How recording changed music

Arts & Music · Music · ages 15-16

Name ______________________ Date ____________

What does a microphone produce from sound?
- An electrical signal
- A stored sequence of audio measurements
- Sound waves produced during playback
Before sound recording, what was needed to hear a song again after a performance?
- Another performance of the song
- A stored sound copy of that same performance
- A saved audio file containing that performance
A speaker converts an electrical audio signal into sound.
Circle one: True False
A producer samples another artist's record and names that artist. Which statement is supported by the naming alone?
- Credit is given; permission and payment still need checking
- Credit is given; permission follows, but payment still needs checking
- Credit is given; payment is settled, but permission still needs checking
A singer has separate drum and vocal tracks. The singer wants a replacement vocal with the original drums and no old vocal in the mix. Which plan achieves this?
- Record drums and vocals together again, then use that new take
- Add a new vocal to a mix that still contains drums and old vocals
- Keep the drum track, record a new vocal, then mix those tracks
A band copies only a .cda entry onto a computer, then removes the audio CD. Why is that entry not a portable copy of the song?
- It holds compressed song audio that needs conversion before playback
- It points to a CD track rather than storing its audio
- It holds uncompressed audio that needs the disc during playback
An unsigned musician uses a distributor to deliver a recording to a streaming service. A friend calls this direct artist uploading. Which conclusion fits the route described?
- The distributor's delivery shows that the artist uploaded directly to the service
- The release reaches the service without a record deal, through a distributor
- The service's acceptance shows that the artist signed a record deal for the release
A writer wants listeners to hear the hook before deciding whether to skip a stream. Which plan addresses that aim without assuming streaming requires short intros?
- Shorten the whole song by cutting material after the hook
- Bring the hook forward, treating the intro length as a choice
- Keep the hook's place, but save a smaller audio file for streaming

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

How recording changed music W1-mt_CP9uGPaeez-s1

An electrical signal · A microphone converts sound into an electrical signal. Digital recording equipment stores measurements, while a speaker produces sound during playback.
Another performance of the song · Memory or notation could preserve the song, but hearing it again required another performance rather than replay.
True · Playback equipment supplies an electrical audio signal. The speaker converts that signal into sound.
Credit is given; permission and payment still need checking · Naming the artist establishes credit. It supplies no evidence that permission was granted or payment agreed.
Keep the drum track, record a new vocal, then mix those tracks · Keep the original drum track and mix it with the replacement vocal track, leaving the old vocal out. This preserves the drums without retaining the earlier vocal.
It points to a CD track rather than storing its audio · A .cda entry points to a CD track and contains no song audio. Ripping reads the disc's audio and saves a separate playable file.
The release reaches the service without a record deal, through a distributor · The musician remains unsigned and uses a distributor. That supports release without a record deal, not direct artist uploading or an inferred record deal.
Bring the hook forward, treating the intro length as a choice · Moving the hook earlier addresses the opening listeners hear before skipping. Cutting later material or shrinking the file does not move the hook forward. Intro length remains a choice.