Frequency masking & Temporal masking 25/01/19

Frequency masking is when a sounds frequency is masking the frequencies of other quieter sounds. The frequencies masked are usually around the root frequency of the signal and the effect of the masking is less as you get further from the root note.

Using complimentary EQ can help relive this masking. Slightly cutting the dominant sound and boosting the masked sound will give the masked sound more room to be heard. Side chain compression also helps with frequency masking. Eg a 808 bass and a Kick drum both sit in the low end and the bass will usually mask the kick. Putting a compressor on the bass, adjusting the settings and sidechaining it to the kick (or something that follows the pattern of the kick) will make the level of the bass duck when ever the kick hits allowing it to cut through.

To hear the effect of frequency masking on your mix switch it to mono & work on fixing the masking in mono. Also it is a good idea to spend some time mixing in mono because many mix issues are more pronounced in mono. One of Hip Hops biggest mix engineers spends 80% of his time on a mix in mono due to this reason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cur-1Fxtidg

Temporal masking is what occurs when our ears hear a strong loud sound. The frequencies the made up this sound will be masked for a short while after hearing it by our ears. This is to protect them from the harshness of the sound. This means if a sound is played after at a similar frequencies is wont be heard because the threshold of hearing has gone down for these frequencies. (This whole process happens in milliseconds)

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0993/3800/files/Frequency_Masking_Production_Music_Live_grande.png?v=1476524600

http://www.ques10.com/p/30210/explain-what-is-auditory-masking-and-temporal-mask/