ABSTRACT
Before placing any microphones, stands, cables, amplifiers, or instruments, a complete grasp of sound characteristics is paramount. Sound, as we know it, is acoustic energy traveling through the atmosphere, dissipating in the form of changes in air pressure. Air molecules compress and refract, creating sound waves. The ear, working much like a microphone, picks up these sound pressure waves, changes them to small electrical impulses, and sends this information to the brain, where we perceive them as recognizable sounds. Frequency is the number of sound waves per second, or cycles, referred to as hertz, or simply Hz. Hearing loss, or deafness, is a concern today as more and more listeners enjoy their music at, literally, deafening volume levels. Hearing loss occurs due to many causes, including age, stress, genetics, trauma, disorders, and viruses, but primarily hearing loss comes from excess volume intake, which is of course preventable.
