Music Glossary - S

Sample Rate
Sample Rate is the rate at which samples of an Analogue signal are taken to create a Digital image of that signal.

Sampler
A Sampler is a unit capable of recording, storing and playng back audio samples.

Shelving
This is a type of filter that affects all frequencies above or below a threshold frequency.

Sibilant
having, containing, or producing the sound of or a sound resembling that of the s or the sh in sash.

Sine Wave
A sine is a curved, flowing wave known for its smooth sound.

Slide Guitar
Using a device other than fingers to press the strings on a traditional guitar, beer bottles, metal or glass cylinders over the finger for example. "Open tuning" is used a lot for this kind of thing. The true description is actually for a "Lap top Steel" guitar. One made for this purpose.

SMPTE
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. SMPTE also refers to a common standard for measurement of Intermodulation distortion (IM) and a reference code for the identification of film or video frames. SMPTE code is often used for the synchronisation of two or more audio playback devices.

SMPTE Time Code
Frame edge lock for audio and video equipment. SMPTE is calculated in:

Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames

Solo
Many mixing consoles provide a feature that allows individual input tracks, groups or a combination of solo signals to be routed to the monitors without other signals AND without altering the main mix signal.

Song Form
Song Form is basically the structure of the song. There are a number of standard song forms. For example:
Strophic (chorus form)
Thirty-two bar
Verse-chorus
Twelve Bar Blues
Through-composed

Song Position Pointer (SPP)
Working in conjunction with Midi Clock, the SPP provides information about the current beat and measure used in a song or sequence. This allows the user to rewind, fast forward etc. a master device while remaining synchronised with a slave device.

Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format (S/PDIF)
S/PDIF is a digital recording format that allows the high speed transfer of two channels of digital audio. S/PDIF conforms to the AES/EBU consumer standard.

Spill
This is the term applied to acoustic interference from unwanted source sounds.

Subtractive Synthesis
This type of synthesis takes a broad band signal, sometimes in conjunction with some form of periodic signal, and subtracts frequencies in order to leave the desired output signal.

Synthesizer (Synthesiser)
A synthesizer is an electronic music device that allows the control of the pitch, timing and tone in the generation of one or more source audio signals. Source audio signals can be those produced by a tone or wave form generator, or based upon an audio sample.