Nat 5HigherAdvanced Higher

Dynamic range

Dynamic range is the difference between the quietest and loudest parts of a sound.

Level relevance: introduced at Nat 5; tagged for every later level where the same concept remains useful.

Explanation

Dynamic range describes how much variation there is between low and high levels. A very dynamic performance may feel expressive, while a controlled dynamic range may suit a dense pop mix. Tools such as compression and limiting affect dynamic range, so understanding it helps with both musical and technical decisions.

Topics

DynamicsMixingLevels
Curriculum statussupporting vocabulary
Review statusdraft

Related terms

Compression

Compression reduces the dynamic range of a signal by controlling louder parts.

View term

Limiting

Limiting is strong compression used to stop peaks going above a set level.

View term

Amplitude

Amplitude is the size of a sound wave and relates to how loud it appears.

View term