Sibilance

Definition

A sound with exaggerated 's' and 'sh' sounds caused by a rise in the frequency response around 4 kHz to 7 kHz.

Noticeable on vocal sounds and cymbals. It can cause problems and often depends on a number of factors, such as microphone choice and the proximity of the microphone to the singer.

There are several ways of correcting sibilance involving microphone choice and placement, or post-recording using a de-esser, which is a compressor-type processor designed to react to frequencies rather than sound level.