Glossary: RAM | Sweetwater.com

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RAM: Okay, back to the basics today. RAM - An acronym for Random Access Memory. A generic for chips that are used in computing devices to store sets of instructions, which can be computer programs and data or, in the case of some musical equipment, audio data. When you run an application like Microsoft Word, the program is called up from its permanent storage area (like the hard drive, floppy disk, or Cd_ROM) and moved into the RAM, where the CPU has much faster access to it. Data can be manipulated and calculations performed very quickly and then saved back to the storage medium. Sometimes RAM is just used as a buffer between subsystems or as a cache. There are many different types of RAM (DRAM, SRAM, EDO RAM, etc.) and each has its unique properties and price/performance characteristics. RAM is usually purchased by consumers as a small circuit board (often inaccurately called RAM chips) that are made of actual RAM chips and other components. These boards can be installed in computers and other devices to expand their available memory. Because of the widespread use of RAM in all sorts of devices the prices have dropped significantly in the past decade while the quantity of manufacturers and distributors has risen. RAM circuit boards can vary widely in quality and cost. There are many subtle and not so subtle factors that go into making very high quality RAM boards so it is a good idea to be careful when purchasing RAM.

R-Buss	R-DAT	Rack Rail
Rack Space	Radio Wave	Radius (Fingerboard)
RAID	RAM	RAM Disk
Random Access	Random Noise	Rank
RAR	Rarefaction	Rasgueado
Rate/Level Envelope Generator	Ratio	RCA
Re-Amp	RealAudio	Real Time
Recap (or Recapping)	Receiver Image	Reconstruction Filter
Record Enable	Recording Console	Rectifier
Recursive Formula (Filter)	Red Book	Reel
Reel-to-Reel	Reen	Refraction
Refurbished	Regal	Regal
Regeneration	Region	Register
Regulator (Voltage Regulator)	Relap	Release
Release Trigger	Release Velocity	Relic
Relief	Reluctance	Reluctance
Remix	Remote Control	REMS
Render	Repeater	Repeat Mark
Repro	Reproduction Right	Res-O-Glas
Resample	Reset All Controllers	Resistance
Resistor	Resolution	Resolve
Resonance	Resonant	Resonant Frequency
Resonator	Rest	Resultant Tone
Resynthesis	Retro	Retrofit
Return	Reverb	Reverse Breakdown Voltage
Reverse Engineering	Reversion Clause	ReWire
REX File	RFI	RFZ
RGB	Rhodes Electric Piano	Rhythm
RIAA	RIAA Equalization	Ribbon Cable
Ribbon Controller	Ribbon Mic	Rick-O-Sound
Ricochet	RIFF	Rift Sawn
Ring Modulator	Ring Out	RIP
RISC	Rise Time/Fall Time	Ritardando
RMID	RMS	RMS (Root Mean Square)
Robert Moog	Rocket Network	Rocking Bar Bridge
RoHS	Roll Mode	Rolloff
Rolloff Slope	ROM	Rompler
Root	Root Key (Sampling)	Rosette
Rosewood	Rotary Selector Switch	Rotary Speaker
Rototom	Round Wound	Rout
RPM	RS-232	RS-422
RSS	RT60	Real Time Analyzer (RTA)
RTAS	Rubato	Rumble