Optimizing vocal clarity in the mix
- Submitting institution
-
The University of Westminster
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- qv910
- Type
- C - Chapter in book
- DOI
-
-
- Book title
- Innovation in Music: Performance, Production, Technology, and Business
- Publisher
- Routledge
- ISBN
- 9781138498211
- Open access status
- Out of scope for open access requirements
- Month of publication
- July
- Year of publication
- 2019
- URL
-
-
- Supplementary information
-
-
- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
-
0
- Research group(s)
-
-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- Drawing on her EPSRC-funded PhD research on music mix quality, Hermes’s book chapter proposes a new approach for measuring and modelling the quality of vocal mixes in order to inform emerging audio research into the creation of perceptually informed, automatic music mix tools. In doing so, new predictors for one important perceptual attribute of high-quality vocals were established (spectral clarity).
The methodology employed was of a multidisciplinary nature: findings in vocal health and sound quality research are combined with psychoacoustic engineering. Firstly, Hermes reviewed both scientific and practice-oriented literature. Conversations with creative professionals, particularly accomplished vocal mix engineers, offered further insight. Next, several rigorous listener-based experiments were carried out, where listeners compared several mixes for a vocal stimulus in terms of clarity. All listeners had received extensive ear training and were experienced in verbalizing sensations of timbre. Based on the experiments, two computational predictors of vocal clarity could be established (a measure of the amount of high and low frequency energy and a measure of sharp peaks in the frequency spectrum). These findings were tested in the creative process in a practice-led study undertaken by Hermes. Additional feedback from peers showed that the input from these new computational predictors can have a positive impact on the creative process and can help foster an innovative approach to music production.
Hermes has presented her findings internationally at both creative and scientific focussed, prestigious conferences, including three Audio Engineering Society Conventions and two Art of Record Production conferences. She has published another book chapter as an accompaniment to this output. She has further disseminated her findings through public presentations and tutorial sessions organised by renowned audio tool manufacturer Ableton and the BBC.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -
