BTEC Sound

Key Terms

• Transducer

A device that converts variations in a physical quantity such as pressure or brightness, into an electrical signal, or vice versa - e.g a microphone.

• Diaphragm

A thin disk in a microphone or telephone receiver that vibrates to produce electric signals

• Electromagnetic Induction

The Production of an electromotive force across a conductor when it is exposed to a time varying magnetic field

• Capacitor Plate

An electronic component that stores an electric charge and releases it when required

• Pre-amp

An electronic device that amplifies a weak signal

• Sound pressure levels

A measurement of Sound Pressure, measured in dB

• Dynamic
• Condenser

Dynamic Microphones
The diaphragm, a thin disk that vibrates to produce electrical signals, is attached the a coil. As the diaphragm picks up sound, the coil moves backwards and forwards past the magnet, which creates signals that travel through a microphone wire.

Condenser Microphones
A condenser microphone has two plates surrounding a voltage. One of these plates is made of a light material that acts as a diaphragm. When this moves to sound waves, it pushes closer to the other plates, creating a sound current. The voltage is created using a battery or other power.

Polar Pattern Variations

• Cardioid

Great for general use, or recording from multiple close together sources like a drum kit.

• Omni-Directional

Omni Directional is a useful polar pattern for recording a wide source of sound, like an orchestra or choir, or ambient noise.

• Figure of 8

Rarely used, this polar pattern is ideal for an interview between two people.

• Super-Cardioid

Super cardioid is good for the isolation of a noise.

Recording Conclusion
We recorded the glockenspiel using the microphone, with an omnidirectional polar pattern. We could hear the wind loudly, because the microphone was taking in sound from all directions.We used a H2 Handy Recorder microphone by Zoom to record our clip. We recorded outside of the sixth form in a fairly open area.

The quality of the glockenspiel was good quality, though there was a little bit of background noise, probably from the wind, and there was some fumbling around with something, which was probably the microphone at the start and end. Other peoples recordings were very high quality like ours. On a day with more wind you would be able to tell the difference much more between our omnidirectional recording and somebody else's isolated recording, like a figure of 8 or super-cardioid.
Open Air Glockenspiel

Marvin Gaye - Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye - Here, My Dear

Here My Dear was an album written by Marvin Gaye as part of a divorce settlement when he was 39. He was forced into the studio to make an album after not having the money to give to his wife, Anna. Anna was to be given half of the albums profit. Marvin used this as an opportunity to get back at his wife, by making bitter songs, using tools like sarcasm to show his underlying hate.

The album didn't do well, even though Marvin was trying to make it as good as possible - he felt he owed it to the general public.

 The inside cover of the album shows his wife on the right playing monopoly with him on the left. Anna has lots of money, and is clearly winning, Marvin has only his musical instruments. Marvin is passing over the record to Anna, hence the title Here My Dear.

The album was recorded with "double vocals", which means thickening up the sound of the vocals by having the singer sing twice. The microphone was a Neumann U67. This microphone has a very clean sound, and is  a condenser microphone. Condenser microphones work well in studios because condensers are

Most notably the microphone used on the bass drum was a ribbon microphone. This is a little strange, but it created the sound of Motown, and that's the way they liked it. A ribbon microphone has a small sheet of metal placed between two permanent magnets that move up and down to a current when the air pressure changes. This is then sent down a wire and amplified. Condensers are good for studio use because they have louder output and are more sensitive to loud sounds.

1. Here My Dear
Here my dear is a song of Marvins that sarcastically talks directly to Anna, at one point saying "You don't have the right to use the son of mine, To keep me in line".
2. I Met a Little Girl
This song is about how Marvin meets Anna when she was younger, how she was different, and how he thought she was the one for her, and as the song goes along, he creates a timeline of how he thought she once loved him, then eventually he cries about his relationship with her.
He then sings about how he's now free.
3. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You
This song is about how unrealistic marriage is, and how he would change the vows in order to not lie to God.
4. Anger
Anger was one of the better songs of the album. He sings about how anger can make you sick, or ruin your soul. He sings the line, "Hope I will learn I really never never profit, From things I do in rage"
This is a bit ironic - you could say a fair amount of this album was done in anger.
5. Is That Enough
This song is about how a woman (Anna) met a "little fool" (Marvin) and took everything from him. He ends the song on the very subtle "Why do I have to pay attorney fees?".
6.  Everybody needs love
This is a fairly generic song about how everybody needs love.
Song 7 and 8 are also very generic.
9. Anna's Song
This a song about how loving Anna is, and how she's like an angel. You could interpret this as the the first song about Anna that has a positive view on her, or the most sarcastic.
10. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Instrumental)
11. A Funky Space Reincarnation
This song is about Marvin meeting a woman in space that reminds him of Anna. They fall in love and get married.
12. You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You
This song is as the title suggest - Marvin can leave Anna, but it's going to cost him in the divorce settlement.
13. Falling in Love Again
In this song Marvin talks about finding a new woman. He starts off lonely and in pain, then finds somebody new.
14. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Reprise)