Glossary of Terms

Gobo is a slang term used by sound recording engineers to refer to a movable acoustic isolation panel.

An acoustics gobo is parallel in use to a photography gobo, which is used to block direct light sources, and also shares its name with the stage lighting gobo. The origin of the term "gobo" is obscure, but is most likely short for "go-between." The gobo was invented by Charles Norris Hoyle, and was originally a product of TayTrix.

A luthier (/ˈluːtiər/ LOO-ti-ər)[1] is someone who builds or repairs string instruments generally consisting of a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" comes from the French word luth, which means lute. A luthier was originally a maker of lutes, but the term now includes makers of stringed instruments such as the violin or classical guitar. A luthier does not make harps or pianos, as these require different skills and construction methods because their strings are secured to a frame.

Loudness - Subjective impression of the intensity of a sound.

Longitudinal wave - A wave in which vibrations are in the direction of propagation of sound as are sound Wavesin air.

Live - A reverberant acoustical condition, usually used in reference to a room whose many reflective surfaces encourage a lengthy reverberation time.

LEDE - Live end, dead end. An optimal acoustical treatment plan for rooms in which one end is highly absorbent and the other end reflective and diffusive.

Leakage - Any unwanted sound picked up by (or “leaking” into) a microphone from another instrument or loudspeaker. Sound from one room that is heard in another.

Law of the first wavefront - The first wavefront falling on the ear determines the perceived direction of the sound.

Late reflection - Reflected energy that occurs a greater distance away from the source than an early reflection. Sometimes referred to as “slap-back” or echo.

Kilohertz / kHz - 1,000 Hz increments. See Hertz.