Showing papers on "Soundscape published in 2009"

Green Space, Soundscape and Urban Sustainability: an Interdisciplinary, Empirical Study

Abstract: This paper addresses two typically separate issues contributing to urban quality of life: increasing noise levels and declining quality of public green space. Drawing from environmental psychology, ecology and acoustical methods, this interdisciplinary research studied the soundscapes of three green spaces in a UK city through interviews with 70 park users, the measurement of habitat and recording of sound levels. The data reveal a prevalence of mechanical sounds and a hierarchy of preference for natural over people and mechanical sounds. There was a link between sound levels, both objective and perceived, and the type of sounds heard. The presence of these sounds varied across sites in part due to the ecological qualities of the place, specifically the presence of birds and shrub vegetation. The results suggest that people's opportunity to access quiet, natural places in urban areas can be enhanced by improving the ecological quality of urban green spaces through targeted planning and design.

Understanding and Managing Experiential Aspects of Soundscapes at Muir Woods National Monument

Abstract: Research has found that human-caused noise can detract from the quality of the visitor experience in national parks and related areas. Moreover, impacts to the visitor experience can be managed by formulating indicators and standards of quality as suggested in park and outdoor recreation management frameworks, such as Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP), as developed by the U.S. National Park Service. The research reported in this article supports the formulation of indicators and standards of quality for human-caused noise at Muir Woods National Monument, California. Phase I identified potential indicators of quality for the soundscape of Muir Woods. A visitor “listening exercise” was conducted, where respondents identified natural and human-caused sounds heard in the park and rated the degree to which each sound was “pleasing” or “annoying.” Certain visitor-caused sounds such as groups talking were heard by most respondents and were rated as annoying, suggesting that these sounds may be a good indicator of quality. Loud groups were heard by few people but were rated as highly annoying, whereas wind and water were heard by most visitors and were rated as highly pleasing. Phase II measured standards of quality for visitor-caused noise. Visitors were presented with a series of 30-second audio clips representing increasing amounts of visitor-caused sound in the park. Respondents were asked to rate the acceptability of each audio clip on a survey. Findings suggest a threshold at which visitor-caused sound is judged to be unacceptable, and is therefore considered as noise. A parallel program of sound monitoring in the park found that current levels of visitor-caused sound sometimes violate this threshold. Study findings provide an empirical basis to help formulate noise-related indicators and standards of quality in parks and related areas.

Soundscapes and the sense of hearing of fishes.

Abstract: Underwater soundscapes have probably played an important role in the adaptation of ears and auditory systems of fishes throughout evolutionary time, and for all species. These sounds probably contain important information about the environment and about most objects and events that confront the receiving fish so that appropriate behavior is possible. For example, the sounds from reefs appear to be used by at least some fishes for their orientation and migration. These sorts of environmental sounds should be considered much like "acoustic daylight," that continuously bathes all environments and contain information that all organisms can potentially use to form a sort of image of the environment. At present, however, we are generally ignorant of the nature of ambient sound fields impinging on fishes, and the adaptive value of processing these fields to resolve the multiple sources of sound. Our field has focused almost exclusively on the adaptive value of processing species-specific communication sounds, and has not considered the informational value of ambient "noise." Since all fishes can detect and process acoustic particle motion, including the directional characteristics of this motion, underwater sound fields are potentially more complex and information-rich than terrestrial acoustic environments. The capacities of one fish species (goldfish) to receive and make use of such sound source information have been demonstrated (sound source segregation and auditory scene analysis), and it is suggested that all vertebrate species have this capacity. A call is made to better understand underwater soundscapes, and the associated behaviors they determine in fishes.

Selling Sounds: The Commercial Revolution in American Music

Abstract: * Prologue * When Songs Became a Business * Making Hits * Music without Musicians * The Traffic in Voices * Musical Properties * Perfect Pitch * The Black Swan * The Musical Soundscape of Modernity * Epilogue * Abbreviations in Notes * Notes * Acknowledgments * Index

Modeling subjective evaluation of soundscape quality in urban open spaces: An artificial neural network approach.

Abstract: This research aims to explore the feasibility of using computer-based models to predict the soundscape quality evaluation of potential users in urban open spaces at the design stage. With the data from large scale field surveys in 19 urban open spaces across Europe and China, the importance of various physical, behavioral, social, demographical, and psychological factors for the soundscape evaluation has been statistically analyzed. Artificial neural network (ANN) models have then been explored at three levels. It has been shown that for both subjective sound level and acoustic comfort evaluation, a general model for all the case study sites is less feasible due to the complex physical and social environments in urban open spaces; models based on individual case study sites perform well but the application range is limited; and specific models for certain types of location/function would be reliable and practical. The performance of acoustic comfort models is considerably better than that of sound level models. Based on the ANN models, soundscape quality maps can be produced and this has been demonstrated with an example.

Spatiotemporal analysis of an acoustic environment: interactions between landscape features and sounds

Abstract: So far landscape analysis meant analysis of the spatial pattern of land cover or land use. However, biological organisms do not perceive the landscape only as land cover or land use, but they use all their senses, in order to become familiar with and react to their surroundings. We analyzed the acoustic environment as an additional layer of spatial information in landscape analysis, shortening the monopoly of visual patterns as landscape descriptors. We recorded sounds from a rural protected area into seven categories based on their origin, and examined their spatiotemporal variability and their correlation with landscape characteristics. The sounds were distinguished as Foreground or Background sounds. Foreground sounds correspond to sharp sounds originating near the observer and usually are understood as signals of urgent information, triggering reactions; while background sounds carry information over longer distances and may be used as landmarks to help individuals find their bearing even in the absence of visual signs. We found that the acoustic environment varies both temporally and spatially reflecting anthropogenic, geophysical and biological activities. The spatial pattern of the background sounds correlates, to an extent, with the visually perceived landscape features, but it does not correlate with the spatial pattern of the foreground sounds, which do not correlate strongly with the landscape pattern. This spatial pattern mismatch between acoustic environment and landscape, along with the highly dynamic nature of the acoustic environment compared to the relatively static nature of the land cover and land use spatial pattern highlight a limitation of the classical landscape analysis, and expands our understanding of the cognitive landscape.

Sonic Supremacy Sound, Space and Charisma in a Favela in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract: This article discusses the soundscape of a favela in Rio de Janeiro. It argues that sounds, and music in particular, play an important part in the creation and maintenance of boundaries between groups in the dense urban space of the favela. The politics of presence excercised by different groups constitutes the sonic charisma of the favela. Especially in relation to Pentecostal faith, it becomes obvious how the charisma of the city and in the city are related. A focus on the soundscape of the favela highlights the fact that electronic media are woven into the fabric of its social life and are part and parcel of the production of locality. Yet the mass-mediated sounds, employed to mark space and identity also demonstrate that identity is not produced either locally or supra-locally, but rather trans-locally and that electro-acoustic technology is essential to the deterritorialization and reterritorialization of religion.

Research into the practical and policy applications of soundscape concepts and techniques in urban areas (NANR 200)

Abstract: Executive Summary 1 The aim of this review was to investigate existing research into soundscape concepts and to produce recommendations for future research into the practical identification, management and enhancement of soundscapes in urban areas. 2 Existing research on soundscapes was investigated using four methods: i. a survey of more than 500 papers in the academic literature, ii. an analysis of 27 case studies of soundscape assessment, iii. an analysis of 15 case studies of soundscape design, and iv. interviews with five key soundscape experts. Analysis of this data was conducted to identify significant gaps in the knowledge base and suggest a way of obtaining a practical soundscape assessment method. 3 Soundscapes were found to be a highly multi-disciplinary topic, with many different ideas, concepts, aims and methods evident in the literature. The definition of the term soundscape is itself not settled; for the purposes of this project, we have defined it as “the totality of all sounds within a location with an emphasis on the relationship between individual’s or society’s perception of, understanding of and interaction with the sonic environment.” 4 This review highlights that a range of methodological approaches have been used to establish classifications and categorisations of sounds and soundscapes. The relationship between different categories of sounds and their interaction needs to be considered to increase the understanding of soundscape assessments and to derive soundscape classifications. 5 The different methods and tools used to assess soundscapes, in a variety of locations, each have advantages and disadvantages; using a number of methods in one case study can help to mitigate against the disadvantages of any one method. The case studies assessed in this report demonstrate the importance of individual and demographic similarities/differences, people’s behaviour, physical aspects of the soundscape, other sensory and environmental elements, and the general location and context, in understanding and assessing soundscapes. 6 Soundscape assessments involving a subjective component have highlighted a number of variables that play a part in the assessment. These include the individual’s knowledge and prior experience of the soundscape, the meaning they derive from it, their attitude towards the sound source, their behaviour, their noise sensitivity, demographic and cultural dimensions, and their sense of control over the noise. 7 Research has shown that sometimes a soundscape is perceived as a collection of the individual sounds of which it is comprised; soundscape assessments are therefore related to the assessment of those sound types. This implies that soundscape assessment relies upon the identification of the sounds, the prominence of the sounds, and potentially the ratio of certain sound types to other sound types within the soundscape. It is also highlighted that, because the soundscape varies over time, note must be taken of the fact that any soundscape assessment relates to a singular moment in time. Furthermore, research has shown that soundscape assessments can be dependent on an individual’s memory (when using subjective assessments methods) and/or the segment of the soundscape that was recorded (when playing back recorded soundscapes in a laboratory situation). 8 Multi-sensory experience is also shown to be highly relevant to soundscape assessment and must therefore be acknowledged as soundscapes are not perceived in sensory isolation; in particular audio-visual interactions have been shown to have an effect on soundscape perception. Many researchers point to the importance of understanding the full environmental and social context for soundscape assessment, the relevance of comparing similar place types, and the effect of moving between one soundscape and another on an assessment. 9 Turning to the subject of soundscape design, it is noted that there is a dearth of case studies involving the modification and design of soundscapes, both in the UK and internationally. The rationale behind many of the case studies’ focus upon or consideration of sound was the improvement of a soundscape that was negatively affected by the sound of traffic. Approaches to soundscape design varied, ranging from the use of noise control elements, such as barriers and absorbers, to the utilisation or exploitation of natural elements that already exist in the location. Some case studies introduced sounds to the soundscape, in particular water sounds, while others incorporated specific sonic art installations to alter the soundscape or detract attention from existing features of the soundscape. A number of case studies used design alterations to improve the soundscape and perception of the soundscape including altering visual aspects of the place, altering the layout of the area, pedestrianisation of the area, and providing entertainment facilities (e.g. cafes). 10 Case studies whereby design modifications or interventions have taken place, have had little or no formal evaluation of their success. The studies that were evaluated used a number of different methods involving both objective and subjective measures and included the experimental comparison of subjective ratings, observations of people’s behaviour, recognition and awards for good designs, and level of complaints about the soundscape. This demonstrates that different evaluation tools may be necessary dependent upon the type of soundscape intervention being evaluated. Additionally, by combining methods to produce an interdisciplinary evaluation, a more accurate understanding of the success of the soundscape design is possible, hence improving future interventions. 11 The relationship between environment and individual is complex, with many factors, some of which cannot currently be quantified. Important factors include: prominent individual sound sources, the interaction of sources, other sensory stimuli and contextual and individual factors such as meaning, and expectation. Some of these factors can be captured by subjective rating scales for high-level concepts like ‘calmness’, ‘vibrancy’ and ‘spaciousness’. Other factors, such as the semantic meaning of a soundscape are best characterised currently by qualitative descriptors. There are good prospects for developing objective acoustic metrics to evaluate some factors but in most cases this work is still at an early stage, and the methods developed so far have only been applied in specific contexts; to provide metrics that are more broadly applicable they would need to be evaluated in a broader range of locations and conditions. The expert interviews and case studies illustrated the diversity of views across different disciplines on the most promising soundscape methods. All the interviewees agreed on the need for an interdisciplinary approach, and on the need to retain some form of subjective rating when assessing soundscapes. 12 Ultimately, six important gaps have been identified in the soundscape knowledge base. These are areas where more research would significantly improve understanding soundscape assessments. These gaps have been identified as: i. a lack of genuinely interdisciplinary projects (characterised by a shared perspective) instead of multidisciplinary projects (where researchers work in parallel within their own disciplines). These are needed to deal with the multidimensional experience of soundscape perception. ii. a lack of basic knowledge on many aspects of soundscape cognition, perception and classification. iii.a need for large-scale robust field trials of soundscape assessment methods instead of the more common experiment of a new method in a single location. iv. a need to develop more soundscape-specific indicators and tools that could eventually be used for soundscape design. v. a need to rigorously assess deliberate soundscape interventions to understand which design aspects work and which do not. vi. a lack of a close connection between soundscape research, design and planning practice. 13 Finally, a new research project is proposed to develop a robust field assessment method. The aim of this project is to develop a method based on existing research methods but introducing greater confidence by trialling the method across many real urban soundscapes. Options are presented for developing a purely qualitative assessment tool or one that incorporates and integrates both qualitative and quantitative ratings. 14 We recommend that a first step for an assessment method, which could realistically be developed in the near future, should be based on qualitative methods. A second iteration of this soundscape assessment tool could supplement the qualitative techniques with quantitative methods, first based on subjective rating scales and eventually on objective metrics which predict the subjective ratings.

The positive soundscape project : a synthesis of results from many disciplines

Abstract: This paper takes an overall view of ongoing findings from the Positive Soundscape Project, a large inter-disciplinary soundscapes study which is nearing completion Qualitative fieldwork (soundwalks and focus groups) and lab-based listening tests have revealed that two key dimensions of the emotional response are calmness and vibrancy In the lab these factors explain nearly 80% of the variance in listener response Physiological validation is being sought using fMRI measurements, and these have so far shown significant differences in the response of the brain to affective and neutral soundscapes A conceptual framework which links the key soundscape components and which could be used for future design is outlined Metrics are suggested for some perceptual scales and possibilities for soundscape synthesis for design and user engagement are discussed, as are the applications of the results to future research and environmental noise policy

A Swedish instrument for measuring soundscape quality

Abstract: In 2008 the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) decided to put together a new expert working group ISO/TC 43/SC 1/WG 54 named “Perceptual assessment of soundscape quality”. The purpose of this expert group is to propose the first ever, international standard on how to measure the perceived quality of soundscapes, by means of questionnaire techniques. This work is chiefly motivated by a need to harmonise methods in soundscape research internationally in order to improve the comparability of research results across countries and over time. Within the Swedish research program Soundscape Support to Health, the present authors developed such a technique based on field work and laboratory studies. In the present paper we present research in which we validated our initial findings and finalised our questionnaire protocol. We propose that the measurement of perceived soundscape quality must include: (1) identification of perceived sounds sources, such as, technological sounds, human sounds, and natural sounds, (2) classification of soundscape quality on a good–bad scale, and (3) qualitative measurement of a set of eight perceived-soundscape attributes defined in a two-dimensional Pleasantness–Eventfulness measurement model.

Cartographic representation of the sonic environment

Abstract: The description of the landscape is based on the visualization of geographic features and the representation of their attributes. Although sound is a major component of any environment, its cartographic representation is limited mainly on noise mapping and in urban or sub-urban areas. Soundscape is a term that describes the acoustic relation between the environment and the individual in a landscape context, considering all kinds of interactions between space, sound and humans. The representation of the soundscape at a spatial level would support many applications such as geographic analysis, ecosystem evaluation, environmental education, landscape management, urban or rural planning and protection of sonic particularities. This paper proposes a methodology for the mapping of both quantitative and qualitative attributes of a rural soundscape, which is described through the study of the acoustic environment around a protected wetland in Greece.

Developing Soundscapegraphy for the Notation of Urban Soundscape: Its Concept, Method, Analysis and Application

Abstract: The establishment of the concept of soundscape has brought about a new aspect for sound environment, and many conceptual and practical researches have been performed around the world. However, the notation of soundscape, in other words, the way how we can record, describe or express the soundscape, still need to be studied furthermore. Soundscape is the concept of an environment of sound (sonic environment) with emphasis on the way how it is perceived and understood by individual, or by a society, and thus it depends on the relationship between individual and any such environment. Therefore, the notation of soundscape should put emphasis on not only the physical characteristics but also the perception of the people, as well as the relationship between them. In this paper, firstly the notation of soundscape was reviewed with the concept of soundscapegraphy, which was composed of objective information, subjective information, environmental information and analysis information. Then, the methodology of making soundscapegraphy was discussed from the stage of data collection, data processing, mapping to analysis, and in the data processing GIS technique was applied. Next, with the case study of Saga urban areas, the analysis of urban soundscape was performed by means of soundscapegraphy. Finally, the applications of soundscapegraphy and the prospect for future research were discussed. Soundscapegraphy can be a proper and applicable method for the notation and analysis of soundscape.

Soundscapes : an urban planning process map

Abstract: The concept of soundscapes is an established theme in acoustics research, most notably in the areas of environmental noise, noise control and psychoacoustics. However, many disciplines outside of traditional acoustics have recently worked together to confront epistemological assumptions regarding the place of soundscapes in an urban planning context and to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of soundscapes in that realm. Through this interdisciplinary work The Positive Soundscapes Project has identified a means whereby the concept of soundscapes might effectively be incorporated into planning. By identifying the various locations in the planning process in the UK at which the concept of soundscapes might be incorporated a Process Map is developed that will help planners and other urban planning decision makers utilise the tools and methods of soundscape assessment, evaluation and simulation created within the Positive Soundscape Project. This paper identifies where consideration of soundscapes can be considered within the current UK planning process, the way in which soundscape tools may be utilized to influence planning decisions, and how this can enhance the development of positive urban soundscapes.

Development of a soundscape simulator tool

Abstract: This paper discusses the development of an interactive soundscape simulator, enabling users to manipulate a series of parameters to investigate if there is group correlation between factors such as source selection, positioning and level. The basis of the simulator stems from fieldwork and recordings carried out in London and Manchester. Through the use of an enhanced version of soundwalking, respondents are led on a walk around an urban space focusing on the soundscape, whilst answering questions in a semi-structured interview. The data collected is then used to inform the ecological validity of the simulator. The laboratory based tests use simulations based on spaces recorded in a series of urban locations, as well as an ‘idealised’ soundscape simulation, featuring data from all recorded locations. The sound sources used are based on user highlighted selections from all locations, based on preferences extracted from soundwalk field data. Preliminary results show the simulator is effective in obtaining numerical data based on subjective choices as well as, effective qualitative data which provides an insight into the reasoning behind the respondents choices. This work forms part of the Positive Soundscape Project.

Expectation as a factor in the perception of soundscapes

Abstract: This paper discusses how expectation and experience form a contributory factor in the perception of soundscapes. The research used fieldwork carried out in London and Manchester, and also a soundscape simulator in a laboratory. Through the use of an enhanced version of soundwalking, respondents are led on a walk around an urban space focusing on the soundscape, whilst answering questions in a semi-structured interview. The questions aim to investigate a participant’s experience of a number of different spaces, and their pre-determined environmental expectation and how this impacts on their evaluation and perception of the soundscape. This concept expands on Truax’s notion of soundscape competence. Attitudes towards safety, social norms, accepted behaviour, visual aesthetics and control attributed to the space, form the basis of place expectation and relate to overall perception of the soundscape for each space. When one or more of these factors conflict with a perceived place expectation, then the soundscape is rated less favourably. This work forms part of the Positive Soundscape Project.

Sound art or Klangkunst ? a reading of the german and english literature on sound art

Abstract: The article is a study on the literature of sound art from two languange areas, German and English. The text reveals two different discourses. The German texts on Klangkunst (sound art in German) focus upon the sound material’s relation to a spatial location where sound sculptures and installations are given central focus. These are genres that transcend the old divisions between spatial arts (Raumkunst) and the time-based arts (Zeitkunst). A strong emphasis on the dual aspect of seeing and hearing could be described as a central point of departure. Klangkunst concerns an investigation of both time and space, through ear and eye. In the English literature on sound art, there are often references to sound’s inner aesthetical qualities. The perspectives on sound’s relation to room is evident also here, but the perspectives are however broader, in the sense that the aspects of space and locality are diversified and pluralistic. One will find an even larger scope of literature and references if the area of sound art also includes cultural-studies perspectives on sound, sonic experiences and acoustic phenomena, the influx of new technologies on the everyday soundscape, and sound design. These are areas often referred to when speaking about the ‘sonic turn’. The way the term sound art is handled in English texts is often very vague. The German study of Klangkunst developed within the academic field of musicology. There has been a fruitful collaboration between musicologists, publishing houses, music journals, galleries, academic institutions and higher art education, which together has helped to establish Klangkunst as an artistic expression and theoretical discourse. This strong intellectual infrastructure has been important in the ‘construction’ of the concept Klangkunst. The two separate theoretical discourses not only deal with the concept of sound art differently. Although many of the artists are dealt with in both the English and the German literature, there are very seldom references to the German literature in the English texts. This tendency is not reciprocal.

Wearable forest clothing system: beyond human-computer interaction

Abstract: Wearable Forest is a garment that bioacoustically interacts with distant wildlife in a remote forest through a networked remote-controlled speaker and microphone. it expresses the unique bioacoustic beauty of nature and allows users to interact with a forest in real time through a network to acoustically experience a distant forest soundscape, thus merging humans and nature without great environmental impact. This novel interactive sound system can create a sense of unity between users and a remote soundscape, enabling users to feel a sense of belonging to nature even in the midst of a city. This paper describes the theory of interaction between the Human and the Biosphere through the design process of the Wearable Forest concept.

The Ashgate research companion to experimental music

Abstract: The recent resurgence of experimental music has given rise to a more divergent range of practices than has previously been the case. The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music reflects these recent developments by providing examples of current thinking and presenting detailed case studies that document the work of contemporary figures. The book examines fourteen current practitioners by interrogating their artistic practices through annotated interviews, contextualized by nine authored chapters which explore central issues that emerge from and inform these discussions. Whilst focusing on composition, the book also encompasses related aspects of performance, improvisation and sonic art. The interviews all explore how the selected artists work, focusing on the processes involved in developing their recent projects, set against more general aesthetic concerns. They aim to shed light on the disparate nature of current work whilst seeking to find possible points of contact. Many of the practitioners are active in areas that span disciplines, such as composition and improvisation, and the book explores the interaction of these activities in the context of their work. The other chapters consider a range of issues pertinent to recent developments in the genre, including: definitions of experimentalism and its relationship with a broader avant garde; experimentalism and cultural change; notation and its effect on composition; realising open scores; issues of notation and interpretation in live electronic music; performing experimental music; improvisation and technology; improvisation and social meaning; instrumentalizing objects; visual artists' relationships to experimental music; working across interdisciplinary boundaries; listening and the soundscape; working methods, techniques and aesthetics of recent experimental music.

I have never seen a sound

Abstract: R Murray Schafer, Indian River, Ontario, Canada shares his views about some significant aspects of sound He informs that sounds are verbs as compared sights, which are nouns and can be seen Sounding can be active and generative in nature and it is incomparable similar to other creations Visual metaphors and scaling systems have been developed to measure and analyze sounds These techniques and systems are unable to weigh a whisper, count the voices in a choir, or measure a child's laughter Sound is able to reach and travel to places where sight is unable to reach, as it reaches under the surface and other things R Murray Schafer states that sounds can be found in all places and objects, including silent objects and the environment Sounds have played a key role in the creation of music and are associated with different natural phenomenon

Natural soundscapes and identification of environmental sounds: A pattern recognition approach

Abstract: “Soundscapes” are maps that depict the sound content of an area at a time interval. Sound features encapsulate information which can be combined with the visual features of a landscape, in order to produce useful ecological observations/data, for areas of environmental or ecological interest. These include monitoring of the wildlife, the inhabitation and the use/human activities of the area, as they evolve with time. In this paper, a method is proposed for the development of a soundscape - a procedure that requires a hierarchical, coarser-to-finer classification scheme for the environmental sounds. The proposed method is illustrated for echolocation calls produced by different species of bats. Time-frequency representations of the sound signals are obtained as a basis for feature extraction. Vectors of statistical features are classified by an Artificial Neural Network classifier. The experimental results verify the potential of the proposed method for classification of environmental sounds within a soundscape development task.

Framework and Potential Implementations of Urban Sound Cartography

Abstract: The objective of this survey is to attach importance and attention to the acoustic geography of cities and to analyze the spatial reference of urban sounds. This approach encompasses both current environmental noise policies and common soundscape research. In this context it is necessary to create an appropriate and effective instrument to document and communicate spatial components and references of urban sounds. In order to accentuate and display the spatiality of city acoustics, methods of traditional, digital and multimedia cartography as well as the integration of characteristic audio sequences in common 3D city models (auralization) are intended to be incorporated into the urban sound cartography, underlying the overall concept of audio cartography. Methodically, audio cartography enriches and increases knowledge in the fields of geovisualization and visual analytics. Some of these prototype concepts and visualization layouts will be introduced in the following.

Simulating the soundscape through an analysis/resynthesis methodology

Abstract: This paper presents a graph-based system for the dynamic generation of soundscapes and its implementation in an application that allows for an interactive, real-time exploration of the resulting soundscapes. The application can be used alone, as a pure sonic exploration device, but can also be integrated into a virtual reality engine. In this way, the soundcape can be acoustically integrated in the exploration of an architectonic/urbanistic landscape. The paper is organized as follows: after taking into account the literature on soundscape, we provide a formal definition of the concept; then, a model is introduced, and finally, we describe a software application together with a case-study.

A Haptic Soundscape Map of the University of Oregon

Abstract: A course jointly taught with Geography and Computer Science designed the first haptic soundscape map of the University of Oregon campus. An electronic haptic soundscape map is a cartographic representation that is experienced through auditory cues and haptic (dynamic touch) feedback from the hand and fingers. The primary users of this map are blind and visually impaired persons. The goals of this student project was to create a tool that could be easily maintained, accessible at the low cost and flexible enough for update and change after research feedback. The outcome of the project is a preliminary version of the University of Oregon campus haptic soundscape map and this is continuing to be improved by students.

The sound of music and voices in space part 1: theory

Abstract: While probes to other planets have carried an impressive array of sensors for imaging and chemical analysis, no probe has ever listened to the soundscape of an alien world. With a small number of exceptions, planetary science missions have been deaf. The most successful acoustic measurements were made by the European Space Agency's 2005 Huygens probe to Titan, but although this probe was spectacularly successful in measuring the atmospheric sound speed and estimating the range to the ground using an acoustic signal that the probe itself emitted, we still have no measurements of sounds generated by alien worlds. Although microphones have been built for Mars, the Mars Polar Lander was lost during descent on 3 December 1999, and the Phoenix probe microphone was not activated (because the Mars Descent Imager system to which it belonged was deactivated for fear of tripping a critical landing system). Instead of measuring acoustic signals that had propagated to the microphone from a distance, aerodynamic pressure fluctuations on the microphone (caused by wind on the surface of Venus in the case of the 1982 Russian Venera 13 and 14 probes, and turbulence during the parachute descent in the case of Huygens) masked the soundscape on these Venus and Titan missions. Given the lack of such data from these earlier missions, some early enthusiasts for acoustics in the space community are now skeptical as to whether it will ever have a useful role. However basing such an assessment on past performance presupposes that the sensor systems have been optimized for the environment in question.

A graph-based system for the dynamic generation of soundscapes

Abstract: This paper presents a graph-based system for the dynamic generation of soundscapes and its implementation in an application that allows for an interactive, real-time exploration of the resulting soundscapes. The application can be used alone, as a pure sonic exploration device, but it can also be integrated into a virtual reality engine. In this way, the soundcape can be acoustically integrate in the exploration of an architectonic/urbanistic landscape. The paper is organized as follows: after taking into account the literature relative to soundscape, a formal definition of the concept is given; then, a model is introduced; finally, a software application is described together with a case-study.

Soundscape, cultural landscape and connectivity

Abstract: “Soundscape” is an environment of sound or sonic environment that focuses on the way a sound is perceived and understood by the individual or a society. With the special and temporal qualities of the sound, the concept presents a holistic way of knowing a place, and an attention to a sound distinct to a certain place, especially those distinct to certain human-nature interaction, allows new ways of sensing a place and connectivity (or lack of). Taking soundscape as a conceptual framework and incorporating concepts of cultural landscape and intangible cultural heritage, this chapter explores the role of sound in defining and articulating human-nature connectivity through a sound symbolic to a traditional Japanese divers’ culture. It is a phenomenological enquiry into a sustainable human-nature relationship where intangibility of human-nature relationship human is recognized in a sound.

Instrumentalizing: approaches to improvising with sounding objects in experimental music

Abstract: The recent resurgence of experimental music has given rise to a more divergent range of practices than has previously been the case. The Ashgate Research Companion to Experimental Music reflects these recent developments by providing examples of current thinking and presenting detailed case studies that document the work of contemporary figures. The book examines fourteen current practitioners by interrogating their artistic practices through annotated interviews, contextualized by nine authored chapters which explore central issues that emerge from and inform these discussions. Whilst focusing on composition, the book also encompasses related aspects of performance, improvisation and sonic art. The interviews all explore how the selected artists work, focusing on the processes involved in developing their recent projects, set against more general aesthetic concerns. They aim to shed light on the disparate nature of current work whilst seeking to find possible points of contact. Many of the practitioners are active in areas that span disciplines, such as composition and improvisation, and the book explores the interaction of these activities in the context of their work. The other chapters consider a range of issues pertinent to recent developments in the genre, including: definitions of experimentalism and its relationship with a broader avant garde; experimentalism and cultural change; notation and its effect on composition; realising open scores; issues of notation and interpretation in live electronic music; performing experimental music; improvisation and technology; improvisation and social meaning; instrumentalizing objects; visual artists' relationships to experimental music; working across interdisciplinary boundaries; listening and the soundscape; working methods, techniques and aesthetics of recent experimental music.