The human audible-frequency range is the range of sound frequencies that humans can hear. It is generally accepted that the range of human hearing is from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. However, under ideal laboratory conditions, humans can hear sound as low as 12 Hz and as high as 28 kHz, though the threshold increases sharply at 15 kHz in adults, corresponding to the last auditory channel of the cochlea.
The range of human hearing is divided into eleven octave bands, each band having double the frequency span of the previous band. These are called the 1/1 octave bands. The human ear can hear a maximum of 10 octaves: 20-40Hz, 40-80 Hz, 80-160 Hz, 160-320 Hz, 320-640 Hz, 640 Hz to 1.28 KHz, 1.28-2.56 KHz, 2.56-5.12 KHz, 5.12-10.24 KHz, and 10.24 KHz up to the upper edge of the human ability to hear. The next octave would start at 20.48 KHz, which is barely above the high threshold of human hearing.
Understanding Octaves
Octaves are groups of frequencies that help quantify how humans distinguish between frequencies. Each octave represents the overall level of sound energy over a specific frequency range. The human hearing range is 20 Hertz up to 20 kilohertz. But how many octaves is that?
According to Siemens, the human ear can distinguish between frequencies that are one octave apart. This means that the human ear can hear a maximum of 10 octaves, with each octave being a doubling of the frequency of the previous octave.
To put it simply, an octave is a range of frequencies that share a common characteristic. For example, the frequency range of 20 Hz to 40 Hz is an octave, as is the range of 40 Hz to 80 Hz, and so on. Each octave represents a doubling of the frequency of the previous octave.
It’s worth noting that the human ear is most sensitive to frequencies between 2 kHz and 5 kHz, which is why most speech and music is centered around this range. In fact, seven of the ten octaves that the human ear can hear cover the bottom eighth of the range, from 20 Hz up to 2500 Hz.
octaves are a useful way to understand the range of frequencies that the human ear can hear. The human ear can hear a maximum of 10 octaves, with each octave representing a doubling of the frequency of the previous octave. Understanding octaves can help us better understand how we hear and perceive sound.
Human Audible-Frequency Range
The human ear is capable of detecting sounds within a specific range of frequencies known as the audible-frequency range. According to NCBI Bookshelf, humans can detect sounds in a frequency range from about 20 Hz to 20 kHz. However, individual hearing range varies according to the general condition of a person’s ears and nervous system. The upper frequency limit can be reduced as a person ages, usually beginning at around the age of eight.
The audible-frequency range is divided into eleven octave bands, each band having double the frequency span of the previous band. These are called the 1/1 octave bands as shown in Figure 3 of Siemens. The human auditory system is most sensitive to frequencies between 2,000 and 5,000 Hz, according to Wikipedia.
The human ear can hear a maximum of 10 octaves, according to a Music Stack Exchange post. The octave bands and their corresponding frequencies are as follows:
| Octave Band | Frequency Range |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20-40 Hz |
| 2 | 40-80 Hz |
| 3 | 80-160 Hz |
| 4 | 160-320 Hz |
| 5 | 320-640 Hz |
| 6 | 640 Hz to 1.28 KHz |
| 7 | 1.28-2.56 KHz |
| 8 | 2.56-5.12 KHz |
| 9 | 5.12-10.24 KHz |
| 10 | 10.24-20.48 KHz |
It’s important to note that not all mammalian species are sensitive to the same range of frequencies as humans. For example, dogs can hear sounds at higher frequencies than humans, while elephants can hear sounds at lower frequencies than humans.
Counting Octaves in Audible-Frequency Range
The human audible-frequency range is the range of frequencies that can be heard by the human ear. It is generally accepted that the audible-frequency range extends from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. This range is divided into several octave bands, with each octave band having double the frequency span of the previous band.
According to Siemens, the range of human hearing is divided into eleven octave bands, each band having double the frequency span of the previous band. These are called the 1/1 octave bands. The first band spans from 20 Hz to 40 Hz, the second band spans from 40 Hz to 80 Hz, and so on, until the eleventh band, which spans from 10,240 Hz to 20,480 Hz.
Music Stack Exchange notes that the human ear can hear a maximum of 10 octaves, with the next octave starting at 20.48 kHz, which is barely above the high threshold of human hearing.
Continuing to double, octave-by-octave, you eventually reach “C8” (the highest C on a piano) at 4186.01 Hz or about 4.2 kHz. Finally, you start approaching the limits of the human hearing range with “C10,” at 16,744.04 Hz or 16.7 kHz, 10 octaves above our starting note.
the human audible-frequency range is divided into several octave bands, with each octave band having double the frequency span of the previous band. The number of octaves that can be heard by the human ear varies depending on the source, but it is generally accepted that the human ear can hear a maximum of 10 octaves.
Factors Affecting Audible Octaves
The audible range of human hearing is from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and it is divided into multiple octaves. However, the number of octaves that a person can hear depends on various factors, including age, genetics, and exposure to loud noises.
Age
As we age, our ability to hear high-pitched sounds decreases. This is due to the natural deterioration of the hair cells in the inner ear that are responsible for detecting high-frequency sounds. Younger people can hear higher frequencies than older people, and therefore, they can hear more octaves.
Genetics
Genetics also play a role in determining the number of octaves a person can hear. Some people are born with better hearing than others, and they can hear a wider range of frequencies. Additionally, certain genetic conditions can affect a person’s ability to hear, such as otosclerosis, which is the abnormal growth of bone in the middle ear.
Exposure to Loud Noises
Exposure to loud noises can also affect a person’s ability to hear. Prolonged exposure to loud noises can damage the hair cells in the inner ear, leading to hearing loss. This type of hearing loss is called noise-induced hearing loss, and it can affect a person’s ability to hear certain frequencies, reducing the number of octaves they can hear.
the number of octaves a person can hear is dependent on various factors, including age, genetics, and exposure to loud noises. While some people can hear more octaves than others, it is essential to protect our hearing by avoiding exposure to loud noises and wearing ear protection when necessary.
Comparing Human Audible Octaves to Musical Instruments
Musical instruments produce sounds that are measured in frequency, just like the human ear can hear sounds within a certain frequency range. The difference is that musical instruments can produce a wider range of frequencies than the human ear can hear.
For example, a piano has 88 keys, which covers a range of seven octaves plus a minor third. The lowest note on a piano is A0, which has a frequency of 27.5 Hz. The highest note is C8, which has a frequency of 4186 Hz. This means that a piano can produce sounds that are both lower and higher in frequency than the human ear can hear.
On the other hand, the human ear can hear a range of frequencies that spans 10 octaves, from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. This range is divided into 11 octave bands, each with double the frequency span of the previous band.
Here’s a breakdown of the octave bands in the human audible-frequency range:
| Octave Band | Frequency Range |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20 Hz – 40 Hz |
| 2 | 40 Hz – 80 Hz |
| 3 | 80 Hz – 160 Hz |
| 4 | 160 Hz – 320 Hz |
| 5 | 320 Hz – 640 Hz |
| 6 | 640 Hz – 1280 Hz |
| 7 | 1280 Hz – 2560 Hz |
| 8 | 2560 Hz – 5120 Hz |
| 9 | 5120 Hz – 10240 Hz |
| 10 | 10240 Hz – 20480 Hz |
| 11 | 20480 Hz – 20,000 Hz |
It’s interesting to note that some musical instruments can produce sounds that are outside of the human audible-frequency range. For example, a dog whistle produces a sound that is too high-pitched for the human ear to hear. Similarly, some subwoofers can produce sounds that are too low-pitched for the human ear to hear.
while musical instruments can produce a wider range of frequencies than the human ear can hear, the human audible-frequency range is still quite impressive. It allows us to appreciate the beauty of music and the sounds of the world around us.
Conclusion
the human audible-frequency range is typically considered to be from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, with some individuals being able to hear slightly higher or lower frequencies. This range is divided into eleven octave bands, each band having double the frequency span of the previous band. These are called the 1/1 octave bands.
While the human ear can theoretically hear up to 10 octaves, in practice, the majority of our hearing is concentrated in the lower range of frequencies, with seven octaves covering the bottom eighth of the range, from 20 Hz up to 2500 Hz. This corresponds roughly to the pitch range from E♭0 to E♭7.
It’s important to note that while the human ear is capable of detecting a wide range of frequencies, the ability to distinguish between different frequencies decreases as the frequency increases. This means that while we may be able to hear sounds at higher frequencies, we may not be able to differentiate between them as well as we can at lower frequencies.
understanding the range and distribution of octaves in the human audible-frequency range can help us better appreciate and analyze the sounds that we hear in our daily lives.
