Aural Architecture and Music
Aural Architecture encompasses everything to do with the way
sound reacts to a space and even the emotional or social purpose of why the
sound responds the way it does in a given environment. More specifically, it is
the “design, arrangement and manipulation of the physical properties of a space”
(Blesser and Salter 1). Those who study this art are usually the individuals
who design concert halls and sporting arenas, because they want to create a
near perfect space for the events taking place. Sound does more than just allow
us to reason spatially; it also elicits emotional sensations that only our ears
can bring to us.
There can be “social meaning” (Blesser and Salter 3) behind
the design choices of a space as well, because in what world would we not want
the sound of an action movie to not fill the entire movie theater? Sometimes
this meaning can be unintentional, because most architects “exclusively
consider the visual aspects of a structure” (Blesser and Salter 1). I like to
relate this thought to vocal musicians who engage in DYI recordings, because
beginners often choose poor environments to record their lyrics. Their chops
could be outstanding, but a room with poor acoustics and an overly sensitive
microphone can turn off listeners in a heartbeat because they’ve experienced
unprofessional aesthetics. Relating back to the reading, spaces are what truly
give sound their bravado and the average person isn’t attuned to realize this.
I especially try to wire my brain to focus in on sound when I’m doing personal
recordings because I see countless artists not take it into consideration. The
space you choose to do your work will set a tone for listeners, so it is very
important that you examine your environment every chance you get.
