When we hear sounds coming from a source, we are actually hearing a combination of multiple paths of that sound. One path travels directly from the source to the receiver (your ear), while the other path bounces off of the ground before reaching you. The two paths combine at your ear in complex ways. The reflection depends on the type of ground. Reflections over water, asphalt, or concrete are considered ‘hard’ reflections and tend to transmit more sound. Reflections over ‘soft’ ground, like grassy fields, sand tend to transmit less sound. Extremely soft ground, such as soft snow or sand, can significantly reduce the amount of sound propagated to the listener.