Tool 04
Masking Finder
Load two parts — a kick and a bass, a vocal and a guitar — and see where they compete for the same frequencies. The overlap is marked on the graph and the quieter part is named.
Masking Workspace
Part A
No file loaded- Centre
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- Peak
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Part B
No file loaded- Centre
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- Peak
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Load a file for part A and a file for part B.
Masking Report
The comparison runs offline over both files. Nothing is uploaded and no audio is played.
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| Band | Range | Part A | Part B | Contention |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No comparison yet. | ||||
What Masking Is
Two parts can occupy the same frequencies without sounding like a problem, until one of them is louder. The louder part then hides the quieter one, and you may not realise the quieter part is even playing. The fix is rarely to cut the louder part; it is usually to move the quieter one out of the way.
How This Measures It
Each file is analysed into eight contiguous bands. Within each band, both parts are compared relative to their own loudest band, so the result is about shape rather than absolute level. A band is flagged when both parts are within 18 dB of their own peak and their levels are close together. That closeness is what contention measures: a band where one part is 1 dB above the other is contested, and a band where the difference is 6 dB or more is not.
The graph draws the two band curves and hatches the region where they collide.
What to Do with the Result
The suggested cut is on the quieter part, at the centre of the contested band, by half the difference between the two parts. Start there and listen. If the quieter part is still hidden, widen the cut and lower its frequency. If the cut makes the mix feel empty, the parts were probably not competing as much as the numbers suggest.
Limits Worth Knowing
- The comparison ignores time. Two parts that never play together will still be flagged.
- It compares soloed files, not the full mix, so it cannot see the masking caused by everything else.
- Eight bands is coarse. A collision inside a single band, such as a 60 Hz fundamental against a 65 Hz one, will not be separated.
Questions
What Is Masking?
Masking happens when two parts occupy the same frequency range at the same time. The louder one hides the quieter one, so you hear the louder part and may not realise the other is there at all.
Should I Cut the Louder or the Quieter Part?
Usually the quieter part, because it is the one being hidden. Cutting the louder part instead changes the balance of the mix and affects everything else that shares that range.
Does This Account for Timing?
No. The comparison is purely frequency-based, so it will flag a collision even if the two parts rarely play at the same time. Use the result to choose what to listen to, not as a final answer.