Music Glossary: reference

Actual sounding pitch; used as reference for non-transposing instruments and analysis. more

Calibrated omni mic with flat response for room/speaker measurements and system tuning. more

Procedure to set monitoring level (e.g., 83 dB SPL C-weighted) for consistent loudness judgments. more

Instantaneous sign (positive/negative) of a signal; polarity inversion flips the waveform vertically. more

A standard listening level used for consistent perception; adjust for room size and personal hearing safety. (≈83 dB SPL) more

Calibrate monitors (e.g., 79–83 dB SPL C-weighted) to mix consistently at known loudness. more

Comparing tonal balance and loudness-normalized reference mixes to avoid being misled by level differences. more

Repeatable line check, balance pass, and two reference songs. more