How to listen professionally: Advanced technical listening training program at Kyushu University

Recently, various technical ear-training programs have been introduced to audio and acoustic engineering communities. Technical listening training (TLT) is a systematic training program at Kyushu University designed to improve auditory sensitivity for acoustic learning students. Basic-course TLT (TLT I) focuses on basic acoustic properties: frequency, sound pressure level and spectrum. TLT II as advanced course of TLT I, consists of more practical training tasks. It further explores the identification of enhanced frequency of colored music. In addition, it includes training in identification of low-cut and high-cut frequencies. As an advanced identification training exercise in the sound pressure level difference, it includes the identification task of mixing level balance of music ensemble. This training simulates control of the mixing console for music recordings. Further tasks are identification of spectrum envelope slope of harmonic complex tones, reverberation time of noise, impulse and music excerpt, signal and noise ratio, and quantizing bit depth of recorded music. TLT II includes lectures on sound color, concept of auditory filter, consonance theory. Students also learn sound quality metrics; sharpness, roughness, and fluctuation strength. Students are expected to understand the relationship between physical properties of sounds and auditory perception. This understanding contributes to further effectiveness of TLT. Furthermore, they learn the concept of soundscape and brush up sensitivity to everyday sounds through the sound education program.