Anatomy of the Ear The ear is made up of 3 main parts: the outer ear (above) the auricle – gathers sound and carries it into the external auditory canal. The ear canal (external auditory canal) – carries sound into the ear. Middle ear (above) tympanic membrane – converts sound into vibrations. The three small bony chains (auditory tuberosities) – hamate, anvil and stapes – transmit vibrations into the inner ear. Inner ear (above) Inner ear (cochlea) – contains fluid and highly sensitive cells (hair cells) with tiny hair-like structures that move in response to sound vibrations. Vestibular system-contains cells that control balance. Auditory nerve – leads from the cochlea to the brain. 