Surface Noise for Dummies

Surface noise is a term that refers to the unwanted sounds or disturbances that we often hear when listening to audio recordings, such as music or spoken words. These sounds are not part of the original recording, but rather emerge from the imperfections and scratches on the surface of a vinyl record or the magnetic tape of a cassette. Imagine that you are walking through a beautiful park, listening to your favorite song on your portable music player. Suddenly, you start to hear some unwanted crackling or popping sounds in the background. These sounds are the surface noise, and they can distract us from fully enjoying the music.

When audio recordings are made, they are stored on physical media like vinyl records or magnetic tapes. These materials have tiny imperfections and scratches on their surfaces, which can cause the needle of a record player or the tape head of a cassette player to make contact with these irregularities. As a result, the music or speech that is stored on these recordings can become distorted, and we hear these distortions as surface noise. Think of it like this: when you walk on a road that is full of small rocks and pebbles, your shoes may occasionally hit these obstacles, causing a small stumble or a slight noise. In a similar way, the needle of a record player or the tape head of a cassette player encounters imperfections on the surface of the recording medium, creating unwanted sounds like crackling and popping.

Now, sometimes surface noise is really loud and prominent, and other times it may be more subtle and barely noticeable. It can vary depending on the condition of the record or tape, as well as the quality of the playback equipment. Additionally, surface noise can also include other types of disturbances, such as hissing, clicking, or even electrical hum. Think about it this way: if you were having a conversation with your friend in a noisy café, you would need to raise your voice or focus harder to understand each other amidst all the distractions. Similarly, surface noise can make it harder for us to hear and appreciate the music or speech on a recording, as it competes for our attention.

In conclusion, surface noise refers to the unwanted sounds that we hear when listening to audio recordings due to the imperfections and scratches on the surface of the physical media, like vinyl records or magnetic tapes. These sounds can include crackling, popping, hissing, clicking, or electrical hum. They can distract us from fully enjoying the intended music or speech on the recording and require us to focus harder to perceive the desired audio amidst the disturbances.