Page 32 - Winter2014

Bennett M. Brooks
bbrooks@brooksacoustics.com Brooks Acoustics Corp. Vernon, CT 06066
Brigitte Schulte-Fortkamp
b.schulte-fortkamp@tu-berlin.de Technical University Berlin Psychoacoustics, Noise Effects, Soundscape 10587 Berlin, Germany
Kay S. Voigt
kay.s.voigt@gmx.de Media Voigt Sound Engineering and Soundscape 12435 Berlin, Germany
Alex U. Case
alex@fermata.biz University of Massachusetts Lowell Sound RecordingTechnology Lowell, MA 01854
Exploring Our
Sonic Environment Through Soundscape Research & Theory
How can we know what people think of their sonic environment? Well, we ask them!
30 | Acoustics Today | Winter 2014
Introduction
The soundscape concept was first introduced as an approach to rethink the evaluation of “noise” and its effects on the quality of life. Now it has evolved into something much more. Soundscape suggests exploring all of the sound in an environment in its complexity, ambivalence, meaning, and context. Basically, the soundscape concept considers the conditions and purposes of its production and perception. Conse- quently, it is necessary to understand that the evaluation of noise / sound is a holistic approach.
This is why soundscape research represents a paradigm shift in the field of environ- mental sound evaluation. Moreover, it firstly relies upon human perception and then turns to physical measurement. The soundscape technique uses a variety of investiga- tion techniques, taxonomy, and measurement methods, soundwalks, questionnaires, interviews and recordings (Schafer, 1977). This is a necessary protocol to approach
a subject or phenomenon, to improve the validity of the research or design outcome and to avoid systematic errors by relying only on one approach.
The soundscape approach enhances the use of available resources through adding the human capital: the “local expertise” of the particular environment’s inhabitants.