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Sound vibration can range from very low intensity to high intensity. This is perceived as loudness or volume. The frequency of these vibrations can also vary from low to high, and this is perceived as pitch.

Complex sounds such as speech and music contain a range of frequencies at various levels of intensity. In order to detect a sound, it must be of sufficient loudness and within a frequency range that is audible to the listener.

Detecting sounds in the presence of noise is more difficult than detecting sounds in isolation. For example, hearing a phone conversation in a crowded restaurant or hearing a phone ring while the television is on require the ability to distinguish sounds from background noise. Most real world tasks take place with some level of ambient noise.