Soundscapes

What is a soundscape? This somewhat vague term refers to a composition made to invoke an atmosphere or a mood, drawing together found sounds from nature, mechanical and industrial sounds, music, urban sounds and wildlife sounds from across the world. The finished piece, rather than being a musical track, is meant to be one that creates atmosphere instead and immerses the listener in recreated or imaginary surroundings.

Composers of soundscapes can also use abstract, electronic sounds and speaking, such as poetry or dramatic prose from literature. Listen to an example of composer Barry Truix using such methods here, in his piece titled Song of Songs ("Afternoon").


The man who introduced the concept of soundscapes, Raymond Murray Schafer (pictured above), broke the term down into 3 key elements:

• Keynote sounds: This sound, though not always audible, identifies the key of the piece and is the sound that draws all other sounds together.
• Sound signals: These are the sounds in the foreground that are consciously heard throughout the piece.
  
• Soundmark: Just as a landmark, a soundmark is a sound that is unique and can be used in identifying or recognising a certain place.
  

One example of a soundscape showing soundmarks of specific places is this video by Electric Beats, directed by Ace Norton.