compiled by Mark Greenhouse
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Editor's Note: Mark compiled this glossary to help new NPR technicians understand the specific jargon used in the workplace. You'll find that some definitions are not exhaustive, and may have other meanings that are not listed here.
actuality: a portion of an interview to be used in a piece. Also referred to as "acts"
adapter: a device that changes, or adapts one kind of connector into another
ambience: the environment in which an event takes place. It is often recorded afterwards to provide audio that can be faded in prior to and coming out of the event to ease transitions. Also referred to as "ambi"
ATC: acronym for the NPR program All Things Considered
audible spectrum: the range of sound that can be heard. Sounds are given an identification based on the number of times they vibrate per second, a scale referred to as Hertz (abbreviated Hz). The range of audibility differs between species. Typical human hearing is considered to span from a low of about 50Hz to a high of about 16,000 Hz (kHz , or kiloHertz). A dog, for example, can easily hear 20kHz.
bandwidth: the range of frequencies contained in the audio being used. example: a CD contains frequency response from 20hz to 20kHz. A telephone contains frequencies between 100Hz and 3kHz.
billboard: a prerecorded introduction usually including theme music and information about the upcoming show
bleeble: Morning Edition-centric term for 30 seconds of music that is transition between top of the hour newscast and program/
bright: audio with a lot of treble content. "Make it brighter" would be a request to increase the presence; "It’s too bright" would be a request to remove some.
button: originally a guaranteed 30 seconds of music for stations to talk over; now simply a segment of music between pieces. Also called a zipper.
buzz: a steady-pitched addition to a recording that sounds like bees (generally undesirable, even in non-audio circumstances). Often caused by an incomplete connection (connectors not pushed in all the way, a bad cable) or proximity to a hive. . .
chipper: a TOTN-centric term for the 29- second piece of music that follows the top of hour newscast
cold: quiet, or low-level audio
connector: a plug or jack that allows equipment to be easily connected and disconnected
cosmetic editing: removal of ums, uhs, stutters, false starts (cleaning up)
crossfade: an action or command that causes the current audio to decrease in volume whilst another audio is simultaneously increased. The final result is uninterrupted sound.
cutting tape: performed with a razorblade, a splicing block and splicing tape. One section of audio is selected and physically cut just before it begins and again just after it ends, then connected to another section of audio or to leader tape.
Dalet: the name of a company that manufactures DAWs.
DAW: acronym for digital audio workstation.
deadroll: an action or command to start a reproducer in play but with the volume turned off. At a specific time, the audio is faded in.
distortion: a harsh, fuzzy or crackling addition to the audio that occurs when the volume of the audio being played back or recorded is too loud for the device or recording medium.
edit: to review and approve a piece with the reporter; to physically cut audio tape to remove unwanted material or assemble elements
elements: the components of a piece.
editing tape: involves "cutting tape*" and removing unwanted statements or sounds.
equalizing: changing the sound of audio by adding (amplifying) or reducing (attenuating) specific frequencies in the audible spectrum.
fade: the action or command that causes the audio to decrease in volume.
fadeup: the action or command that causes the audio to increase in volume.
feeding cuts: This is an instruction you might give a tech - "I’m going to feed you my cuts", meaning you are going to play your tape through whatever connection you are using (ISDN; fiber; Minidisc with connected headphones held against the mouthpiece of a telephone).
gather sound: a phrase describing recording activity outside of NPR, generally performed in the field - either interviews or ambience.
"hit it": a command to a tech to push "play" on a machine.
hot: loud, or high-level audio.
hummm: a steady low tone generated either acoustically or electronically (generally undesirable).
in-cue: the first words of an actuality.
ISDN: Integrated Switched Digital Network. Full bandwidth transmission of audio over existing telephone lines. This technology requires special equipment at both the sending and receiving locations.
jack: a connector that accepts a plug.
"kill it": a command to a tech to push "stop" on a machine.
lazy phoner: a telephone interview conducted through NPR but not from inside NPR. From the field (or their living room), the reporter calls an NPR Record Central (RC) facility or the studio, and is put through the console; the guest is contacted by the tech and also put through the board, and the interview is recorded. Since 1998, There exists exists two sets of equipment in NPR Master Control to "automate" this task. Each set contains a Telos Hybrid cross connected to a MUSICAM USA Prima RoadRunner. The Telos output is fed into a graphic equalizer, which is preset to roll off frequencies outside a telephone's frequency range. The reporter uses his/her ISDN codec to call one of the RoadRunners, and asks the guest to dial the Telos hybrid. The reporter records the guest's responses on the reporter's recorder. This saves tying up a studio.
leader tape: paper or plastic (usually white or yellow) non-recordable tape used to give visual distinction to multiple cuts on a single reel.
level: the volume at which audio delivered. "Cold levels" would be a bad thing. "Levels are way too hot" would be a bad thing. "Levels are hot" is often good thing.
line: an ATC-centric term referring to the statement "You're listening to All Things Considered".
line level: a high level audio signal.
ME: acronym for the NPR program Morning Edition.
mic level: a low level audio signal.
mixing: combining audio from more than one source: multiple tape machines, tape machine and CD player, multiple CDs and tape machines, and so on.
mult box: a metal box with multiple outputs of a single audio source (one microphone connected to twenty jacks so that twenty people can record that microphone)NOTE: a mult box may be mic level or line level - make sure to into the appropriate jack on your recorder!
nat sound: see ambience.
Nipper: an ATC-centric term referring to the statement "This is NPR, National Public Radio".
off-mic: the source of the audio is not in good proximity to the microphone (the sound is distant or muffled).
opens: similar to a billboard, a preview of the upcoming show.
outcue: the last words of an actuality.
piece: the sum of the parts of a report.
pinwheel: term for when a reporter who has just completed a piece introduces the next piece. Also called spindown.
plosives: low frequency distortion caused by powerful "p" and "b" sounds that overload the microphone.
plug: a connector* that pushes into a jack*
post: a statement, downbeat, or moment of importance or relevance in the interview, music, or ambience that is timed so that it comes into prominence just as it begins.
presence: clarity; treble, or high-frequency content of audio.
PT: acronym for the NPR program Performance Today.
responsible: an announcement stating NPR is solely responsible for the content of a program.
RFI/radio frequency interference: unwanted stray radio communications, or electromagnetic fields that cause hummm - that are picked up on the recording.
room tone: the ambient sound in a room caused by the hum of machinery (air conditioners, motors in another room, typewriters, cash registers); conversation; footsteps; any constant background sound.
segue: the action or command to go from one piece of audio to another.
sibilance: sharp, exaggerated "ess" sounds caused by natural speaking tone or by adding too much treble equalization.
SOC: acronym for Standard OutCue, meaning the reporter's verbal identification at the end of a piece.
Sonic Solutions: a manufacturer of DAWs*. Also referred to as "Sonic".
sound bed: a recording of ambience* which is played while another tape containing different audio is simultaneously played, giving the illusion the prominent audio took place in the environment of the ambience.
spindown: see pinwheel.
splice: the joint between two pieces of audio tape.
splicing tape: thin plastic film with adhesive on one side for joining two pieces of audio tape together.
stinger: a short (less than 5 seconds) segment of music to separate pieces.
talking heads: term referring to a stationary group of individuals having a discussion.
tape hiss: background "white noise", or sound like rain - always present on analog recordings, but usually masked by high level of audio recorded on the tape. If there is insufficient audio level, the volume of the reproduction must be increased, thereby revealing this "tape hiss" that was previously drowned out.
tension: structuring a piece so that interest is maximized, example: opposing opinions back to back.
TOTN: acronym for the NPR program Talk of the Nation.
Trixie: ATC-centric term for Theme Related In Clear. the 30 second music bed after an NPR newscast and before the ATC segment begins.
tracks: the narration, or reporter’s component of a "piece".
transition: 1. sound - changing from one location to another through cross-fading or a moment of silence, or, 2. content - using writing to smoothly weave spoken text and audio together.
vox pop: general public reactions. From the Latin, Vox Populi or "Voice of the People".
WEED: acronym for the NPR program Weekend Edition.
WESAT: acronym for the NPR program Weekend Saturday.
WESUN: acronym for the NPR program Weekend Sunday.
who dat?: ("who is that?") an NPR-centric term for a new voice that appears unexpectedly, pauses long enough to be identified by hosts, then continues.
warm: moderate-level audio.
zipper: a segment of music that echoes or foreshadows a piece; also used to keep the show on time. Also called a button.
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