Examining the Audio Spectrum
Many of us know that like light sound is on a spectrum. The audible sound range for humans spans from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Deep bass produced in the range of 20 Hz to 50 Hz is, more often than not, felt more so than heard. In music, this can result in a sense of power. Many instruments really struggle to reach frequencies within this particular range, however, some instruments, such as the bass guitar can get within this range and if used right it can have a powerful impact. Also, within the bass range exists the frequencies from 60 to 250 Hz, these sounds tend to create a feeling of warmth and can be used without losing definition. One important thing to be aware of is that too much boost within the bass region can create an oftentimes unpleasant “boomy” sound.
The midrange in the sound spectrum spans from 250 Hz to 4,000Hz (from low to upper) similar to the bass frequencies be careful when boosting these sounds too much, depending on which midrange frequencies are being boosted the sound can be distorted in a number of ways, such as higher-frequency sounds within the song sounding muffled or the sound itself resulting in listener fatigue.
Between 4,000 Hz to 6,000 Hz lies the presence range. Sounds in these ranges are for clarity, if this sound is cut it can result in the song sounding distant, and if it is over boomed it can create a really irritating and harsh sound. Lastly, there are the frequencies that exist from 6,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz, this is known as the brilliance range, a special range that is made up entirely of harmonics and can be used to create a sort of air or sparkle sound. Like sounds in the other frequencies boosting too much in the 6,000Hz and 20,000 Hz range can result in some unpleasant consequences, in this case, a hissing sound or ear fatigue will likely be the result.