Critical-band and excitation levels are intermediate model values expressed logarithmically.

Evidence

The frequency selectivity of our hearing system can be approximated by subdividing the intensity of the sound into parts that fall into critical bands. Such an approximation leads to the notion of critical-band intensities. If instead of an infinitely steep slope of the hypothetical critical-band filters, the actual slope produced in our hearing system is considered, then such a procedure leads to an intermediate value called excitation. Mostly, these values are not used as linear values but as logarithmic values similar to sound pressure level. The critical-band level and the excitation level are the corresponding values that play an important role in many models as intermediate values. — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 946

Categorization

Category: Definitional Content

• DEFINE: Defines critical-band intensity versus excitation as modeling intermediates distinguished by filter slope.

Related

• Hearing selectivity is modeled via critical-band and excitation intermediate values (similarity 0.96)
• Critical-band rate and excitation level are the intermediate transforms for hearing models (similarity 0.90)
• Slope excitation can transmit low frequencies to high critical-band regions. (similarity 0.82)
• Hearing’s fine frequency resolution may be modeled at coarser steps in practice (similarity 0.82)
• The critical-band-rate scale mirrors hearing better than raw frequency (similarity 0.81)
• Specific loudness is better expressed against excitation level than against linear excitation (similarity 0.81)
• Main excitations make critical-band level equal excitation level at signal centers (similarity 0.80)
• The excitation pattern’s upper slope changes nonlinearly with level, unlike the main peak (similarity 0.80)
• Critical-band rate correlates with pitch, frequency discrimination, and basilar-membrane position. (similarity 0.80)
• Sharpness is modeled as a weighted first moment of specific loudness (similarity 0.80)
• Critical bandwidth marks the point where noise loudness begins to grow with bandwidth (similarity 0.80)
• Noise loudness is level-independent until bandwidth exceeds the critical bandwidth. (similarity 0.79)
• The ear groups sound into critical frequency bands that shape loudness perception (similarity 0.79)
• The critical band concept is the key to understanding perceived pitch, loudness, and timbre (similarity 0.79)
• Total loudness is the integral of specific loudness over critical-band rate (similarity 0.79)