Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
- Thread starter Milt Hathaway
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Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
so the article says that the 'painful' frequencies are between 2k and 4k. well, i could have told you that...
i like to call it the 'JBL effect'...
so the article says that the 'painful' frequencies are between 2k and 4k. well, i could have told you that...
i like to call it the 'JBL effect'...
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
Yes, but now we have scientific confirmation.
so the article says that the 'painful' frequencies are between 2k and 4k. well, i could have told you that...
i like to call it the 'JBL effect'...
Yes, but now we have scientific confirmation.
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
there is a known cure . .
Prescription Qrx212
there is a known cure . .
Prescription Qrx212
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
I wouldn't call a collection of subjective opinions "scientific confirmation". Statistical average, maybe. I suspect it's this article or the like which led a budding young BE to automatically dump 3.15 on every house graphic he encountered without listening to the system first, saying, "You're supposed to cut that 'cause it hurts peoples ears".
I wouldn't call a collection of subjective opinions "scientific confirmation". Statistical average, maybe. I suspect it's this article or the like which led a budding young BE to automatically dump 3.15 on every house graphic he encountered without listening to the system first, saying, "You're supposed to cut that 'cause it hurts peoples ears".
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
Interesting read,
I had a "hurtful" audio experience when I was called on to mix monitors for a Scottish act. It was a sort of modern pipe band with some synthesisers playing drones and maybe a bass player, some vocals and about thirty bagpipers. The room was about a 2000 seater with quite a bit of wood and plaster. Monitor position stage left under a balcony. Being that close to 30 bagpipes is quite something; they're loud with a lot of energy at the "hurty" frequencies. The interesting thing was that they would start each song with a skirl of the pipes, which would be like an all-out assault on my eardrums, then the bass and synths would kick in with some low end and then the painful aspect of the pipes would reduce markedly. Same, if not greater, SPL arriving at my ears, but remarkably less offensive with a fuller spectral content than the pipes by themselves.
What I learnt from the experience was, that if your mix isn't sounding that great, just turn the bass up and it will instantly improve. Works for me.
Chur,
Andy.
Interesting read,
I had a "hurtful" audio experience when I was called on to mix monitors for a Scottish act. It was a sort of modern pipe band with some synthesisers playing drones and maybe a bass player, some vocals and about thirty bagpipers. The room was about a 2000 seater with quite a bit of wood and plaster. Monitor position stage left under a balcony. Being that close to 30 bagpipes is quite something; they're loud with a lot of energy at the "hurty" frequencies. The interesting thing was that they would start each song with a skirl of the pipes, which would be like an all-out assault on my eardrums, then the bass and synths would kick in with some low end and then the painful aspect of the pipes would reduce markedly. Same, if not greater, SPL arriving at my ears, but remarkably less offensive with a fuller spectral content than the pipes by themselves.
What I learnt from the experience was, that if your mix isn't sounding that great, just turn the bass up and it will instantly improve. Works for me.
Chur,
Andy.
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
The TTS is maximal at the exposure frequency of the sound, which explains why many musicians and sound engineers not permanently deaf seem to be.
Up to two hours of recovery time from TTS can be required for only 95 dB.
If you want to have a good sounding mix, and save your (and the audience) hearing, cut the offending frequencies out of the instruments producing them rather than masking them with other louder bass frequencies.
Looking at the equal loudness curves of ISO 226:2003, we can see that hearing is flatter at louder levels, which makes mixing at louder levels easier.
Unfortunately, exposure to over 95 dBA (slow) for over four hours a day (on a daily basis) causes permanent hearing damage.
Exposure to loud sound can cause temporary shifts in the threshold of hearing (TTS) in the mid frequency region, greater than 20 dB at 4000 Hz is common with exposure to loud music.
The TTS is maximal at the exposure frequency of the sound, which explains why many musicians and sound engineers not permanently deaf seem to be.
Up to two hours of recovery time from TTS can be required for only 95 dB.
If you want to have a good sounding mix, and save your (and the audience) hearing, cut the offending frequencies out of the instruments producing them rather than masking them with other louder bass frequencies.
Looking at the equal loudness curves of ISO 226:2003, we can see that hearing is flatter at louder levels, which makes mixing at louder levels easier.
Unfortunately, exposure to over 95 dBA (slow) for over four hours a day (on a daily basis) causes permanent hearing damage.
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Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
There's your problem. Those words should never be in the same paragraph.:evil:
Not sure where you are, but around here, the Musicians' Union doesn't represent bagpipers. Bagpipes aren't musical instruments, they're weapons of war!
GTD
There's your problem. Those words should never be in the same paragraph.:evil:
Not sure where you are, but around here, the Musicians' Union doesn't represent bagpipers. Bagpipes aren't musical instruments, they're weapons of war!
GTD
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
Origionally oboes were actually used as weapons of war (or so I am told). They were the first 'line". The idea was to scare the enemy with the weird sounds.
So how many oboe player does it take to change a light bulb? Just 1, but he has to go through 15 to find just the right one.
What is a burning oboe good for? Lighting a Bassoon on fire.
How do you get 2 oboe player to play in tune? Shoot one of them.
OK enough of that.
Since I am/was an oboe player (yes-true- I wanted to be "different"), I feel obligated to say this.
Origionally oboes were actually used as weapons of war (or so I am told). They were the first 'line". The idea was to scare the enemy with the weird sounds.
So how many oboe player does it take to change a light bulb? Just 1, but he has to go through 15 to find just the right one.
What is a burning oboe good for? Lighting a Bassoon on fire.
How do you get 2 oboe player to play in tune? Shoot one of them.
OK enough of that.
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
Ha, just found this thread, that sums it up......
so the article says that the 'painful' frequencies are between 2k and 4k. well, i could have told you that...
i like to call it the 'JBL effect'...
Ha, just found this thread, that sums it up......
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
Take a triamped system and turn it up fairly loud. Not stupid loud-but good and healthy and something you are comfortable listening to.
Now mute the lows and highs.
What is the first thing you will do. Cover your ears and complain about how much it hurts.
The actual SPL is lower-but it is not "balanced" so it "sounds more painful".
Yes a good mix is always a good idea.
Here is a fun experiment to try.
Take a triamped system and turn it up fairly loud. Not stupid loud-but good and healthy and something you are comfortable listening to.
Now mute the lows and highs.
What is the first thing you will do. Cover your ears and complain about how much it hurts.
The actual SPL is lower-but it is not "balanced" so it "sounds more painful".
Yes a good mix is always a good idea.
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
Did somebody say BAGPIPES! YIKES!!! We had 8 to 10 of them and a couple of snare drummers march in to a small room to play the break one time.
Did somebody say BAGPIPES! YIKES!!! We had 8 to 10 of them and a couple of snare drummers march in to a small room to play the break one time.
Re: Nice article on why some sounds hurt more than others
The balance of sound and clarity of the sound has a lot to do with it. Distorted sounds can be painful at relatively low, safe volumes, whereas, a nice clean piece of music can be listened to at levels loud enough to cause damage without the listener realizing it.
The balance of sound and clarity of the sound has a lot to do with it. Distorted sounds can be painful at relatively low, safe volumes, whereas, a nice clean piece of music can be listened to at levels loud enough to cause damage without the listener realizing it.