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Music Glossary A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U W X Y Z 1 3 - digital audio data compression
- Commonly shortened to "audio compression." Any of several algorithms designed to reduce
the number of bits (hence, bandwidth and storage requirements) required for accurate digital audio storage and transmission.
Characterized by being "lossless" or "lossy." The audio compression is "lossy" if actual data is lost due to the compression
scheme, and "lossless" if it is not. Well designed algorithms ensure "lost" information is inaudible - that's how you win the game.
- Digital Millennium Copyright Act
- This newly enacted law implements two global treaties designed to protect creative works in the digital era. It prohibits the manufacture and distribution of devices the primary purpose of which is to "pick" the electronic "locks" protecting copyrighted material online. This prohibition enables effective enforcement against those seeking to pirate copyrighted music online. The greatest gains from passage of this legislation will be realized internationally. This bill will serve as a model for ratification and implementation of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties in other countries, where protection of sound recordings online is not sufficient. Formal U.S. ratification of the treaty package helps move the worldwide ratification effort closer to the 30 countries that must ratify the treaties for them to take legal effect. The law also includes important provisions that clarify the rights of copyright owners and the responsibilities of online service providers to guard against piracy online. In addition, the DMCA also contains critical provisions relating to the licensing of music on the Internet and amending the Digital Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act of 1995 (described below).Click here for details about Webcasting and other online legislation changes.
- Digital Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act of 1995
- For more than 20 years, the RIAA has been fighting to give copyright owners of sound recordings the right to authorize digital transmissions of their work. Before the passage of the Digital Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act of 1995, sound recordings were the only U.S. copyrighted work denied the right of public performance.
This bill allows copyright owners of sound recordings the right to authorize certain digital transmissions of their works, including interactive digital audio transmissions, and to be compensated for others. This right covers, for example, interactive services, digital cable audio services, satellite music services, commercial online music providers and future forms of electronic delivery. Most non-interactive transmissions are subject to statutory licensing at rates to be negotiated or if necessary, arbitrated.
Exempt from this bill are traditional radio and television broadcasts and subscription transmissions to businesses. The bill also confirms that existing mechanical rights apply to digital transmissions that result in a specifically identifiable reproduction by or, for the transmission recipient, much as they apply to record sales.
- Digital versatile disc (DVD)
- DVD audio is a high-density disc with about seven times the capacity of a CD. The extra capacity in the disc will be used to achieve a high-quality, multi-channel surround sound that is significantly better than current CDs, and may also be used to include features such as text, graphics, video and interactivity. DVD audio discs will require new players, but most, if not all, new DVD players will also play consumers’ existing CD collections.
- Direct and special markets
- Targeted consumer environments in which product purchases are made without physically "walking" in to obtain merchandise. Examples include purchases made through mail order, or by responding to television advertising. Some special market programs feature certain conditions or terms under which product is available. Examples include record clubs.
- discreet
- Marked by, exercising, or showing prudence and wise self-restraint in speech and behavior. You may want to be
discreet when bussing someone.
- disk
- The term used for any magnetic storage media such as computer diskettes or hard disks. From Greek diskos, the term
refers primarily to non-audio digital data storage, but the advent of hard disk digital audio recording systems fogs this up
somewhat.
- Distributor
- A business operation that provides music product from record manufacturers to one stops, rackjobbers, retail and other outlets for ultimate sale to consumers. Distributors often provide marketing and promotion support to record labels and retailers.
- Divestiture
- Removing state investments, usually in the form of pension funds for retired state workers, from entertainment companies producing what some politicians believe is "objectionable" music. This policy threatens the First Amendment and undermines the retirement security of senior citizens by allowing politicians, instead of financial professionals, to decide how to invest state funds.
- DIY
- Acronym for do-it-yourself, usually referring to various hobbies, especially audio-related.
- Dollar value
- The monetary worth of a stated quantity of shipped product multiplied by the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of a single unit. The value of shipments is given in U.S. dollars.
- Domestic market
- A term used here to refer to the U.S. consumer market.
- Doppler effect
- [After Christian Johann Doppler, 1803-1853, Austrian physicist and mathematician who first enunciated
this principle in 1842.] 1. For an observer, the apparent change in pitch (frequency) of a sound (or any wave) when there is
relative motion between the source and the listener (or observer). The classic example is the train phenomenon where the pitch
of the whistle sounds higher approaching and lower leaving. 2. Gave rise to the variation known as the dope-ler effect, defined
as the phenomenon of stupid ideas that seem smarter when they come at you in rapid succession.
- DOS
- (pronounced "doss") (disk operating system) A software program controlling data in memory, disk storage, running
programs and I/O management.
- Dotted Rhythms
- This phrase is used to describe certain rhythmic patterns resulting from alternations between long notes and shorter notes; dotted rhythms are named because the long notes in these patterns are often dotted. The distinctive quality, however, is not the dotted notes but the unevenness in playing or singing that can result. In some cases performers were told to ignore the dots altogether while in other cases performers were advised that they should also shorten the note preceding the dotted note in an appropriately proportionate manner to even out the rhythms.
- Double-Time
- A jazz and improvisatory technique that packs twice as many notes in a measure as were there in the preceding measures. The tempo appears to gain a great deal of momentum (and in some cases it actually does) but the chord progressions and chomping provided by the rhythm guitarist, bass and piano remain the same. Most of the time the leading musician, guitar, sax, brass et cetera, takes the lead to play their licks and chops while moving away from the melody in such a way that they can return "a tempo" once again. The lead in fact does play more notes between measures but the rhythm stays the same in double-time. There are a few noted exceptions.
- Downbeat
- Downbeat has been given a misleading definition many times over. It is the first beat of a mensural composition particularly those works that have a consistent time signature. If the orchestra, combo, or band comes in on the first beat of a measure then they are guided by their conductor, leader, or director, in some fashion, with a gesture that is down. Conductors of orchestras have various positions for all stages of a specific time signature. The first beat of a measure is always in a pronounced downward manner although some fail to properly emphasize this beat. Some have defined, in part, the down beat as the entrance point of any musical performer, group, combo, band or orchestra. This is simply not the case. All one needs to do is scan the varieties of musical scores or listen to their own collection to realize that initial entrances are not always made on the downbeat. In a time register of 4/4, for example, initial entrances can be made on beat one, two, three,or four as well as on half beats.
- ducker
- A dynamic processor that lowers (or "ducks") the level of one audio signal based upon the level of a second audio
signal. A typical application is paging: A ducker senses the presence of audio from a paging microphone and triggers a
reduction in the output level of the main audio signal for the duration of the page signal. It restores the original level once the
page message is over.
- Duple Time
- Any music that is written with two beats to the measure is considered duple meter. 2/2 and 2/4 are the most common forms of duple meter but an argument can be made for 6/8 time as well since the strong accents are on beats one and four of the measure. In 2/2 time signatures the measure contains two half notes each of which receives a strong beat. Comparably in 2/4 time there are two quarter notes in each measure and the quarter note receives the emphasis. Both time signatures have a meter containing two beats per measure. Many of the early pieces in jazz were scored/played in duple meters.
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Music Glossary 
