Understanding Sound: The Difference Between Sound and Noise

Sound is the sensation we experience when sound waves reach our ears. Noise is usually defined as something that sounds bad. The difference between sound and noise is that the wave of a sound is regular and the wave of a noise is irregular. The apparatus used to measure noise is called a sound level meter. The level of noise is measured in decibels (dB). Silence is the absence of sound or noise. Pitch is the quality of sound which makes a distinction between low and high sounds. Duration is the quality which differentiates between long and short sounds. The dynamic intensity is the quality that distinguishes between loud and soft sounds. Timbre is the quality of sound which indicates who or what is producing it. We often use the word soundtrack to refer to the music in a film, but it is more than that. The soundtrack actually means all the sound which accompanies the images on screen: the music, the sound effects, and the dialogue. Dynamic markings represent the intensity of sound:

• pp - pianissimo (very soft)
• p - piano (soft)
• mf - mezzo-forte (medium)
• f - forte (loud)
• ff - fortissimo (very loud)