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Margin - The amount of dB between the highest peak level of the program and the overload point.

Masking - The characteristic of hearing by which loud sounds prevent the ear from hearing softer sounds of similar frequency.

Master - 1) A control to set the level going out of the console, especially the stereo output to the two track machine in mixdown. 2) A term with the same meaning as Sub Master (a control that adjusts the level of a signal mixed together and being sent out to one track of a multitrack recorder). 3) A term with the same meaning as VCA Master (one slide that controls the control voltage sent to several VCA faders). 4) The machine that will be used as a speed reference when synchronizing two or more machines to run together; if the master tape transport changes speed, the other machines synced to it will change speed. 5) The original recording, used for making copies. 6) To make an original recording which will be used to make commercial copies, especially making a master lacquer (for record manufacturing) or a master compact disc.

Master Fader - 1) The fader which controls the main output(s) of the console during mixdown. 2) In some consoles, faders which control the outputs to the multitrack tape recorder during recording. 3) Occasionally used to mean a VCA master (one slide that controls the control voltage sent to several VCA faders).

Mic - An abbreviation for microphone.

Mic Gain Control - A level control on a microphone preamplifier that sets gain and is used to prevent overload of that preamplifier.

Mic/Line Switch - The selector switch on the input of a console channel that chooses what input jack will feed the console.

Mic Input - The input of a console or other device that a microphone can be plugged into.

Mic Level - The very low audio voltage level that comes out of a studio microphone.

Mic Pad - A device that reduces the level of the signal and is placed just before a microphone preamplifier to prevent overload of the preamplifier.

Mic Preamp - An amplifier to boost the low-level audio signal out of a microphone up to line level.

Microphone - A transducer which converts sound pressure waves into electrical signals.

Mid-Range Frequencies - The audio frequencies from about 250 Hz through 1000 Hz.

Mix - 1) To blend audio signals together into a composite signal. 2) The signal made by blending individual signals together. 3) A control or function on a delay effects/reverberation device which controls the amount of direct signal that will be mixed into the processed signal.

Mixer - 1) A console, or other device that blends audio signals into composite signals and has a small number of outputs. 2) A section on a console that does this function. 3) In Europe, a fader. 4) An engineer or technician who mixes, especially a live sound mix at a performance.

Mixdown (Mix Down) - Combining the signals from the tracks of a multitrack tape onto a master tape; reverberation/other effects may be also added.

Mixing Console - A device which can combine several signals into one or more composite signals, in any desired proportion.

Monitor - 1) In audio, to listen. 2) To indicate with a meter or light the conditions in a circuit, especially level and overload. 3) A device to listen or observe.

Mono - Shortened from Monophonic and meaning that there is only one sound source or the signal was derived from one sound source.

Monophonic - 1) More formal term for Mono and meaning that there is only one sound source or the signal was derived from one sound source. 2) In synthesizers, a term meaning that only one pitch may be sounded at a time.

Moving Coil Microphone - A term with the same meaning as the term Dynamic Microphone (a microphone in which the diaphragm moves a coil suspended in a magnetic field to generate an output voltage proportional to the sound pressure level).

MS Micing - A method of stereo microphone placement where one microphone, with a cardioid pattern, points directly at the middle of the area to be miked and a Bi-directional microphone is as close as possible to the first mic with its rejection pointing the same way as the axis of the first mic.

Multitrack Recording - 1) A technique of recording various instruments separately on different portions of the same tape, in time with each other and so that final balancing of the sound may be accomplished later. 2) A technique of digitally recording various instruments onto a hard disk in different data files so the may be played in time with each other and final balancing of the sound may be accomplished later.

Mute Switch - A switch which turns off a channel, takes out a track signal from the monitors, or which turns off the entire monitor signal.