The audio spectrum is the audible frequency range that humans can hear and extends from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
The audio spectrum ranges from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz and can be effectively broken down into seven different frequency bands, with each band having a different impact on the total sound.
The generally defined audio frequency range is 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, although most people can hear less than this entire range, and as they age, the range tends to contract at both ends.
Within the 20 Hz to 20 kHz audio frequency range, seven subsets of frequencies are used to help define the ranges that might be targeted in designing a system for recording or playback.
| Frequency Subset | Frequency Response | Description | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-bass | 16 to 60 Hz | This is a low range of music – upright bass, tuba, bass guitar, on the lower end, would fall into this category | |
| Bass | 60 to 250 Hz | This is the normal speaking vocal range | |
| Lower Midrange | 250 to 500 Hz | In the lower midrange are typical brass instruments, and mid-range woodwinds, such as the alto saxophone and mid-range clarinet. | |
| Midrange | 500 Hz to 2 kHz | The name may be midrange, but it's on the higher end of the fundamental frequencies created by most musical instruments. Here, one can find instruments such as the violin and piccolo | |
| Higher Midrange | 2 to 4 kHz | As mentioned, harmonics are at multiples of the fundamental frequency, so if one expects trumpet fundamentals to be in the lower midrange, one can expect harmonics to be at 2 times, 3 times, and 4 times the fundamental, which would put them in this range | |
| Presence | 4 to 6 kHz | Harmonics for violin and piccolo can be found here | |
| Brilliance | 6 to 20 kHz | Above 6 kHz is where the sound becomes more like a whimper and a whistle because the pitch is so high. Within this range, hiss (an unwanted whistle when sometimes pronouncing the 's') and harmonics for certain percussion sounds such as cymbals are found. |
