Hacking The Hearing System: 9 Psychoacoustic & Sound

Design Tricks To Improve Your Music

10/10/2014

8:14 PM

When talking about improving the perceived quality of our productions and mixes, its
easy to focus mainly on the technology we use, or the layout and acoustic treatment of
our listening environment.
Its easy to forget that just as important as our software, equipment and studio is what
happens to the signal after all of that, once the sound has made it into our internal
hearing system our ears and brains and how that sound is actually experienced.
So thats what this article is about: some tips and tricks for operating and manipulating your listeners
built-in equipment!

If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by
your brain
This basically falls under the heading of psychoacoustics, and with knowledge of a few
psychoacoustic principles, there are ways that you can essentially hack the hearing system of
your listeners to bring them a more powerful, clear and larger than life exciting experience of
your music. Knowing how the hearing system interprets the sounds we make, we can creatively
hijack that system by artifically recreating certain responses it has to particular audio phenomena.
Here youll also gain some extra insights into how and why certain types of audio processing and
effects are so useful, particularly EQ, compression and reverb, in crafting the most satisfying
musical experience for you and your listeners.
For example, if you incorporate the natural reflex of the ear to a very loud hit (which is to shut down
slightly to protect itself) into the designed dynamics of the original sound itself, the brain will still
perceive the sound as loud even if its actually played back relatively quietly. Youve fooled the brain
into thinking the ear has closed down slightly in response to loudness. Result: the experience of
loudness, quite distinct from actual physical loudness. Magic

Because you have to wonder: how do the machines know what Tasty Wheat tasted like? Maybe
they got it wrong. Maybe what I think Tasty Wheat tasted like actually tasted like a crunchy Skrillex
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they got it wrong. Maybe what I think Tasty Wheat tasted like actually tasted like a crunchy Skrillex
bassline etc etc.
Thats probably enough Matrix references, so lets free your mind (ha!) and read on:

1. The Haas Effect

Named after Helmut Haas who first described it in 1949, the principle behind the Haas Effect can be
used to create an illusion of spacious stereo width starting with just a single mono source.
Haas was actually studying how our ears interpret the relationship between originating sounds and
their early reflections within a space, and came to the conclusion that as long as the early
reflections (and also for our purposes, identical copies of the original sound) were heard less than
35ms after and at a level no greater than 10dB louder than the original, the two discreet sounds
were interpreted as one sound. The directivity of the original sound would be essentially preserved,
but because of the subtle phase difference the early reflections/delayed copy would add extra
spatial presence to the perceived sound.
So in a musical context, if you want to thicken up and/or spread out distorted guitars for example, or
any other mono sound source, its a good trick to duplicate the part, pan the original to extreme
right or left and pan the copy to the opposite extreme. Then delay the copy by between about
10-35ms (every application will want a slightly different amount within this range), either by shifting
the part back on the DAW timeline or by inserting a basic delay plugin on the copy channel with the
appropriate delay time dialled in. This tricks the brain into perceiving fantastic width and space,
while of course also leaving the centre completely clear for other instruments.
You can also use this technique when all you really want to achieve is panning a mono signal away
from the busy centre to avoid masking from other instruments, but at the same time you dont want
to unbalance the mix by panning to one side or the other only. The answer: Haas it up and pan that
mono signal both ways.
Of course theres also nothing stopping you delaying slightly one side of a real stereo sound, for
example if you wanted to spread your ethereal synth pad to epic proportions. Just be aware you will
also be making it that much more unfocused as well, but for pads and background guitars this is
often entirely appropriate.
As you play with the delay time setting youll notice that if its too short you get a pretty nasty outof-phase sound; too long and the illusion is broken, as you start to hear two distinct and separate
sounds not what you want here. Somewhere in between itll be just right and youll find just the
space you want.
Also be aware that the shorter the delay time used, the more susceptible the sound will be to
unwanted comb filtering when the channels are summed to mono something to consider if youre
making music primarily for clubs, radio or other mono playback environments.
Youll probably also want to tweak the levels of each side relative to each other, to maintain the
right balance in the mix and the desired general left-right balance within the stereo spectrum.
Dont forget you can apply additional effects to one or both sides: for example try applying any
subtle LFO-controlled modulation or filter effects to the delayed side for added interest.
A final word of caution: dont overdo it! Use the Haas Effect on one or two instruments maximum in
a full mix, to avoid completely unfocusing the stereo spread and being left with phasey mush.

2. Frequency Masking
There are limits to how well our ears can differentiate between sounds occupying similar
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There are limits to how well our ears can differentiate between sounds occupying similar
frequencies. Masking occurs when two or more sounds occupy the exact same frequencies: in the
ensuing fight, generally the louder of the two will either partially or completely obscure the other,
which seems to literally disappear from the mix.

Not this kind of masking although they do appear to be having a lot of fun here.
Obviously this is a pretty undesirable phenomenon, and its one of the main things to be aware of
throughout the whole writing, recording and mixing process. Its one of the main reasons EQ was
developed, which can be used to carve away masking frequencies at the mix, but its preferable to
avoid major masking problems to begin with at the writing and arranging stages, using notes and
instruments that each occupy their own frequency range.
Even if youve taken care like this, sometimes masking will still rear its ugly head at the mix, and its
difficult to determine why certain elements still sound different soloed than they do in the full mix
context. The issue here is likely to be that although the root notes/dominant frequencies of the
sound have the space they need, the harmonics of the sound (that also contribute to the overall
timbre) appear at different frequencies, and its these that may still be masked.
Again, this is probably the point where EQ comes into play: theres much more info on strategies
for EQing to enhance character and clarity in The Ultimate Guide To EQ.

3. The Ears Acoustic Reflex

As mentioned in the introduction, when confronted with high-intensity stimulus or as Brick
Tamland from Anchorman would put it, Loud noises! the middle ear muscles involuntarily
contract, which decreases the amount of vibrational energy being transferred to the sensitive
cochlea (the bit that converts the sonic vibrations into electrical impulses for processing by the
brain). Basically, the muscles clam up to protect the more sensitive bits.

Loud noises!
The brain is used to interpreting the dynamic signature of such reduced-loudness sounds, with the
initial loud transient followed by immediate reduction as the ear muscles contract in response, so it
still senses very loud sustained noise.
This principle is often used in cinematic sound design and is particularly useful for simulating the
physiological impact of massive explosions and high-intensity gunfire, without inducing a theatre full
of actual hearing-damage lawsuits.

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Check out the visceral fuel station explosion in modern classic 28 Days Later (that leads to this scene
with flaming zombies!) for an expert example of audio-enhanced violence. Not to mention the
excellently done noises of the zombies themselves
The ears reflex to a loud sound can be simulated by playing manually with the fine dynamics of the
sounds envelope. For example, you can make that explosion appear super-loud by actually shutting
down the sound artificially following the initial transient: the brain will interpret this as the ear
responding naturally to an extremely loud sound perceiving it as louder and more intense than the
sound actually, physically is. This also works well for booms, impacts and other epic effects to
punctuate the drops in a club or electronic track.
The phenomenon is also closely related to why compression in general often sounds so exciting and
can be used in its own way to simulate loudness more on that below.

4. Create the impression of power and loudness even at low

listening levels
If you take only one thing away from this article, it should be this: the ears natural frequency
response is non-linear. Or more specifically, our ears are more sensitive to mid-range sounds than to
frequencies at the extreme high and low ends of the spectrum. We generally dont notice this as
weve always heard sound this way and our brains take the mid-range bias into account, but it does
become more apparent when were mixing, where youll find that the relative levels of instruments
at different frequencies will change depending on the overall volume youre listening at.
Before you give up entirely on your producing aspirations with the realisation that even your own
ears are an obstacle to achieving the perfect mix, take heart that there are simple workarounds to
this phenomenon. And not only that, but you can also manipulate the ears non-linear response to
different frequencies and volumes to create an enhanced impression of loudness and punch in a
mix, even when the actual listening level is low.
The non-linear hearing phenomenon was first written about by researchers Harvey Fletcher and
Wilden A. Munson in 1933, and although the data and graphs they produced have since been slightly
refined, they were close enough with their findings that Fletcher-Munson is still a shorthand
phrase for everything related to the subject of equal loudness contours.
Generally, taking all this into account you should be able to do the best balancing at low volumes
(this also saves your ears from unnecessary fatigue, so Id recommend it anyway). Loud volumes are
generally not good for creating an accurate balance because, as per Fletcher-Munson, everything
seems closer.
In certain situations, for example when mixing sound for films, its better to mix at the same level
and in a similar environment to where the film will eventually be heard in theatres: this is why film
dubbing theatres look like actual cinemas, and are designed to essentially sound the same too. Its
the movie industrys big-budget equivalent of playing a pop mix destined for radio play on your car
stereo: the best mixes result from taking into account the end listener and their environment, not
necessarily mixing something that only sounds great in a $1 million studio.

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Cinema-scale mixing at Skywalker Sound

So, how does our ears sensitivity to the mid-range actually manifest on a practical level? Try playing
back any piece of music at a low level. Now gradually turn it up: as the level increases, you might
notice that the mid-boost bias of your hearing system has less of an effect, with the result that the
high- and low-frequency sounds now seem proportionally louder (and closer, which well go into in
the next tip).
Now the exciting part: Given that extreme high and low frequencies stand out more when we
listen to loud music, we can create the impression of loudness at lower listening levels by
attenuating the mid-range and/or boosting the high and low ends of the spectrum. On a graphic
EQ it would look like a smiley face, and its why producers will talk about scooping the mid-range to
add weight and power to a mix.

Pendulum are masters of smart mix dynamics

This trick can be applied in any number of ways, from treating the whole mix to some (careful) broad
EQ at mixdown or mastering, to applying a scoop to just one or two broadband instruments or mix
stems i.e. just the drums or guitars submix. As you gain experience and get your head around this
principle (if you have a good ear for such things you might already be doing it naturally), you can
begin to build your track arrangements and choices of instrumentation with an overall frequency
dynamic in mind right from the beginning. This is especially effective for styles like Drum & Bass,
where you can achieve amazingly impactful and rich-sounding mixes with just a few elements that
really work those high and (especially) low ends for all theyre worth;

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Nevermind, produced by Butch Vig

the mid-range leveling can then act primarily as an indicator of a nominal base level, made
artificially low like a false floor, simply to enhance the emphasis on the massive bass and cutting
high-end percussion and distortion. The same works well for rock too: just listen to Nirvanas
Nevermind for a classic, thundering example of scooped mids dynamics.
Just remember to be subtle: its easy to overdo any kind of broad frequency adjustments across a
whole mix, so if in doubt, leave it for mastering.

5. Equal Loudness Part II: Fletcher-Munson Strikes Back

Of course the inverse of the closer/louder affect of the ears non-linear response is also true, and
equally useful for mix purposes: to make things appear further away, instead of boosting you roll
off the extreme highs and lows. This will create a sense of front-to-back depth in a mix, pushing
certain supporting instruments into the imaginary distance and keeping the foreground clear for the
lead elements.
This and the previous trick work because a key way that our ears interpret how far away we are from
a sound source is by the amount of high- and low-frequency energy present relative to the broader
mid-range content. This is all because the ears have adapted to take into account the basic physics
of our gaseous Earth atmosphere: beyond very short distances the further any sound travels, the
more high-frequency energy (and to a slightly lesser extent, extreme low-end as well) will simply be
dissipated into the air, the atmosphere its travelling through.
Therefore, to push a sound further back in the mix, try rolling off varying amounts of its higher
frequencies and hear it recede behind the other elements. This is often particularly useful for
highlighting a lead vocal in front of a host of backing vocals (cut the BVs above around 10kHz,
possibly boost the lead vocal in the same range slightly). I also find it useful when EQing drum
submixes to ensure the drums are overall punchy but not too in-your-face frontal (a touch of reverb
is also an option here of course).
Theres a lot more related info on this in The Ultimate Guide To EQ and The Ultimate Guide To
Reverb.

6. Transients appear quieter than sustained sounds of the same

level
This is the key auditory principle behind how compression makes things sound louder and more
exciting without actually increasing the peak level. Compressors are not as intuitively responsive as
the human ear, but they are designed to respond in a similar way in the sense that short duration
sounds arent perceived as being as loud as longer sounds of exactly the same level (this is called an
RMS or Root Mean Square response, a mathematical means of determining average signal levels).
So compressing the tails of sounds such as drums, that are relatively quiet compared to the highenergy initial transient attack, fools the brain into thinking the drum hit as a whole is significantly
louder and punchier, although the peak level the transient has not changed. This is how
compressors allow you to squeeze every ounce of available headroom out of your sounds and mix:
as ever though, just be careful not to flatline your mix with over-compression.
Again, theres a lot more related info on this and all aspects of compressors in The Ultimate Guide
To Compression.

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7. Reverb Early Reflection Ambience For Thickening Sounds

If you combine part of the principle behind the Haas Effect with the previous tip about sustained
sounds being perceived as louder than short transients at the same level, youll already understand
how adding the early reflections from a reverb plugin can be used to attractively thicken sounds. It
can take a moment to get your head around if youre very used to the idea that reverb generally
diffuses and pushes things into the background. Here, were using it without the characteristic
reverb tail, to essentially multiply up and spread over a very short amount of time the initial
transient attack portion of the sound. By extending this louder part of the sound well get a slightly
thicker sound, but in a very natural ambient way that is easily sculpted and tonally finetuned with
the various reverb controls. And with the distancing and diffusion effects of the long tail you can
retain the upfront character of the sound.
This is something I go into properly in The Ultimate Guide To Reverb, so check that out for more
details!

8. Decouple a sound from its source

A sound as it is produced, and the same sound as it is perceived in its final context are really not
the same thing at all.
This is a principle that is exploited quite literally in movie sound effects design, where the best sound
designers develop the ability to completely dissociate the sonic qualities and possibilities of a sound
from its original source. This is how Ben Burtt came up with the iconic sound of the lightsabers in
Star Wars:

I had a broken wire on one of my microphones, which had been set down next to a television set and
the mic picked up a buzz, a sputter, from the picture tube just the kind of thing a sound engineer
would normally label a mistake. But sometimes bad sound can be your friend. I recorded that buzz
from the picture tube and combined it with the hum [from an old movie projector], and the blend
became the basis for all the lightsabers.
Ben Burtt, in the excellent The Sounds Of Star Wars interactive book
Does that make Burtt one of the original Glitch producers..?

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Johnny Cash
Also consider Johnny Cashs track I Walk The Line, which featured his technique of slipping a piece of
paper between the strings of his guitar to create his own snare drum effect. Apparently he did this
because snares werent used in Country music at the time but he loved their sound and wanted to
incorporate it somehow. The sound, coupled with the train-track rhythm and the imagery of trains
and travel in the lyrics, brings a whole other dimension to the song. And all with just a small piece of
paper.
One last example: the Roland TR-808 and TB-303 were originally designed to simulate real drums
and a real bass for solo musicians. They were pretty shocking at sounding like real instruments, but
by misusing and highlighting what made them different from the real thing turning the bass into
screaming acid resonance and tweaking the 808 kick drum to accentuate its now signature boom
originating Techno producers like Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson perceived the potential in their
sounds for something altogether more exciting than backing up a solo guitarist at a pub gig.
So remember that whether youre creating a film sound effect or mixing a rock band, you dont have
to settle for the raw or typical instrument sounds you started with. Similarly, if you find that upsidedown kitchen pans give you sounds that fit your track better than an expensive tuned drum kit, use
the pans! If you find pitched elephant screams are the perfect addition to your cut-up Dubstep
bassline (it works for Skrillex), by all means The only thing that matters is the perceived end
result no-ones ears care how you got there! (Whats more, theyll be subliminally much more
excited and engaged by sounds coming from an unusual source, even if said sounds are taking the
place of a conventional instrument in the arrangement.)

9. Layering sounds into a complex whole

Amon Tobin knows a thing or two about layering, unusual samples and cinematic sounds
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Amon Tobin knows a thing or two about layering, unusual samples and cinematic sounds
Weve already mentioned that our ears can have trouble deciphering where one sound ends and
another similar one begins. And its another psychoacoustic phenomenon that our ears are
incredibly forgiving (or put another way, easily deceived) when it comes to layering sounds together,
even across wider ranges of the frequency spectrum done carefully, they simply wont distinguish
between the separate components and will read the sound as one big, textured sound. This is
basically how musical chords work, and its also a huge principle behind creating an expensive and
lush Hollywood-style sound design, and really complex, How did they do that? effects in electronic
music.
In his book on the Practical Art Of Motion Picture Sound, David Yewdall talks about creating layered
sound effects as though there were chords:

Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound, 4th Edition

i.e. a single effect is made up of several individual sounds/notes each occupying their own
frequency range (this is key to avoid simply masking one sound with another) and adding their own
timbre or dynamics to the whole, and all together they provide a depth, texture and power that is
simply not possible with a single-source sound, no matter how much its processed.
You can use this technique for everything from layering whole stacks of guitar or synth parts into
towering walls of sound (that can then also be spread across the stereo field with the Haas Effect), to
building signature drum kits by layering up frequency and timbral elements from many different
sources to create the ultimate Tech House kick or Dubstep snare drum. The possibilities for tricking
our ears are endless!
From <http://getthatprosound.com/hacking-your-listeners-ears-9-psychoacoustic-sound-design-tricks-to-improve-yourmusic/>

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