The science of sound: waves, frequency, decibels and hearing
Knowing the physics makes mixing decisions make sense.
What to do
- Sound is a pressure wave; in air at room temperature it travels about 343 m/s.
- Frequency (Hz) is heard as pitch; A4 is commonly tuned to 440 Hz.
- Decibels are logarithmic: +10 dB is roughly perceived as twice as loud; +3 dB is double the power.
- Timbre comes from harmonics (overtones) and how they change over time.
Copy this prompt
Explain [concept: harmonics/phase/decibels/room modes] for a music producer, with one experiment I can do in my DAW to hear it.Check the bot's work
Sources below.
Questions
Can I trust the bot on the science of sound?
Use it to plan and explain, then verify. Sources below.
Which bot works best?
Grok Bot, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini all handle this prompt. Paste the same prompt into two and compare; disagreements show where to check a source.
Where these facts come from
- CDC/NIOSH: Noise and occupational hearing loss
- WHO: Deafness and hearing loss fact sheet
- NIH NIDCD: Noise-induced hearing loss
- EBU R 128: Loudness normalisation
- U.S. Copyright Office: Copyright and AI
- The Physics Classroom: Sound waves
Protect your hearing: keep levels moderate and take breaks. See an audiologist or doctor for ringing or hearing changes. Rights info is general, not legal advice. Checked Oct 30, 2026.
Music production with bots · Mixing, mastering and sound: all lessons → Next: Room acoustics →