Simple Explanation

When one sound hides another, making it harder or impossible to hear.

Concise Technical Definition

A psychoacoustic effect where the presence of one sound makes another sound less audible or completely inaudible to the human ear.

Layman-Friendly Analogy

Like trying to hear someone whisper while a vacuum is running nearby—the loud noise "masks" the quiet one.

Industry Usage Summary

Used in audio engineering, compression algorithms (like MP3), and mixing to manage or exploit how sounds interact and how humans perceive them; can also occur unintentionally in poor mixes.

Engineering Shortcut

One sound covers another due to frequency, timing, or amplitude overlap.

Full Technical Explanation

Masking, or auditory masking, is a psychoacoustic phenomenon in which the perception of one sound is reduced or eliminated due to the presence of another, typically louder, sound occurring at a similar frequency or time. The human auditory system naturally prioritizes certain sounds over others, especially when they share overlapping frequency content. This effect is exploited in audio compression algorithms (e.g., MP3, AAC) where masked audio data is removed to save space without perceptible loss. In audio production, masking can unintentionally occur in mixes when instruments clash in the same frequency range, leading to a muddy or unclear sound. Understanding and managing masking is key to clear, balanced mixes and effective data compression.