Hey welcome back to our Technical Ear Training Series!
Today’s focus is on listening for EQ boosts and cuts in Pink noise.
In this first part, you’ll learn how to spot the central frequencies of boosts by recognizing familiar vowel sounds, also known as formants, within the noise.
In the second part of this video, you’ll become adept at recognizing EQ cuts by identifying gaps within the frequency spectrum of the pink noise.
Part 1
A formant is a resonance in the sound’s frequency spectrum. In human speech, formants are specific frequency patterns that define vowel sounds.
These formants result from the shape of the vocal tract, such as the position of the tongue and mouth, as air passes through it.
Each vowel sound has a unique formant that distinguishes it from others.
Formants Explanation:
These vowel sounds exist in frequency areas that are an octave apart.
This is super helpful because it means we can identify frequency ranges by their vowel sound.
Understanding and recognizing vowel sounding formants is essential for developing your critical listening skills.
Let’s break it down.
250 Hz:, it’s like the ‘U’ as in ‘boot scootin’ boogie.’ Think ‘Oooooooo.’
500 Hz: Moving up to 500 Hz, which gives us the ‘Oh’ as in ‘I dunno, bro.’ It’s the ‘Ohhhhhh’ frequency.
1000 Hz: At 1000 Hz, we find the ‘A’ as in ‘daughter.’ So, ‘Awwww.’
2000 Hz: Next 2000 Hz gives us the ‘ehh ‘ as in ‘bet.’ It’s like ‘ehhh.’
4000 Hz: Moving higher, 4000 Hz is the ‘I’ as in ‘beet.’ So, ‘Eeeeeeeeeee.’
These are the main 5 formants that I was first introduced to, and if you’ve ever taken vocal lessons these are drilled right into your jaw and soft palette. But there are 2 more very recognizable sounds that extend the range of this exercise.
125 Hz: At 125 Hz, we have that ‘Uhhhh’ sound, like the vocal fry register or the sound of gargling.
8000 Hz: Finally, at 8000 Hz, we have the ‘S’ sound, like ‘ssssssss,’ which is often associated with sibilance or cymbal detail.
Matching Formants:
Matching these vowel sounds to specific frequency areas can be and important tool when learning and recognizing these crucial frequency ranges. Instead of struggling to remember a frequency number, you can match the tone of an instrument to a vowel sound. That vowel sound will indicate the specific octave frequency to focus on.
So, in this test, you’ll hear some pink noise followed by a +10 dB boost applied to one of these frequencies.
Your task is to identify which vowel sound corresponds to that frequency.
Keep score out of 10, and let’s see how well you can recognize these formants!
Quick reminder that headphones are recommended for these tests
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Part 2
Lesson: Understanding EQ Cuts with Formants
This section will be focused on listening for EQ cuts.
Just like in Part 1 where we learned about boosts, here we’re going to focus on recognizing the absence of certain frequencies, in pink noise. EQ cuts create gaps in the frequency spectrum, leaving behind a void where certain tones used to be.
What to Listen for in EQ Cuts?
Here are a few tips to get started identifying EQ cuts:
Compare with Original Sound: As much as possible, pay close attention to the original sound before the cut. Understanding how the cut changes the sound from its original state can give clues about the frequency range affected.
Listen for an increase in Clarity: EQ cuts in the low end often remove muddiness in a sound. This may even cause the top end to pop, and become more noticeable.
If a muddy or boomy quality disappears from the pink noise, it might indicate a cut in the low frequencies. Check out this video on the Mirror Frequency Effect for more info.
Pay Attention to Sibilance: In the treble range, EQ cuts can tame harsh sibilance from cymbals, plucked strings and vocal sounds (like ‘s’, ‘sh’, ‘ch’).
If these sounds lose their sharpness, it could indicate a cut in the high frequencies. If the pink noise becomes softer, you’re likely hearing an EQ cut in the upper spectrum.
Focus on Transients: Cuts in the up midrange might affect the transient qualities of the sound. Listen for changes in clarity in the noise.
Evaluate Harmonics: When listening for EQ cuts, consider how the absence of fundamental lower midrange frequencies affect the sound. If these frequencies are removed, harmonic overtones may become more noticeable. In the context of pink noise, this translates to paying attention to subtle shifts in the tonal balance.
If harmonics become more pronounced due to the absence of fundamental frequencies, it can indicate an EQ cut in the lower midrange area.
Quiz Explanation:
Now, it’s time for the quiz. You’ll be hearing pink noise followed by a 10dB cut in either the Bass, Mid, or Treble range. Your job is to identify the missing frequency. Score yourself out of 10. Let’s see how keen your ears are at recognizing these gaps in the frequency spectrum
Part 3: Applying Your Knowledge
In this final section, it’s time to really put your skills to the test. Using the techniques you’ve learned, listen closely to the pink noise samples. Your challenge is two-fold:
First, identify whether a boost or cut has been applied. Is the sound enhanced or diminished?
Second, pinpoint the specific frequency of this alteration.
Track your performance by keeping score out of 10. During each question, take a moment to analyze the change in the noise’s characteristics. Does it sound brighter, warmer, thinner, or fuller? Use your understanding of formants and tonal balance to make accurate assessments.
Your Task:
Listen to the pink noise carefully.
Determine whether a boost or cut has been applied.
Identify the frequency of the alteration.
Keep track of your score out of 10.
Remember, practice makes perfect. Post your results in the comments below to compare your ear training progress with others in the community. Let’s see how well you can apply your newfound knowledge!
That concludes our Technical Ear Training Video on identifying EQ boosts and cuts in Pink Noise.
How did you do? Don’t forget to Share your scores in the comments below!
I hope you found this quiz helpful leave a like if you did, and don’t forget to subscribe for more videos like this.
Thank you so much for watching, thank you to DistroKid for your continued support of the channel.
I’ll see you in the next video.
