serves as the back for the album.

WAV - Uncompressed digital sound file (Microsoft) used on PC's.

WMA - Windows Media Audio compressed format.