Sound Stock Glossary
Music Production & Audio Terms
Learn essential music production and audio terminology used by producers, DJs, filmmakers and creators.
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A
- AAX
- AB Form
- ABA Form
- Ableton Live
- Absorber Panel
- Accent
- Accordion
- Accounting Period
- Acid House
- Acoustic Guitar
- Acoustic Treatment
- AD/DA Converter
- ADC (Analog to Digital Conversion)
- Added Tone Chord
- Admin Deal
- Adungu
- Advance
- Advance Payment
- Aeolian Mode
- African Adungu
- African Masenqo
- Afrobeats
- Afrobeats Global Rise
- Agoga Bell
- Agung
- AI Mastering
- AI Mixing
- AI Music Generation
- AI Sound Design
- AI Voiceover
- Aleatoric Music
- Algorithmic Playlist
- Alphorn
- Altered Dominant
- Alternative Hip Hop
- Alternative Rock
- Alto Clef
- Amapiano
- Ambient Mic
- Ambient Music
- Ambient Techno
- Amp Simulator
- Analog Console
- Analog Synthesizer
- Angklung
- Anticipation (Harmony)
- Anticipation (Music)
- Applied Chord
- Appoggiatura
- Appoggiatura (Harmony)
- Arco
- Ardour
- Arpeggiator
- Arrangement View
- Articulation (Orchestration)
- Atabaque
- Atonality
- AU (Audio Unit)
- Audacity
- Audio Clip
- Audio Converter
- Audio Embeddings
- Audio Interface
- Audit Right
- Augmentation (Counterpoint)
- Augmented Chord
- Augmented Sixth Chord
- Authentic Cadence
- Auto-Tune
- Automatic Chord Recognition
- Aux Return
- Aux Send
- Aux Track
B
- B Note
- B2B Set
- Bachata
- Backbeat
- Backdoor Dominant
- Backspin
- Bagpipes
- Balafon
- Balalaika
- Balanced Audio
- Band-Pass Filter
- Bandoneon
- Banjo
- Bansuri
- Barline
- Baroque Music
- Bass Clarinet
- Bass Clef
- Bass Drum (Orchestral)
- Bass Guitar
- Bass Trap
- Bassoon
- Bağlama
- Beat Generation (Music)
- Beat Tracking (AI)
- Beatmatching
- Bebop
- Belt-Drive Turntable
- Berimbau
- Bidirectional Microphone
- Big Beat
- Bit Depth
- Bitonality
- Bitrate
- Bitwig Studio
- Blanket License
- Blend (Orchestration)
- Blue Note
- Bluegrass
- Blues Music
- Blues Revival
- Blues Scale
- Bolon
- Bongos
- Boom Bap
- Booth
- Booth Monitor
- Bootleg (DJ)
- Borrowed Chords
- Bossa Nova
- Bounce
- Bouncing Audio
- Boundary Microphone
- Bouzouki
- BPM
- Breakdown
- Brickwall Limiter
- Bridge
- British Invasion
- Britpop
- Brostep
- Buffer Size
- Build-Up
- Bus (Audio)
- Bus (Console)
- Bus Compressor
- Buyout License
C
- C Note
- Cabinet Simulator
- Cadence
- Cadence (Counterpoint)
- Cadential 6/4
- Cakewalk
- Calibration (Monitor)
- Call and Response
- Canon
- Cardioid Microphone
- CC BY
- CC BY-NC
- CC BY-ND
- CC BY-SA
- CC0
- CDJ
- Cease and Desist
- Celesta
- Cello
- Celtic Daf
- Chance Music
- Changing Tones
- Channel Strip
- Channel Strip Plugin
- Charango
- Chicago House
- Chillwave
- Chiptune
- Chord Extension
- Chord Inversion
- Chord Progression
- Chord Spacing
- Chord Symbol
- Chord Tone
- Chord Voicing
- Chordal Writing
- Chorus
- Chorus Effect
- Chorus Plugin
- Chromatic Harmony
- Chromatic Mediant
- Chromatic Modulation
- Chromatic Scale
- Cimbalom
- Cinematic Music
- Circle of Fifths
- Cittern
- Clap
- CLAP Plugin
- Clapsticks
- Clarinet
- Clarinet in A
- Clarinet in Bb
- Classical Period (Music)
- Clave Rhythm
- Claves
- Clef
- Click Track
- Clipping
- Clocking (Digital Audio)
- Close Mic
- Closed Position
- Club Edit
- Co-Publishing Deal
- Co-Writer
- Col Legno
- Collection Society
- Color (Orchestration)
- Comb Filtering
- Common-Tone Diminished Chord
- Common-Tone Modulation
- Comping
- Comping (Vocals)
- Composer
- Composition Copyright
- Composition Rights
- Compression
- Compressor Plugin
- Compulsory License
- Concertina
- Condenser Microphone
- Congas
- Consonance
- Content ID
- Contrabassoon
- Contrapuntal Motion
- Contrary Motion
- Control Room
- Control Surface
- Convolution Reverb
- Copyright
- Copyright Infringement
- Counter-Notice (DMCA)
- Countermelody
- Counterpoint
- Countersubject
- Country Music
- Cover Song License
- Cowbell
- Crate Digging
- Creative Commons License
- Crescendo
- Cross-Rhythm
- Crossfader
- Crumhorn
- Cuatro
- Cubase
- Cue Mix
- Cue Point
- Cue Sheet
- Cumbia
- Cup Mute
- Cymbals
- Cymbals (Orchestral)
D
- D Note
- DAC (Digital to Analog Conversion)
- Daf
- Darbuka
- Dark Ambient
- De-Click
- De-Esser
- De-Hum
- De-Noiser
- Death Metal
- Deceptive Cadence
- Deceptive Resolution
- Decrescendo
- Deep House
- Delay
- Delay Plugin
- Delta Blues
- Dense Texture
- Derivative Work
- Dhol
- Dholak
- DI Box
- Didgeridoo
- Diffuser (Acoustics)
- Digital Console
- Digital Performer
- Digital Synthesizer
- Diminished Chord
- Diminished Passing Chord
- Diminished Scale
- Diminished Scale Harmony
- Diminished Seventh Chord
- Diminution (Counterpoint)
- Direct Modulation
- Direct-Drive Turntable
- DirectX Plugin
- Disco Era
- Discover Weekly
- Dissonance
- Dissonance Treatment
- Distortion
- Distortion Plugin
- Distribution Deal
- Dithering
- Divisi
- Dizi
- DJ Controller
- DJ Headphones
- DJ Mixer
- DJ Set
- Djembe
- DMCA
- DMCA Takedown
- Dombra
- Dominant
- Dominant Seventh Chord
- Domra
- Dorian Mode
- Dotted Note
- Double Bass
- Double Stops
- Double-Time Feel
- Doubling (Orchestration)
- Downbeat
- Dream Pop
- Drill Music
- Drop
- Drop 2 Voicing
- Drop 3 Voicing
- Drum and Bass
- Drum Kit
- Drum Machine
- Drum Machine (Hardware)
- Drum Pad Controller
- Drum Sampler
- DSP (Digital Service Provider)
- Dubplate
- Dubstep
- DVS (Digital Vinyl System)
- Dynamic EQ
- Dynamic Microphone
- Dynamic Range
- Dynamics
E
- E Note
- Early Reflections
- Editorial Playlist
- EDM Boom
- Eighth Note
- Electric Guitar
- Electric Piano
- Electro House
- Electroclash
- Electronic Music (History)
- Eleventh Chord
- Endongo
- English Horn
- Enharmonic Modulation
- Episode (Fugue)
- EQ Mixing
- EQ Plugin
- Equal Temperament
- Equalization
- Erhu
- Escape Tone
- Euclidean Rhythm
- Eurorack
- Exclusive License
- Expander
- Export
- Expressionism (Music)
- Extended Harmony
- Extended Mix
- Extended Techniques
F
- F Note
- Fader
- Fado
- Fair Use
- Feature Agreement
- Fermata
- Fifth Species Counterpoint
- Figure-8 Microphone
- Figured Bass
- Filter Sweep
- First Inversion
- First Species Counterpoint
- FL Studio
- Flamenco
- Flanger
- Flute
- Flutter Tonguing
- FM Synthesizer (Hardware)
- Forte
- Fortissimo
- Fourth Species Counterpoint
- French Augmented Sixth
- French Horn
- Frequency Response
- Fretless Bass
- Fugue
- Fugue Answer
- Fugue Subject
- Full Score
- Functional Harmony
- Funk
- Future Bass
G
- G Note
- Gain
- Gain Staging
- Gamelan
- GarageBand
- Gate (Noise Gate)
- Gayageum
- Generative Audio
- Geomungo
- German Augmented Sixth
- Ghatam
- Glissando
- Glockenspiel
- Goa Trance
- Golden Age Hip Hop
- Gospel Music
- Goth Rock
- Grand Piano
- Granular Plugin
- Graphic EQ
- Groove
- Groovebox
- Ground Loop
- Group Track
- Grunge
- Guide Tones
- Guide Track
- Guiro
- Guqin
- Guzheng
H
- Habanera Rhythm
- Haegeum
- Half Note
- Half-Diminished
- Half-Diminished Chord
- Half-Normalled Patchbay
- Half-Time Feel
- Handpan
- Hard Techno
- Hardanger Fiddle
- Hardcore Punk
- Hardware Compressor
- Hardware EQ
- Hardware Limiter
- Hardware Reverb
- Harmon Mute
- Harmonic Function
- Harmonic Minor Scale
- Harmonic Mixing
- Harmonic Rhythm
- Harmonica
- Harmonics (Strings)
- Harmonization
- Harmony
- Harp
- Headphone Amplifier
- Headroom
- Hemiola
- Hi-Hat
- Hidden Fifths
- Hidden Octaves
- High-Pass Filter
- Highlife
- Hip Hop
- Homophony
- Hook
- Hot Cue
- House Music
- Hulusi
- Hum (Ground Loop)
- Humanization
- Hurdy-Gurdy
- Hypercardioid Microphone
- Hyperpop
I
- IDM (Intelligent Dance Music)
- Imager Plugin
- Imitation (Music)
- Impedance
- Impressionism (Music)
- Inanga
- Indemnification
- Indian Setar
- Indian Surbahar
- Indie Pop
- Industrial Techno
- Inner Voices
- Insert (Console)
- Insert Effect
- Insert Point
- Instagram Reels Audio
- Instrument Level
- Instrumentation
- Integral Serialism
- Interpolation
- Intro
- Inversion (Counterpoint)
- Invertible Counterpoint
- Ionian Mode
- ISRC Code
- ISWC Code
- Italian Augmented Sixth
J
K
L
- Label Deal
- Large-Diaphragm Condenser
- Latency
- Latency Compensation
- Latin Trap
- Lavalier Microphone
- Layered Texture
- Lead Sheet
- Leading Tone
- Legato
- Leitmotif
- License Agreement
- Limiter
- Limiter Plugin
- Line Level
- Liquid Drum and Bass
- Listener Retention
- Lo-Fi Hip Hop
- Locrian Mode
- Logic Pro
- Loop Roll
- Looping
- Low-Pass Filter
- LUFS
- LUFS Meter
- Lute
- Lydian Dominant
- Lydian Mode
- Lyra
M
- Madchester
- Major Chord
- Major Ninth
- Major Pentatonic Scale
- Major Scale
- Major Second
- Major Seventh
- Major Seventh Chord
- Major Sixth
- Major Third
- Major Thirteenth
- Mandolin
- Marcato
- Marimba
- Masenqo
- Mashup
- Master Bus
- Master Rights
- Master Use License
- Mastering
- Mbira
- Meantone Temperament
- Measure
- Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC)
- Mechanical Rights
- Mechanical Royalty
- Media Player (DJ)
- Medieval Music
- Melodic Minor Scale
- Melodic Techno
- Melodica
- Melody
- Metadata
- Metalcore
- Meter
- Metering Plugin
- Metric Modulation
- Mezzo Forte
- Mezzo Piano
- Mic Level
- Mic Placement
- Mic Preamp
- Mic Stand
- Microtonality
- Mid-Side Processing
- MIDI Clip
- MIDI Controller
- MIDI Effect
- MIDI Keyboard
- Mijwiz
- Minimal Techno
- Minimalism (Composition)
- Minimalism (Music)
- Minor Chord
- Minor Ninth
- Minor Pentatonic Scale
- Minor Second
- Minor Seventh
- Minor Seventh Chord
- Minor Sixth
- Minor Third
- Minor Thirteenth
- Mix Bus
- Mixing
- Mixing Console
- Mixolydian Mode
- Modal Harmony
- Modal Interchange
- Mode Mixture
- Modernism (Music)
- Modular Synth
- Modular Synthesizer
- Modulation
- Monitor Controller
- Monitor Mix
- Mono Compatibility
- Monophony
- Monthly Listeners
- Moral Rights
- Morin Khuur
- Most Favored Nations (MFN)
- Motif
- Motown Sound
- Mridangam
- Multiband Compression
- Multiband Compressor
- Multitrack
- Multitrack Recording
- Music Distribution
- Music Licensing
- Music Metadata
- Music Model
- Music Tagging Model
- Muted Brass
N
- Nadaswaram
- Natural Minor Scale
- Neapolitan Chord
- Negative Harmony
- Neighbor Tone
- Neighboring Rights
- Neighboring Rights Society
- Neo-Soul
- Neural Audio Synthesis
- Neurofunk
- New Wave Movement
- New York Compression
- Ney
- Ngoni
- Ninth Chord
- No Wave
- Noise Floor
- Noise Reduction
- Non-Chord Tone
- Non-Exclusive License
- Nonfunctional Harmony
- Normalization
- Normalled Patchbay
- Notch Filter
- Note
- Nuendo
- Nyatiti
- Nyckelharpa
O
- Oblique Motion
- Oboe
- Ocarina
- Octave
- Octave Doubling
- Offline Bounce
- Omnidirectional Microphone
- Open Position
- Orchestral Balance
- Orchestral Music
- Orchestral Percussion
- Orchestral Score
- Orchestral Texture
- Orchestration
- Organ
- Oscilloscope (Audio)
- Ostinato
- Oud
- Outboard Gear
- Outro
- Overdubbing
- Overhead Mics
P
- PA System
- Pad Controller
- Pan Flute
- Pan Pot
- Pandeiro
- Panning
- Parallel Compression
- Parallel Fifths
- Parallel Harmony
- Parallel Motion
- Parallel Octaves
- Parametric EQ
- Passing Dissonance
- Passing Tone
- Patch Cable
- Patchbay
- Peak Level
- Pedal Point
- Pedal Tone
- Pentatonic Scale
- Per-Use License
- Perfect Cadence
- Perfect Eleventh
- Perfect Fifth
- Perfect Fourth
- Perfect Twelfth
- Performance Rights
- Performance Royalty
- Phantom Power
- Phase
- Phase Alignment
- Phaser
- Phonk
- Phrygian Mode
- Pianissimo
- Piano
- Piano Roll
- Piccolo
- Ping-Pong Delay
- Pipa
- Pipe Organ
- Pitch
- Pitch Correction Plugin
- Pitch Detection (AI)
- Pitch Shifting
- Pitch-Class Set
- Pivot Chord Modulation
- Pizzicato
- Plagal Cadence
- Planing
- Playlist Placement
- Plosive
- Plunger Mute
- Polarity Inversion
- Polymeter
- Polyphony
- Polyrhythm
- Polytonality
- Pop Filter
- Pop Music
- Pop Punk
- Post-Punk
- Power Chord
- Power Conditioner
- Pre-Chorus
- Pre-Delay
- Preamp Gain
- Preamplifier
- Prepared Piano
- PRO (Performance Rights Organization)
- Pro Tools
- Producer Agreement
- Producer Points
- Progressive House
- Progressive Trance
- Proximity Effect
- Psytrance
- Public Domain
- Publisher
- Publishing Administration
- Publishing Deal
- Publishing Rights
- Punch In
- Punch Out
- Punk Movement
Q
R
- R&B
- Rabab
- Radio Edit
- Range (Instrument)
- Rave Culture
- Re-Amping
- Real Answer (Fugue)
- Real-Time Bounce
- Reamp Box
- Reamping
- Reaper
- Reason
- Rebab
- Recorder
- Recoupment
- Reference Monitor
- Reference Track
- Reflection Filter
- Refrain
- Reggaeton
- Register
- Register Shift
- Relative Major
- Relative Minor
- Release Radar
- Renaissance Music
- Render
- Render in Place
- Repeat Sign
- Requinto
- Rest
- Retardation
- Retrograde (Music)
- Retrograde Inversion
- Return (Aux Return)
- Reverb
- Reverb Plugin
- Reverb Tail
- Reversion of Rights
- Rhythm
- Ribbon Microphone
- Riddim
- Riff
- Rights Clearance
- Riq
- RMS Level
- Rock Music
- Roman Numeral Analysis
- Romantic Period (Music)
- Rondo Form
- Room Calibration
- Room Mics
- Room Tone
- Room Treatment
- Root Position
- Round (Music)
- Routing
- Royalty
- Royalty Free Music
- Royalty Rate
- Royalty Split
- Royalty Statement
- Royalty-Free License
- RTAS
- Ruan
- Rubato
- Rudra Veena
- Rumba Clave
S
- Salsa Music
- Samba
- Sample Clearance
- Sample Rate
- Sampler
- Sampler (Hardware)
- Sampler Plugin
- Samplitude
- Sanshin
- Santoor
- Santur
- Sanxian
- Sape
- Sarod
- Saturation
- Saturation Plugin
- Save Rate
- Saxophone
- Saz
- Schenkerian Analysis
- Scratch DJing
- Scratch Track
- Seattle Grunge
- Second British Invasion
- Second Inversion
- Second Species Counterpoint
- Secondary Dominant
- Secondary Leading-Tone Chord
- Send (Aux Send)
- Send Effect
- Sequencer (Hardware)
- Serialism
- Session View
- Set Theory (Music)
- Setar
- Setlist
- Seventh Chord
- Shaker
- Shakuhachi
- Shamisen
- Shazam
- Shehnai
- Shekere
- Shelving EQ
- Sheng
- Shock Mount
- Shoegaze
- Shofar
- Short Score
- Shotgun Microphone
- Shuffle
- Sibilance
- Sidechain Compression
- Sidechain Input
- Signal Chain
- Signal Flow
- Sitar
- Sixteenth Note
- Skip Rate
- Slash Chord
- Slit Drum
- Slur
- Small-Diaphragm Condenser
- Smooth Voice Leading
- Snare Drum
- Snare Drum (Orchestral)
- Son Clave
- Sonata Form
- Songwriter
- Soul
- Sound Recording
- Sound Recording Copyright
- SoundCloud Rap
- SoundExchange
- Source Separation
- Species Counterpoint
- Spectral Music
- Spectrum Analyzer
- Split Sheet
- Spotify Algorithm
- Staccato
- Staff
- Standing Waves
- Steel Drum
- Steelpan
- Stem
- Stem Export
- Stem Separation
- Stems
- Step Sequencer
- Stereo Imaging
- Stereo Microphone
- Stereo Widener
- Straight Mute
- Straight Time
- Stream Count
- Streaming Analytics
- Streaming Royalties
- Stretto
- Studio Headphones
- Studio Monitors
- Studio One
- Subdivision
- Subdominant
- Subgroup
- Sublicense
- Submix
- Subwoofer (PA)
- Subwoofer (Studio)
- Sul Ponticello
- Sul Tasto
- Suling
- Suona
- Supercardioid Microphone
- Surbahar
- Surdo
- Suspended Chord
- Suspension (Counterpoint)
- Suspension (Harmony)
- Suspension (Music)
- Swing
- Swing Feel
- Sync Fee
- Sync Licensing
- Synchronization Rights
- Syncopation
- Synth Plugin
- Synthesizer
- Synthwave
T
- Tabla
- Taiko
- Take (Recording)
- Talkback Mic
- Talking Drum
- Tambourine
- Tanpura
- Tar (lute)
- Tech House
- Techno
- Tempo
- Tempo Detection (AI)
- Tenor Pan
- Tension and Release
- Tenuto
- Termination Clause
- Tessitura
- Text to Music
- Texture
- Theme and Variations
- Theremin
- Third Inversion
- Third Species Counterpoint
- Thirteenth Chord
- Three-Part Counterpoint
- Tie
- TikTok Sounds
- Timbales
- Timbre
- Time Signature
- Time Stretching
- Timecode CD
- Timecode Vinyl
- Timpani
- Tin Whistle
- Tiple
- Tom Drum
- Tonal Answer (Fugue)
- Tone Color
- Tone Row
- Tonic
- Track Flatten
- Track Freeze
- Track Routing
- Trance
- Transient Shaper
- Transition
- Transparent Texture
- Transposition (Instruments)
- Trap Music
- Treble Clef
- Tremolo
- Tremolo (Strings)
- Tres
- Tresillo
- Triad
- Triangle (Orchestral)
- Trip Hop
- Triplet
- Tritone
- Tritone Substitution
- Trombone
- TRS Cable
- Trumpet
- TS Cable
- Tuba
- Tubular Bells
- Tuplet
- Turntable
- Turntablism
- Twelve-Tone Row
- Twelve-Tone Technique
- Two-Part Counterpoint
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
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