A channel is an electronic circuit (or set of circuits) used to process a signal. For instance, on a tape recorder you have record channels (one for each track) and playback channels, and on a console or DAW you have in put channels and bus channels. On your home stereo, you have speaker channels, and so forth.

The clean, non-noise portion of a signal. It represents the "pure sound" you would hear if you could eliminate all electronic hiss.

The point at which a signal begins to distort.

The consumer digital audio format developed by Sony and Philips that is used to transfer digital audio data between consumer-type digital audio equipment, such as CD players, consumer DAT decks, DCC, and MiniDisc decks. Two channels of digital audio (left & right) are carried in one connection, usually a phono connection. This format is also referred to as 1EC958 and S/PDIF.

A type of MIDI message that offers real-time control. Typical Control Changes include Modulation, Volume, Pan, and Portamento.

Crosstalk occurs when the signal being recorded onto one tape track bleeds over onto the next. This can sometimes occur when you are using tape saturation to compress the signal.

A monitor system used to generate the musicians' headphone mix. Basically, the cue send on the console feeds an amplifier, which in turn provides a signal source for the headphones.

(per second) - The frequency rate of a sound wave. It is interchangeable with the term "Hertz."

Low impedance inputs that are wired with two lines plus a ground and are specifically designed to accept a signal from a balanced source.

An electrical current that is sent through the tape heads during recording in order to insure that a minimum level of magnetization is going on at all times. This increases the frequency response of the recording by making it easier for high frequency portions of a signal to reach tape.