Fletcher-Munson curve

We’re most sensitive to 3.5kHz. This is the resonant frequency of the ear canal.1 This is also approximately the frequency of a baby’s cry.2 In music school, I learned this is about where the singer’s formant is.

We’re most sensitive to 1-5kHz. This is where consonants live. As the reference level flattens, we hear frequencies fairly evenly.1

The curves show us that if 1kHz is played at 20dBSPL, 100Hz would have to be played at 50dBSPL.

  1. AV Genius “How to Mix” series - The Fletcher Munson Curve ↩ ↩2

  2. Mixing Audio—Concepts, Practices, and Tools pg. 14 ↩

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