Eli5 Why does sound ‘sound’ different e.g. in a room through a microphone compared to my ears?
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Ears are really great at hearing sound and sending it straight to the brain. The human body works really well!
When we record music we use use man-made things to listen to sound. These can be amazing but nothing is really as good as the human body on its own!
The sound changes because of using man-made things like microphones and mixing desks and computers to record the sound.
When recording microphones will pick up ‘room noise’. This means how things sound in that room. The sound changes if you are in different kinds of places. Think of how big places where most things are hard and shiny, the sound bounces around and even echoes! But in a place where lots of things are soft or it’s small, the sound is more muffled.
This is because sound moves through the air in waves, and it changes its direction if it hits something – like ocean waves. Some things reflect the wave back. Some things don’t – they absorb the sound. So most recording studios have lots of things that absorb the sound – anything soft, carpets, foam, soundproof booths etc. You can do a craft activity and make your own sound booth! Eggshell foam, egg cartons stuck to cardboard/in a box to make a vocal booth, or make a mattress or cushion fort with any other soft things you have – blankets, linen etc 🙂
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