Sound Analysis Reference Guide
1. Tonal vs Noisy (What Your Brain Locks Onto)
| Type | Characteristics | Examples | Test | What’s Missing When Muted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonal | • Has clear pitch • You could sing/hum it • Fits into the key • Feels like “notes” | • Bassline • Lead melody • Chords • Arpeggios | Try to sing it out loud — if you can, it’s tonal | The melody/notes feel missing |
| Noisy | • No clear pitch • Can’t hum it • Feels like texture or movement • Sounds like air, static, or texture | • Hi-hats • Snare noise layer • Risers • Whooshes • Breath sounds • Impacts • Breathy textures | If you can’t sing it — it’s noise | The energy or groove feels missing |
2. How It Moves Over Time (Envelope)
The BIG one — How a sound behaves from the moment you press a key until it disappears.
ADSR Breakdown
| Component | What It Means | Fast/Short | Slow/Long | Real-World Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attack | How fast the sound appears | Instant, punchy (“BAM”) | Fades in (“wooooo”) | Fast: Kick drum Slow: Pad rising |
| Decay | How fast it drops after the hit (only matters for sounds that start strong) | Pluck/stab | Ringing sound | Short: Guitar pluck Long: Bell ring |
| Sustain | How loud it stays while you hold the note (this is LEVEL, not time) | Sound drops quieter | Sound stays loud | Low: Piano (gets quieter) High: Organ (constant) |
| Release | How it ends after you let go | Stops quickly/dead | Fades out slowly | Short: Muted synth stab Long: Ambient pad floats away |
Envelope Types in Actual Songs
| Type | Attack | Decay | Sustain | Release | Used For | Brain Hears | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pluck | Fast (instant) | Short | Low | Short | Arps, chord stabs, bouncy melodies | “tick” or “plink” | Bouncy, percussive |
| Pad | Slow (fades in) | — | High | Long (fades out) | Atmosphere, emotional background, space | “wash” or “bed of sound” | Atmospheric, floaty |
| Stab | Fast (instant) | Short | Short | Short | Accents, groove, energy, rhythm | “hit!” | Sharp, rhythmic |
| Drone | Slow | — | High (constant) | Long | Tension, dark ambience, background pressure | Constant presence | Never really changes, persistent |
💡 Key beginner unlock: When you hear a sound, ask: “Does it hit, fade in, or just exist?” That’s the envelope.
3. Frequency Role (Where It Sits in the Mix)
Think of music like a vertical space from low to high.
| Range | Feel/Function | Examples | Characteristics | Common Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sub/Bass | • You feel it in your body • Felt more than heard • Hard to hear on phone speakers • Gives power | • 808 • Sub bass | Physical impact, foundation | — |
| Low-Mid | • Warmth • Thickness • Body | • Pads • Lower chords | Adds fullness | Too much = muddy |
| Mid | • Where your ear focuses • Where melodies live • Presence • Identity | • Leads • Vocals • Guitars | Main melodic content | Overlapping sounds = messy mix |
| High | • Air • Sparkle • Detail | • Hi-hats • Shimmers • Noise layers | Brightness, clarity | — |
💡 Why beginners say “my track sounds full but messy”: Too many things in the same frequency range. If two sounds overlap heavily in the same range, your brain often fuses them into “one sound.”
4. Harmonic Simplicity vs Complexity (How “Rich” It Sounds)
How many frequencies are inside the sound — helps identify synthesis type.
| Quality | Sound Character | Synthesis Type | Examples | Usage Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure/Simple/Smooth | • Smooth • Clean • Almost boring alone | Sine or triangle-based waveforms | • Flute • Whistle • Sub bass | Clean, foundational sounds |
| Buzzy/Bright/Complex | • Feels energetic • Cuts through the mix • Rich harmonics | Saw or square waves | • EDM leads • Saw synths | Can sound harsh if overdone |
| Metallic/Glassy | • Shiny • Robotic • Bell-like | FM or ring modulation | • Digital leads • Experimental textures | Distinctive, cutting |
| Dirty/Unstable | • Gritty • Aggressive • Alive | Distortion, saturation, modulation | • Distorted bass • Saturated leads | Adds character and movement |
💡 You don’t need to identify why yet — just the vibe. You don’t need to name the synth — just the quality.
5. Effects (Why the Sound Feels Big or Small)
Important mindset: Many “mystery sounds” are actually boring sounds + heavy processing. Often the sound is 30% synthesis, 70% effects.
Effects Breakdown
| Effect | What It Does | Parameters to Listen For | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reverb | Makes it feel far away, adds space | Small reverb → close, intimate Big reverb → distant, emotional, huge space | Room vs cathedral sound |
| Delay | Creates rhythm, adds bounce | Short delay → thickness Long delay → echo Ping-pong? Dotted rhythm? | Rhythmic echoes, space |
| Filters | Changes brightness and energy | Opening → energy rising Closing → calming/darkening | Sweeping movement |
| Chorus/Phaser | Makes things wide, adds motion | Width + motion, spaciousness | Stereo width, shimmer |
Many beginner producers think: “That sound is complicated”
When actually: “That sound is simple, but heavily processed”
The Mental Checklist (Use Every Time)
When analyzing any sound, ask yourself:
- Is it tonal or noisy? → Can I hum it?
- How does it move over time? → Does it hit, fade in, or just exist?
- What frequency role does it play? → Where does it live in the mix?
- Does it sound harmonically simple or complex? → Pure/buzzy/metallic/dirty?
- What effects are doing the heavy lifting? → Reverb? Delay? Filters? Chorus?
Final Mindset Shift
❌ You are NOT supposed to hear:
“That’s Operator with FM and a notch filter”
✅ You ARE supposed to hear:
“That’s a bright, short, tonal sound with reverb”
That’s fluency.
Listen to how the sound starts, holds, and ends. This tells you more than the waveform ever will.