This document provides an introduction to soundscapes, beginning with a definition of the term and an overview of its origins and development over time. It discusses key thinkers like R. Murray Schafer and Joe Southworth who helped establish soundscape as a field of study. The document also outlines different applications of soundscape design, such as for urban planning, health and wellbeing, and enhancing spaces. It proposes methodologies like soundwalking and field recording for analyzing soundscapes and discusses factors that influence sound perception.

1. Soundscape : an introduction
By Dr. Neil Bruce
University of Salford

2. Introduction in 20 Seconds

3. What is….Soundscape

4. How did we get to Schafer?

5. What is….SoundscapeSouthworth - Environment and behaviour

6. Music – Romantic era (18th C)

7. Modernism – (20th C) Musique Concreté

8. “Sound is 50 per cent of the motion
picture experience.”
- George Lucas

9. Remember
“You can watch a film/program with a bad picture,
but you can’t watch a film with bad sound!”

10. Does this apply to architecture and
design?

11. Why always Noise?

12. Urban planning and design
Health and wellbeing
Legislation
Social Issues
Enhancing a space
Special Effect
Masking

13. How? Soundwalking

14. How? Field Recording

15. Methodology

16. Perception factors
• Perception of a space is based on a number of factors
• Expectation
- Acoustic
- Behavioural
• Safety
• All lead to increasing negative perception

17. Place Norms
Context
Control
Sound at source
One’s self with in space
Ability to tell others to fit norm

18. Example time

19. Parting Thoughts….

20. Question…Just one!