A method is provided that uses acoustic energy propagating within the formation to contribute to hydrocarbon mobilization and/or increasing the permeability of the formation for producing such hydrocarbons, in part due to some degree of heating as well as due to vibration of the surrounding environment. An acoustic standing wave process can be used as a primary recovery process, during start up, or subsequent to another hydrocarbon recovery process. By selectively operating acoustic resonators in areas or zones within a pay region until that area or zone is energized, production can progress in stages in an efficient manner to avoid operating the acoustic resonators longer than is necessary to sufficiently energize the targeted area. In this way, the amount of equipment required to mobilize and produce the hydrocarbon in the pay region can be reduced.