Quiz L01 : Sound Production – Principles

1. Defining the following:

 The Sound Wave:

The sound wave is a reaction when an object vibrates and sets into motion
molecules in the air closest to it.
 Frequency and Pitch

When a vibration passes through one complete up-and-down motion, from

compression through rarefaction, it has completed one cycle. The number of
cycles that a vibration completes in one second is expressed as its frequency.

Pitch is the relative tonal highness or lowness of a sound. The more times
per second a sound source vibrates, the higher its pitch.

 Amplitude and Loudness

 Frequency and Loudness

The number of molecules in motion, and therefore the size of a sound wave,
is called amplitude. Our subjective impression of amplitude is a sound’s
loudness or softness. Amplitude is measured in decibels (dB).

Loudness is a subjective perception of sound intensity or amplitude. It's how

our ears perceive the strength or power of a sound. While amplitude is a
physical measurement, loudness is more about how humans interpret or
experience different amplitudes. Factors like frequency, duration, and
individual sensitivity also influence how loud a sound is perceived to be.

Frequency refers to the number of complete cycles of a periodic wave that

occur in a unit of time, usually measured in hertz (Hz). In the context of
sound, it represents how fast a sound wave vibrates, determining its pitch.
Higher frequency sound waves have a higher pitch, while lower frequency
waves produce lower pitches.

 Velocity

Velocity is a vector quantity that describes the rate at which an object

changes its position. It includes both the speed of the object and its direction
of motion. In simpler terms, velocity tells us how fast something is moving
and in what direction it's moving.
 Wavelength

Wavelength refers to the distance between two consecutive points that are in
phase with each other in a wave. In simpler terms, it's the length of one
 complete cycle of a wave, typically measured from crest to crest or trough to
trough in the case of a transverse wave, or from compression to compression
or rarefaction to rarefaction in the case of a longitudinal wave.
 Acoustical Phase

Acoustical phase refers to the time relationship between two or more sound
waves at a given point in their cycles. Because sound waves are repetitive,
they can be divided into regularly occurring intervals. These intervals are
measured in degrees.
 Timbre

Each sound has a unique tonal mix of fundamental and harmonic frequencies
that distinguishes it from all other sound, even if the sounds have the same
pitch, loudness, and duration. This difference between sounds is called their
timbre - their tonal quality, or tonal color.
 Sound Envelope

Sound Envelope or sound’s shape refers to changes in loudness over time. A

sound envelope has four stages: attack, initial decay, sustain, and release
(ADSR)

2. Describing The Healthy Ear

The human ear is a fascinating and intricate organ responsible for both hearing and
balance. It comprises three main parts: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear.

 Outer Ear: This is the visible part of the ear, consisting of the pinna (auricle)
and the ear canal. The pinna helps collect sound waves and funnel them into
the ear canal, which ends at the eardrum (tympanic membrane).
 Middle Ear: Behind the eardrum lies the middle ear, an air-filled space
containing three tiny bones called ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes). These
bones amplify and transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner
ear. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat
and helps equalize air pressure.
 Inner Ear: The inner ear comprises the cochlea and the vestibular system.
The cochlea is responsible for hearing. It's filled with fluid and contains
thousands of tiny hair cells that convert sound vibrations into electrical
signals sent to the brain via the auditory nerve. The vestibular system
consists of three semicircular canals that detect head movements and help
maintain balance.
A healthy ear functions seamlessly, allowing us to perceive a wide range of sounds
and maintain equilibrium. Proper care involves protecting the ears from loud noises,
keeping them clean, and seeking medical attention if any issues arise. Regular
hearing tests can also help detect and address any hearing loss early on.
3. Four factors influence how sound behaves in an acoustic environment:
sound isolation, room dimensions, room shape, and room acoustics.
- True?
- False?
True

 Sound isolation: Sound isolation in a room is measured in two ways: by

determining the loudest outside sound level against the minimum acceptable
NC level inside the room, and by determining the loudest sound level inside
the studio against a maximum acceptable noise floor outside the room.

 Room dimensions: The dimensions of a sound room—height, width, and

length—should not equal or be exact multiples of one another. Room
dimensions create additive resonances, reinforcing certain frequencies and
not others and thereby coloring the sound.

 Room shape: The shape of a studio is significant for good noise reduction
and sound dispersion.

 Room acoustics: When sound hits a surface, one reaction—or a combination

of five reactions—happens, depending on the surface’s material, mass, and
design. Sound is absorbed, reflected, partially absorbed and reflected,
diffracted, or diffused.

4. Defining the following:

 Direct, Early, and Reverberant Sound

Direct Sound: This refers to the sound that travels straight from the sound
source to the listener without any reflections or alterations caused by
interactions with surfaces or objects in the room. It's the initial sound heard
before it interacts with any boundaries.
Early Sound: This includes both the direct sound and the first reflections of
the sound that reach the listener. These reflections occur shortly after the
direct sound, bouncing off nearby surfaces like walls, floors, or ceilings, and
arrive at the listener's ears quickly after the direct sound.
Reverberant Sound: Reverberation consists of multiple reflections of the
original sound that bounce off surfaces within an enclosed space, persisting
after the direct and early sound. These reflections continue to bounce around
the room, gradually becoming weaker as they lose energy due to absorption
by the room's surfaces. The cumulative effect of these reflections creates the
sense of spaciousness or the acoustic "character" of a room.
 Reverberation time
Reverberation time refers to the duration it takes for sound to decay in an
enclosed space after the sound source has stopped. It's a measure of how
long sound lingers or persists within a room or an area. A longer
reverberation time means sound takes more time to diminish, while a
shorter reverberation time indicates quicker decay of sound. This
measurement is crucial in various fields like architecture, acoustics, and
music, as it greatly affects how we perceive sound quality in different spaces.

 Noise Criteria

Noise Criteria (NC) is a standard measurement system used to quantify and

rate the background noise level within a given space.
 The difference between Absorption and Reflection

Absorption: This process involves the conversion of sound energy into other
forms of energy, typically heat. When sound waves hit a surface, some
materials (like acoustic panels, carpets, drapes, or specialized materials)
absorb a portion of the sound energy, reducing its intensity. The absorbed
sound doesn't bounce back into the space, which helps in controlling echoes,
reducing reverberation, and improving overall sound quality within a room.
High-absorption materials are essential in spaces where excessive
reverberation needs to be managed, such as theaters, recording studios, or
lecture halls.
Reflection: When sound waves encounter a surface, they can bounce off that
surface, following the law of reflection, similar to how light reflects off a
mirror. The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. Reflective
surfaces can redirect sound waves, altering their paths. In some cases,
controlled reflection is desirable to distribute sound evenly or enhance the
perception of spaciousness in a room. However, excessive or uncontrolled
reflections can lead to echoes, standing waves, and poor acoustics.