We need a glossary of terms

After reading so many posts where various adjectives are being used in an attempt to describe what one is hearing from a particular recording, it's too bad we don't have a glossary of terms to refer to in order to better understand what one is attempting to describe.

"Swishy-hiss"
"Digital artifacting"
"Some sort of digital processing going on"
"no-noising"
These are just a few I read today. Additionally, it seems as though there has been some recent debate as to whether or not certain terms are being used correctly.

Finally, it would be nice if, along with a definition, there were good examples to refer to in order to better understand the description.

Unfortunately, I am not knowledgeable enough to take on such a project. I wonder if anyone else would be interested in such a list.

 

A lot of us make this stuff up as we go along. No-Noising and Digital Processing to a lot of us seems like as common as the super-sonic handshakes we do when we walk into the forum.

Ya know those soft rubber porcupine things? They sell them in toy stores to throw around the room? They call those a koosh. Why? I have NO CLUE!

An acronym list wouldn't be a bad idea. I think we should wait though, as more language we make up becomes prevalent.

 

Exactly.

However, I do see a number of terms used fairly consistantly. And while I think I have an idea of how many of them are used, there are other times that I wonder. Especially since the infamous Stones remasters debates began.

 

There's one term here that I "coined" and is consistent, self explanitory..."HOFFMANITE".
When I see it used to describe (US) the forum members in other forum's (especially ICE) I fell proud! Thanks Steve! If it wasn't for you I couldn't be a "Hoffmanite"...

 

I'd been thinking about this too - fer instance I throw around the word "throb" when talking about primarily 50's music with a pulsating rhythm/slap happy bass. Examples would be properly mastered Sun Records rockabilly (see/listen to Bear Family's Sun stuff mastered by Boppin' Bob Jones and Duncan Cowell); Eddie Cochran's boppers like Nervous Breakdown really got the throb (is his bass player Guybo Smith? - that dude could slap the crap outta his upright), and the Phantom's Love Me also qualifies. I also toss out twinkle/sparkle sometimes - high end that doesn't drill your earlobes or make you cover your ears for protection. Everyday where that celeste hits on From the Original Master Tapes is what I'd use as a reference for that term.

 

Don't forget to include Steve's term "wonky" - my favorite - if and when this glossary gets put together.

 

As they used to say in calculus class, It is intuitively obvious...

(not!)

 

Perhaps we can start a "Tune Term" glossary to speak a common language - toss out a term and include examples we can refer to. Breath of Life (registered trademark of Namffoh Evets LLC) is another we use a lot - midrange purity resulting in accurate rendition of critical vocal range; see Everly Brothers/Orbison/Presley Greatest hits sets on DCC.