Apple Final Cut Express HD - Manual (Page 1087)

Glossary 1087
frame blending A process of visually averaging frames together over time to create
smoother motion. This is often useful when playing back clips in slow motion, to
smooth otherwise jerky motion.
frequency The number of times a sound or signal vibrates each second, measured in
cycles per second, or hertz (Hz). Audio recordings are made up of a vast collection of
waveforms, using many different frequencies of sound. Each frequency in a recording is
associated with an audio pitch. For example, the note generated by each key of a piano
has a specific frequency.
gain The amount an audio or video signal is boosted. In video, this increases the white
level; in audio, this increases the volume.
gamma A curve that describes how the middle tones of an image appear. Gamma is a
nonlinear function often confused with “brightness” or “contrast.” Changing the value
of the gamma affects middle tones while leaving the whites and blacks of the image
unaltered. Gamma adjustment is often used to compensate for differences between
Macintosh and Windows video graphics cards and displays.
gaps Locations in a sequence where there is no media on any track. When output to
video, gaps in an edited sequence appear as black sections.
gear down To slow down a mouse operation and make it more precise by holding
down the Command key while dragging an item or control. This can be helpful when
dragging clips if, for example, the Timeline is zoomed out so that clips look small. It’s
also useful to gear down if you want to make very small changes to an edit point, a
keyframe parameter, or a volume level.
generators Clips that are synthesized by Final Cut Express HD. Generators can be used
as different kinds of backgrounds, titles, and elements for visual design.
handles Extra footage beyond a clip’s In and Out points. Handles are useful if you want
to add a few more frames to account for dissolves or additional trimming.
HDV An MPEG-2–based high definition video format that records on a DV cassette
tape. HDV supports both 720p and 1080i, and uses interframe (or long-GOP MPEG-2)
compression. Depending on the format, HDV has a data rate of 19 Mbps or 25 Mbps.
head clip The clip that begins a sequence.
headroom The available range in decibels (dB) that falls in between the reference level
that is used to denote the average loudness of a mix and 0 dBFS. If you mix your
project with the reference level set to –12 dBFS, you have 12 dB of headroom available
before the signal is clipped. If the audio in a sequence has a wide dynamic range, you
set the reference level low enough to create enough headroom so that no part of the
signal goes above 0 dBFS.