Nat 5HigherAdvanced Higher

Latency

Latency is the delay between an action and when the sound is heard or recorded.

Level relevance: introduced at Nat 5; tagged for every later level where the same concept remains useful.

Explanation

Latency is a timing delay in a digital system. For example, if a singer hears their own voice late in the headphones, monitoring becomes difficult. Latency can also affect recording tightness when overdubbing. Buffer settings, interface drivers, and project complexity all influence latency.

Topics

RecordingTechnical setupTroubleshooting
Curriculum statussupporting vocabulary
Review statusdraft

Related terms

Audio interface

An audio interface connects microphones, instruments, headphones, and speakers to a computer for recording and playback.

View term

Overdubbing

Overdubbing means recording a new part while listening to material that has already been recorded.

View term

Synchronisation

Synchronisation means keeping events accurately aligned in time.

View term