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Know About Dual Core Technology

Dual core technology refers to two individual microprocessors on a single die cast chip. This is essentially two computer processing units (CPUs) in one. The advantage of a dual core chip is that tasks can be carried out in parallel streams, decreasing processing time. This is referred to as thread-level parallelism (TLP). 

TLP is also possible on motherboards that can accommodate two separate CPU dies. When TLP is accomplished in a single CPU through dual core technology, it is called chip-level multiprocessing (CLM). 

In dual core CPUs, each microprocessor generally has its own on-board cache, known as Level 1 (L1) cache. L1 cache significantly improves system performance, because it is much faster to access on-chip cache than to use random access memory (RAM). L1 cache is accessed at microprocessor speeds.

Dual core chips also commonly feature secondary shared cache on the CPU, known as Level 2 (L2) cache. Motherboards may also have a cache chip designated as Level 3 (L3) cache. While faster than RAM, L3 cache is slower than cache built into the dual core chip.

Dual core technology has advantages over double-core or twin-core technology. These latter terms refer to two independent CPUs installed on the same motherboard. Dual core chips take up less real estate on the motherboard, have greater cache coherency, and consume less power than two independent CPUs. However, dual core technology also has its drawbacks.

For software to take advantage of dual core architecture, it must be written to utilize parallel threading. Otherwise, the program functions in single-core mode, using just one data stream or one of the built-in microprocessors. Unfortunately, coding for TLP is quite intensive, as interleaving shared data can create errors and slow performance. Because of these and other issues, a dual core processor does not deliver twice the speed of a single-core processor, though there is a significant increase in performance under optimal conditions. Finally, dual core chips run hotter than their single-core cousins.

Whether a dual core processor is right for you will depend on what you plan to use your computer for. If the programs you regularly require are designed for TLP, then you may benefit greatly from a dual core chip. If not, you may be better served by a high-end single-core CPU.

What Is FLAC?

FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec, a leading compression technique that preserves original audio quality while reducing file size. FLAC is an open-source, royalty-free format that has been adopted widely for its many advantages in digital audio reproduction.

Compression techniques take large files such as wave (.wav) files and reduce the data bits while preserving as much of the audio landscape as possible. A well-known audio compression format is MP3 (.mp3). MP3 files slim down bulky wave and compact disk (.cda) files to a fraction of their original size, making MP3 an ideal format for portable audio players. The MP3 format allows a vast library of songs to fill a very small storage footprint. However, there is a trade-off in audio quality.

FLAC surpasses MP3 quality by preserving the original soundscape in exact detail. The FLAC format reduces the original file size by roughly 30-60% with no loss of quality, hence it is a lossless format. This differs from the MP3 format which is a lossy format, or a format that loses quality in the conversion process.

One of the great strengths of FLAC is its very fast decoding time, or ability to stream even on modest hardware. Technical specifics in the framed architecture also allow it to be error resistant, in that each frame has the information it needs to decode itself. If a frame is corrupted, the data lost in the stream is a mere blip. 

This differs from other types of lossless formats where the entire stream would essentially become corrupted.

Another feature of FLAC is that it can handle up to eight channels of audio for preserving surround sound recordings. FLAC is also a good choice for archiving audio CDs, as one can always use the FLAC file later to convert to future formats. A further advantage of FLAC is that it supports replaygain, a technique for ensuring that recorded sound files play at the same volume level. 

The only real disadvantage of FLAC files is that the compression ratio is not as steep as other codecs. Files will be somewhat larger. However, with all of the advantages of FLAC, this is a happy trade off for many audiophiles. 

Considering the falling prices of flash cards, portable players, and storage devices, the FLAC format will likely only gain support. FLAC files can play on iPods® with installation of the open source firmware replacement, Rockbox (though this might affect warranty). FLAC files can also be played on other portable devices and on home or auto compact disc players that support the FLAC format.

What are the Seven Modes of Music?

We have the ancient Greeks to thank for the modern seven modes of music, although some of their original modes have been replaced over time. Greek musicians may have been the first to understand the intimate relationship of mathematics and music theory, leading to what we understand as the major and minor scales. A traditional scale may be divided into 8 notes, but the intervals between those notes are not always equal. The Greeks developed scales which began and ended on each note of the original major scale (Ionian) we still hear today. The Greeks named the different scales after cities which reflected the mood of the seven modes of music. Modern music theorists now call these modes Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian.

Understanding the seven modes of music requires a basic understanding of intervals and musical notation. We can define a musical scale with 8 letters (A-G), so that a "C" scale becomes C D E F G A B C with no flattened or raised notes. But another way to look at this scale is through intervals. This is the musical theory behind the familiar Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do exercises in choir or early band practice. Each of those syllables represents an interval in a major (Ionian) scale. These intervals are not evenly spaced, thus giving each one a specific relationship to each other. "Do" sounds very finished and solid, for instance. "Ti", by comparison, sounds very unfinished and unresolved. It is called a leading tone, which means it wants to lead the melody back to the final note "Do". It's the relationship between these intervals which give the modes their musical interest.

In the Ionian mode, the intervals are divided into a very familiar pattern of whole and half steps. Most of us would instantly recognize the Ionian mode when played on a piano. The rest of the seven modes of music retain this familiar pattern, but start on different notes. Here's a quick breakdown on each mode and their relationship to the original Ionian intervals:

Ionian Mode (W-W-H-W-W-W-H) In this definition, W stands for 'Whole Step' and H stands for 'Half Step'. The Ionian mode defines the familiar major scale pattern we hear as do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. The half step between Ti and Do gives the scale some tension and release. The majority of popular songs are written in the Ionian mode.

Dorian Mode (W-H-W-W-W-H-W) Dorian mode is most commonly heard in Celtic music and early American folk songs derived from Irish melodies. Songs written in Dorian mode sound a little melancholy because the final note (re) doesn't quite resolve itself. The song may be over, but the singer is still unsettled.

Phrygian Mode (H-W-W-W-H-W-W) Modern composers and guitarists commonly use Phrygian mode because it works well with the Ionian. Guitarists use modal music to create interesting solo lines which can be played against melodies in other modes. Composers often find the Phrygian mode to be as useful as the traditional minor (Aeolian) scale, but without the inherent sadness. 

Lydian Mode (W-W-W-H-W-W-H) Lydian mode is the complete opposite of the Ionian, so it feels as solid as a major scale but the intervals are surprising and unexpected. This is a popular mode among jazz musicians who enjoy using a mixture of major and minor chord progression in inventive ways.

Mixolydian Mode (W-W-H-W-W-H-W) Mixolydian is similar to Lydian in the sense of a major scale feel with minor intervals. Mixolydian mode is another popular scale for solo musicians looking for a counterpoint to the Ionian key of the song.

Aeolian Mode (W-H-W-W-H-W-W) Aeolian mode is still in vogue today, although we tend to refer to it as the minor key. The intervals of Aeolian mode create the same feel as many modern blues songs. Songs composed in Aeolian mode have a strong sense of sadness. The final note of an Aeolian scale feels resolved in a completely different sense than the Ionian. If the Dorian mode reflects melancholy, the Aeolian reflects despair.

Locrian Mode (H-W-W-H-W-W-W) Locrian mode is considered to be so unstable and unsatisfying that most composers consider it unworkable. There are few songs written in the Locrian mode, which has lead some music experts to label it a 'theoretical' mode. It exists because all seven notes of the Ionian scale could form modes in a mathematical sense, but the relationship between intervals in the Locrian mode is simply not that interesting musically.

To remember the seven modes of music, many musicians use the following memory aid: "I Do F(ph)ollow Lonely Men And Laugh."