Improving lyrical intelligibility in live music and concert settings: Evaluating the application of alternative sound reinforcement techniques

Abstract

Thirteen individuals were asked to listen to eight short passages of music from two songs containing sung lyrics. They compared the music as it was presented at 94dBA through three different systems; one control emulating a standard live music performance, another with the vocal channel assisted by digital effects (Compression, an Adaptive Limiter, EQ and a Harmonic Exciter), and a third where vocals were removed from the left and right speakers and instead played through a single center speaker of the same make while instruments remained in the left and right speakers. This third design is similar to common mixing of 5.1 theatrical audio. Participants indicated their perception of lyrical intelligibility and pleasurability of the sound for each passage and were asked to ignore artistic choices. Responses indicated that the use of effects processing for vocals somewhat improved lyrical intelligibility and pleasurability for one song, while slightly decreasing these values for the other. The center speaker system for vocals greatly improved (in one case almost doubled) listeners’ ability to perceive the lyrics as well as their overall enjoyment of the sound. This improvement is likely linked to spatial hearing; a musical extension of the Cocktail party effect.