1. A method comprising: applying electrical stimulation representative of an audio signal to a patient by way of at least one electrode included in a plurality of electrodes disposed within a cochlea of the patient in accordance with a spectral tilt value that defines a single constant slope of a linear gain-to-electrode function corresponding to the plurality of electrodes as a whole; and optimizing the spectral tilt value in response to a measured ability of the patient to recognize at least one attribute of the audio signal.