4thQ/Handout #3

LESSON 4: AUDIO INFORMATION AND MEDIA

Audio is defined as anything connected to sound, specifically when received, recorded,

transferred, or duplicated (HarperCollins, n.d.). It is anything related to the documentation and
transmission of sound (Cambridge University, n.d.). Audio is one of the resources of media and
information, along with text, visual, and motion.

Audio Media refers to the media communication that uses audio equipment to report,
document, and deliver information through the means of sound. It may also refer to audio
formats such as analog tape cassettes, digital compact discs, and computer files containing
audio. On the other hand, audio information is the file or sound created and transferred by
using high fidelity waves that are heard through certain audio tools.

Types and Categories of Audio Information

1. Radio Broadcast – the act of sending a live or recorded audio through radio waves
meant for a large group of listeners.
2. Music – an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal
tones in a structured and continuous manner.
3. Sound Recording – the encoding of any sound from the surroundings; the act or
procedure of making a record of a certain sound (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)
4. Sound Clip/Sound Effect – the sound, aside from dialogue and music, artificially made
to create an effect in a movie, play, or other broadcast production (Oxford University,
n.d.)
5. Audio Podcast – an episodic series of digital audio or video file or recording that can
be downloaded by a user from a website to a media player or computer to listen.

Aside from knowing the various types of audio information, you must also learn the
different ways of storing audio files:
1. Tape – a magnetic tape sound recording format on which sound can be documented
2. Compact Disc – a plastic-fabricated, circular tool on which audio, video, and other
digital information is recorded, stored, and played back
3. USB Flash Drive - an external hard disk drive, small enough to fit on a keychain, that
can be plugged into the computer’s USB port
4. Memory Card – a small, flat flash drive used to save data such as audio files, pictures,
texts, and videos for use on small, portable, or remote computing devices
5. Computer Hard Drive – a secondary data storage device for saving digital data
6. Internet/Cloud – a wide network of remote servers in the internet meant to operate as
storage and retrieval of audio files and other computer data

Now, before we save our audio files, we need to consider first the numerous audio file
formats:

1. MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer 3) - a coding format for consumer audio, as well as a mean
of sound sequence compression for the transmission and playback of music on most
digital audio players.
2. M4A/AAC (MPEG-4 Audio/Advanced Audio Coding) - a file extension for lossy
digital audio compression.
3. WAV (Waveform Audio File Format) - the Microsoft audio file format standard used
for the storage of digital audio data on personal computers.
4. WMA (Windows Media Audio) - a file extension developed by Microsoft and used with
Windows Media Player.

Characteristics of a Sound
 Volume - the force of a sound
 Tone - the musical or vocal sound of a definite quality (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)
 Pitch - the degree of highness or lowness of a sound (Oxford University, n.d.)
 Loudness - the feature of a sound that determines the degree of the auditory sensation
produced (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)

Purposes of Using Sounds or Audio Media in Facilitating Learning

 These enable the learners to listen to the ideas and views of the experts and other
reliable people;
 These allow learners to listen to learning materials, like speeches;
 These serve as alternative guides for the learners when they are doing their tasks, such
as experiments; and

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 These grant the learners audio files of important past events or sounds from the
settings that the learners cannot personally visit.

Elements and Principles of Sound Design

Nowadays, sound is an essential part of any movie, play, or broadcast production. A
well-created soundtrack makes the audience enjoy any dramatic presentation. Therefore, it is
a must for us to know the elements and principles of sound design. It is important to get an
understanding of what makes up an entire production soundtrack.
Sound Design is the vivid use of sound during a production in connection to the images
and contents of the story to create an emotional response. These are the elements of sound
design or the elements that one must work with to produce soundtracks:
 Dialogue – a composition in the form of conversation between two people
 Sound Effect - the sound, aside from dialogue and music, artificially made to create
an effect in a movie, play, or broadcast production (Oxford University, n.d.)
 Music - an instrumental or a vocal sound that conveys emotions and ideas in
significant forms through the elements of color, harmony, melody, and rhythm
 Silence – the complete absence of noise or sound

Aside from these elements that one must work with in creating a soundtrack, principles
of sound design, or the audio techniques for merging the various elements or objects of sound
design, should also be considered:
 Mixing – the balance, combination, and control of numerous sound elements
 Pace – the editing and the time control of sound design; it has numerous categories:
 Linear – the sounds that are permanent, used once, and will be in the same place
 Non-Linear – the sounds that are much more open in comparison to linear sounds
 Multi-Linear
 Transition – the process of getting from one element or fragment of sound design to
another; it has various types:
 Segue – an uninterrupted movement from one piece of music to another
 Cross-Fade – the smooth transition of a sound between two side by side audio
files on the same track
 V-Fade – a switch from one volume level to another softer or louder level
 Fade to Black – a type of V-Fade which has some silence between the elements of
sound design
 Stereo Imaging - the feature of sound documentation and duplication concerning the
supposed spatial locations of the sound sources, both sideways and in depth.

Name: __________________________________ Year&Section: ____________________ Date:

______________

Activity: Modified True or False: Read each statement carefully. Write True if the
statement is correct, but if it is false, change the underlined word or group of words to make
the whole statement true.

__________________ 1.Mixing refers to the balance, combination, and control of numerous

_ sound elements.
__________________ 2.Radio Broadcast is an episodic series of digital audio or video file or
_ recording that can be downloaded by a user from a website to a
media player or computer to listen.
__________________ 3.USB Drive is a small, flat flash drive used to save data such as audios,
_ pictures, texts, and videos for use on small, portable, or remote
computing devices.
__________________ 4.Silence refers to the complete absence of noise or sound.
_ 5.WMA is the Microsoft audio file format standard used for the storage
__________________ of digital audio data on personal computers.
_ 6.Sound Clip is an instrumental or a vocal sound that conveys emotions
and ideas in significant forms through the elements of color, harmony,
__________________ melody, and rhythm.
_ 7.Audio Podcast is the sound, aside from dialogue and music, artificially
made to create an effect in a movie, play, or other broadcast

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__________________ production.
_ 8.M4A is a coding format for consumer audio, as well as a means of
sound sequence compression for the transmission and playback of
__________________ music on most digital audio players.
_ 9.Compact Disc refers to a plastic-fabricated, circular tool on which
audio, video, and other digital information is recorded, stored, and
__________________ played back.
_ 10.Visual is defined as anything connected to sound, specifically when
received, recorded, transferred, or duplicated.
__________________
_

__________________
_

__________________
_

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