Audio Recording and Editing Flashcards
7 cards from real CMP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Audio Recording and Editing flashcards as text
What is the purpose of a 'pre-roll' setting in a DAW when recording overdubs?
Answer: To start playback a few bars before the record-enabled region so performers can hear context before they play
Pre-roll plays back a defined amount of audio before the punch-in point, giving performers time to get in the groove before they need to perform their part.
In audio editing, what is a 'de-esser' designed to do?
Answer: Reduce harsh sibilant frequencies (s, sh, ch sounds) in vocal recordings
A de-esser is a frequency-selective compressor or dynamic EQ that automatically reduces the level of sibilant consonant sounds when they become too bright or harsh.
What is the purpose of 'room treatment' (acoustic treatment) in a recording studio?
Answer: To control reflections, standing waves, and reverberation so recordings are accurate and free of colorations
Acoustic treatment uses absorbers, diffusers, and bass traps to tame problematic reflections and resonances, giving producers and engineers an accurate listening environment.
When recording multiple microphones simultaneously on a single source, what phenomenon must engineers be careful to manage?
Answer: Phase cancellation between microphones
When two mics pick up the same sound at slightly different distances, the time offset causes phase differences that can cancel or comb-filter certain frequencies when the signals are summed.
What is 'destructive editing' in the context of audio production?
Answer: Editing that permanently alters the original audio file on disk
Destructive editing modifies the actual audio file itself — once saved, the original data is overwritten, unlike non-destructive editing which leaves source files intact.
Which recording approach is described as 'punching in' during a session?
Answer: Starting recording mid-track to replace a specific section while the rest of the recording remains untouched
Punching in allows an engineer to drop into record mode at a precise moment during playback, replacing only the flawed section of a performance without re-recording the entire take.
What does the term 'headroom' mean in audio recording?
Answer: The amount of dynamic range available between the nominal operating level and the clipping point
Headroom is the buffer of level between the average signal and the maximum before distortion, allowing transients and dynamic peaks to pass without clipping.