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Glossary
Music Gear terms, explained
Short, plain definitions of the words you'll see on product pages and spec sheets. Each one links to a guide when there's more to know.
A
- Action
- The height of the strings above the frets. Lower action is easier to play; too low causes fret buzz. Read the guide →
- Audio interface
- A device that converts microphone and instrument signals into digital audio for a computer, and back for headphones and speakers. Read the guide →
B
- Bit depth
- How precisely each audio sample is measured. 24-bit gives plenty of headroom for recording. Read the guide →
C
- Condenser microphone
- A sensitive microphone that captures detail and needs phantom power. Read the guide →
D
- DAW
- Digital audio workstation: software for recording, editing and mixing music. Read the guide →
- Direct monitoring
- Hearing your input straight from the interface with no delay, while recording. Read the guide →
- Dynamic microphone
- A rugged microphone that needs no power and handles loud sources well. Read the guide →
H
- Hammer action
- Weighted keys with a hammer mechanism that mimics an acoustic piano. Read the guide →
- Hi-Z input
- A high-impedance input for plugging a guitar or bass directly into an interface. Read the guide →
- Humbucker
- A guitar pickup with two coils wired to cancel hum. Thicker and louder than a single-coil. Read the guide →
I
- Impedance
- Electrical resistance, in ohms. High-impedance headphones need more power to drive. Read the guide →
J
- Jog wheel
- The large platter on a DJ controller used to scratch, nudge and cue tracks. Read the guide →
L
- Latency
- The delay between making a sound and hearing it back through your computer. Read the guide →
M
- Mesh head
- A woven drum head on electronic kits that feels closer to an acoustic drum and is quieter to hit. Read the guide →
- MIDI
- A protocol that sends notes and controls between instruments and software. It carries performance data, not audio. Read the guide →
P
- Phantom power
- 48-volt power sent down an XLR cable to run condenser microphones. Read the guide →
- Preamp
- A circuit that boosts a microphone's weak signal to a usable level. Read the guide →
S
- Sample rate
- How many times per second audio is measured. 48 kHz is the standard for music and video. Read the guide →
- Scale length
- The distance from the nut to the bridge saddle. Longer scales have tighter strings and a brighter tone. Read the guide →
- Setup
- Adjusting a guitar's neck relief, action, intonation and nut so it plays easily and in tune. Read the guide →
- Single-coil pickup
- A guitar pickup with one coil. Bright and clear, but can hum. Read the guide →
- String gauge
- String thickness, measured in thousandths of an inch. A "10s" set starts with a .010 high E string. Read the guide →
- Studio monitors
- Speakers designed for an accurate, uncolored sound when mixing. Read the guide →
V
- Velocity sensitivity
- Keys or pads that respond to how hard you play them. Read the guide →