Exam Question Checklist

Exam 1999 Question 8

"List TEN things to check for when making speech recordings designed for acoustic analysis. In each case discuss the potential consequences of NOT following your advice."

20 things you should mention:

• Checklist
  • good frequency response, 100-10kHz
  • - miss out frequencies, change timbre
  • low background noise
  • - quiet sounds masked
  • low reverberation
  • - difficult to find pitch, masking, echoes
  • set levels correctly
  • - avoid clipping, signal too weak compared to noise
  • choose microphone directionality
  • - extraneous noises, popping
  • set microphone distance
  • - room reflections change timbre
  • noise reduction
  • - else tape hiss
  • label recordings
  • - can't find/check anything
  • slect type of material appropriately
  • - invalid conclusions
  • out of airstream
  • - 'pops' in plosives
• Plus many other pairs possible: new/good tape, external microphones, management of subjects, etc