A small bright sound can catch your attention over a fuller low one. It is tempting to call the bright sound louder when you really mean more noticeable. A simple comparison can make your descriptions more precise.
Use separate questions
Choose two clearly different sounds in a recording. First ask which seems higher or lower. Then ask which seems stronger at your listening position. Finally ask which your attention follows most easily.
These answers may differ. Do not treat your impression as a calibrated measurement of level. Your playback equipment, room and the surrounding arrangement can influence what stands out.
Change the wording before changing the volume
Try writing “higher and more exposed” instead of automatically writing “louder.” If you are unsure, keep the uncertainty in the sentence. A careful description is more useful than a technical label applied too quickly.
Repeat the passage at the same comfortable setting. Raising the level each time makes comparison harder and is unnecessary for this exercise.
Look for a change in context
Find a moment when other instruments enter or leave. Does your chosen sound become harder to follow? Compare it with a recurring part that remains similar while its surroundings change. Listening vocabulary becomes useful when it helps you distinguish what changed in the recording from what changed in your attention.