User`s guide

13—Glossary
ENSONIQ DP/Pro Reference Manual 3
Formant
Any of the group of frequencies associated with a particular vowel sound.
Formant Warp
A parameter in certain algorithms that modifies the spectrum of a formant filter to
correspond to the voice of a man, woman, or child.
Frequency
The number of repetitions of a waveform per unit of time, commonly expressed in
hertz (Hz), or cycles per second.
Frequency Modulation
An alteration of signal frequency content; at low frequencies, used for vibrato and
Doppler Shift.
Gain
The increase in level produced by an amplifier.
Gate
A device that attenuates a source signal falling below a predetermined volume
threshold. A useful tool in eliminating noise and controlling signals that use an effect.
Ambiences such as reverb may be gated to produce an extreme and artificial-
sounding decay.
HF
Abbreviation for “high frequency.”
HiCut
Abbreviation for “high cut.” Used in a high shelving equalizer to control the amount
of decrease applied.
HiShelf
Abbreviation for “high shelf,” a type of equalizer in which the volume of frequencies
above the selected value are increased or decreased.
Hold
In a level detector (as used in a compressor, limiter, expander, or gate), hold time
determines the amount of time that must elapse during which no increases in signal
level are detected, before the detector is allowed to go into release mode. A small
setting of hold time can produce a smoother response and can reduce chatter in gates.
Longer settings are used for special effects.
Hysteresis
In a noise gate, hysteresis is the difference between the gate-open threshold and the
gate-close threshold. This control reduces the “chatter” phenomenon produced when
the gate bounces rapidly between open and closed states.
Inc
Abbreviation for “increment”; to increase.
Knee Width
The dB range about the threshold over which the compression ratio bends from 1:1 to
the dialed-in value. Tube compression (soft compression) can be emulated by
increasing the knee width.
LED
LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are small solid-state lamps found embedded in a
number of the DP/Pro’s buttons. Under normal conditions, they have a virtually
unlimited lifetime.
LF
Abbreviation for “low frequency.”
LFO
An oscillator that generates sound waves at a frequency below the audio spectrum.
These low-frequency waves can modulate audio signals to produce vibrato, tremolo,
and other effects. The DP/Pro’s mod LFOs can also modulate parameter values.
Limiter
A device that will prevent a source signal from exceeding a previously set amplitude
threshold. A limiter can be thought of as a compressor with an infinite compression
ratio.
LoCut
Abbreviation for “low cut.” Used in a low shelving equalizer to control the amount of
decrease applied.
Lookahead
In a compressor or limiter, this is a delay that reduces the problem of overshoot (a
failure to compress the initial portion of a high-level signal). The function is similar in
an expander or gate, where lookahead can regulate unwanted chopping off of the
initial portion of a signal.
LoShelf
Abbreviation for “low shelf,” a type of equalizer in which the volume of frequencies
below the selected value are increased or decreased.
LSB
Many MIDI controllers use a pair of MIDI messages. The first—the MSB—for “Most
Significant Byte”—chooses among 128 sets of MIDI values, each of which contains 128
values of its own. The LSB—for “Least Significant Byte”—selects one of the 128 values
contained in each MSB set.
MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A communication protocol for musical
instruments.
MIDI Controller
The DP/Pro uses this word in two senses: 1. a MIDI-transmitting instrument—such as
a MIDI keyboard, MIDI drum pads, or MIDI guitar, etc.; or 2. a type of MIDI message
which allows the modification of effects in real time via MIDI, generated by devices
such as pitch bend wheels, data entry sliders, mod wheels or levers, sustain pedals,
and so on.
MIDI In
The jack on the DP/Pro’s rear panel that receives MIDI data transmitted to the
DP/Pro from an external MIDI device.
MIDI Out
The jack on the DP/Pro’s rear panel that transmits MIDI data from the DP/Pro to an
external MIDI device.
MIDI Thru
The jack on the DP/Pro’s rear panel that passes along MIDI data received by the
DP/Pro’s MIDI In jack.