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Writer's pictureRandy Stepp

The Science of Sound: What to Look for When Evaluating the Sound Quality of a Vinyl Pressing

Updated: Mar 14


The human mind processing sound waves

Most sounds we hear are generally characterized by pitch, loudness, and quality. Sound quality typically refers to timbre, which are the characteristics that allow our ears to distinguish tonal differences in sounds with the same pitch and loudness. Timbre is usually determined by the harmonic content and the dynamic characteristics of the sound, such as vibrato and the attack-decay envelope.


Attack-Decay

Attack-decay is a simple concept that can most easily be represented by the plucking of a guitar string. As the string is plucked there is a sudden and rapid rise in sound (attack) followed by a gradual fading of the sound (decay). The attack is a rapid peak to its amplitude. The decay is the extended and gradual fading of the sound. The ear is sensitive to both the attack and the decay and can use both to determine the type of instrument that created the sound. Percussion instruments have a much shorter decay period than a string instrument or piano. Like the guitar string example, the striking of a cymbal will result in an instantaneous attack followed by a longer decay period as the sound slowly fades. The difference between the two would be the frequency. The frequency of the guitar is much lower than that of the cymbal.


Harmonic Content

The primary contributors to the quality of the sound, or timbre, are the harmonic content, attack-decay, vibrato, and tremolo. Vibrato is most easily referred to as the periodic changes in the pitch of the tone. Tremolo refers to the periodic changes in the amplitude or loudness of the tone. Vibrato can be thought of as the frequency modulation and tremolo can be thought of as the amplitude modulation of the tone.


Vibrato is best represented by the human voice. By changing pitch and tone a singer can add expression and richness to their voice. If the harmonic content is reproduced precisely, the ear can detect the difference in timbre [pitch (vibrato) and amplitude (tremolo) variation, as well as attack-decay]. The periodic changes in pitch and amplitude of a singer's voice aid in distinguishing the voice from other musical sounds.


Elements of Music

There are basic elements of music, which are commonly referred to as melody, rhythm, harmony, form, and timbre. Often referred to as tonal color, the elements of music are used to describe the characteristic or quality of sound created by an instrument and the human voice.


A good musician will bring all these elements together to create high-quality tonal color. Tonal color of a wind instrument, such as a trumpet of saxophone, may be described as reedy, bright, brassy, clear, harsh, breathy, dark, light, flat, thick, full, shrill, soft, deep, gentle, smooth, rounded, or piercing.


Tonal quality in the human voice is unique to the person. Therefore, we divide the vocal timbre of a human’s voice into six basic categories: soprano; mezzo-soprano; alto (female) and tenor; baritone; bass (male).


Orchestrating the Elements of Music

A composer will use the elements of music in much the same way an artist will use various colors to create different effects on a canvas. By varying the musical elements, a composer can create unique sound combinations. By organizing musical instruments (woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion, and electronic) in a manner that allows each sound to work together in a structured manner, a composer can create sounds that are pleasing to the listener.


Texture is another term used to describe sounds. Homophonic texture includes multiple voices singing in harmony with one standing out as prominent. Polyphonic texture refers to multiple melodic voices with similar rhythm. Homorhythmic refers to multiple melodic voices with similar rhythm. Heterophonic refers to more than one voice performing variations of the same melody. Monophonic refers to a single voice with no accompaniment.


Dynamics refers to how loud or quiet the sound may be. Instruments, room size, and room composition can change the dynamics. Sound levels should be correlated to one another, with gradual increases (crescendo) in volume as the composition prescribes. Descriptive words used to describe the dynamics of music include decrescendo (gradual softening), piano (soft), pianissimo (very soft), mezzo piano (medium soft), mezzo forte (medium loud), forte (loud), and fortissimo (very loud).


Tempo refers to the beat. Tempo can be adagio (slow and stately) or vivace (fast and lively). Tempo sets mood and creates energy. It can also engage emotions based on its beats per minute. Slower tempos may generate a melancholy mood, while upbeat music may provoke a desire to move. Tempo descriptors may include fast, brisk, upbeat, slow, gradual, diminishing, double-time, lively, melancholic, stately, frantic, steady, and even.


The Sound of Music on Vinyl

When the elements of music are orchestrated in a thoughtful and systematic way, the result is a high-quality musical experience. When the elements are supported by an excellent recording process (mixing and mastering) and solid manufacturing process (pressing and production), the result is music to the listener’s ears.


However, not all final products are equal. This is especially true for vinyl. Some pressings will use a compressed digital recording in the production process, resulting in a colder, softer, and unbalanced sounding record. Others will use low grade vinyl, which can result in background noise and distortion. It is only by using analogue original master tapes, high-quality vinyl, and a high-standard production process that a high-quality vinyl record can be produced. Any deviation will impact background noise, dynamic range, distortion, and overall listening quality.


When shopping for vinyl it is important to know the labels that have typically produced high quality vinyl recordings. It is also important to know the type of master used in the production process. If you are looking for the best possible sound for a particular vinyl album, it may be wise to spend a little time researching sites such as Discogs. Listener forums tend to shine light onto the sound quality of individual pressings. However, it is important to remember that no two people have the same musical ear. Therefore, it is always good to check multiple sources.


Click here to learn more about the science of sound.

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