AUDITORY MASKING

Auditory Masking is a phenomenon in which the presence of one sound reduces the ability to detect and recognize a second sound in the same frequency range. It is a form of sensory interference that occurs when the auditory system is overwhelmed by a louder sound, making it difficult to hear or distinguish other sounds (Gelfand & Silman, 2017). Auditory masking is a common phenomenon in everyday life, but it can also be a useful tool in audio engineering, as it can allow for the manipulation of sound by making some elements of a sound harder to detect.

The two main types of auditory masking are simultaneous masking and forward masking. In simultaneous masking, the masking sound is present at the same time as the signal of interest, making it difficult to detect the signal. In contrast, forward masking occurs when the masking sound precedes the signal of interest. In this type of masking, the masking sound acts to reduce the ability to detect the signal, even when it is separated in time (Gelfand & Silman, 2017).

Auditory masking can be influenced by several factors, such as the intensity and frequency of the masking sound, the frequency of the signal of interest, and the duration of both of these sounds (Gelfand & Silman, 2017). Additionally, the degree of masking can be affected by the listener’s experience and familiarity with the sounds being presented (Baumgartner & Hupfeld, 2018). For example, a listener with more experience may be better at detecting a faint signal in the presence of a loud masking sound than a listener with less experience.

Many auditory masking studies have been conducted in order to better understand how sound masking works, and to determine how to best use it in audio engineering. For example, a study by Kellaris et al. (2016) examined how the presence of a masking sound affects the perception of a signal sound, and found that the masking sound significantly reduced the ability to detect and recognize the signal sound. Additionally, a study by Baumgartner and Hupfeld (2018) investigated the effects of auditory masking on the recognition of speech, and found that masking sound reduced the ability to recognize speech, even when the masking sound was separated in time from the speech signal.

Overall, auditory masking is a valuable tool that can be used in audio engineering in order to manipulate sound and reduce the ability to detect certain elements. It can be affected by many factors, including the intensity and frequency of the masking sound, the frequency of the signal of interest, and the duration of both of these sounds. Additionally, the degree of masking can be affected by the listener’s experience and familiarity with the sounds being presented.

References

Baumgartner, J. & Hupfeld, R. (2018). The influence of masking sound on the recognition of speech in noise. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 61, 9-18.

Gelfand, S. A., & Silman, S. (2017). Auditory masking and its applications in audio engineering. Applied Acoustics, 122, 23-31.

Kellaris, J. J., Kocher, S. A., & Brown, S. W. (2016). Masking effects on consumer preferences for music. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 26(3), 376-385.