Evaluation of a Perceptually-Based Model of "Punch" with Music Material

This paper evaluates a perceptually motivated objective model for the measurement of “punch” in musical signals. Punch is a perceptual attribute that is often used to characterize music that conveys a sense of dynamic power or weight. A methodology is employed that combines signal separation, onset detection, and low level parameter measurement to produce a perceptually weighted “punch” score. The model is evaluated against subjective scores derived through a forced pairwise comparison listening test using a wide variety of musical stimuli. The model output indicates a high degree of correlation with the subjective scores. Correlation results are also compared to other objective models such as Crest Factor, Inter-Band-Ratio (IBR), Peak-to-Loudness Ratio (PLR), and Loudness Dynamic Range (LDR).