Does an architect have the same understanding of sound as a curator does? And do engineers and creatives share the same perspective when discussing sound design? When we think of sound, we can mean very different things: spoken word, atmosphere, noise, music, sound quality, the auditory characteristics of a specific medium, device, or artifact, sounds from digital interfaces, and room acoustics. Sometimes, we may be referring to multiple aspects at once.

When we discuss sound-related issues with interdisciplinary teams involved in scenographic projects, the various meanings of sound can lead to confusion. This is a common experience, as working with sound requires effective communication about it. For example, during a conversation about the design concept of an exhibition, one person might share broad ideas about sound, while another might assume the discussion is specifically about music.

From countless conversations, spatial practices, listening sessions, and readings in the context of spæs lab, we have distilled a working definition of sound that captures its experiential nature and potentially provides new insights for the scenography community. After all, reflecting on our understanding of sound is not just a fun theoretical exercise; it practically influences how we explore spatial design, craft narratives, and create scenography from a listening perspective, especially in exhibitions.

The Acoustic Event

When we think about the essence of sound, we often picture sound waves traveling through the air, a physical phenomenon measured in decibels and frequencies. But where does sound actually occur? Is it at the sound source, the physical event that generates sound waves reaching our ears? Or is it in our ears, where the sensory experience is processed through our hearing organs?

Think of a piano concert. Do you hear the piano itself or its sound waves? Now imagine listening to a recording of that concert at home. What do you hear: the instrument, its sound waves, or the loudspeakers that produce the sound waves? Suppose the first piece performed is Bach’s Overture in the French Style, BWV 831. Are you appreciating the pianist’s performance, or are you focusing entirely on the beauty of the music? Your attention might shift between these aspects. Now consider John Cage’s 4’33“. What do you hear in the concert hall, and what do you hear while at home? Later at night, before you fall asleep, you recall the first piece from memory. You can literally hear the first bars, one note following the other. Is this what we call sound?

Recent research suggests that sound is not just sound waves or something we hear—it is something we experience. What we call sound emerges from a complex interplay of perception, memory, imagination, and cultural context. This perspective can transform our understanding of sound being a passive auditory process to being an active, dynamic phenomenon.

The Phenomenology of Sound

Drawing from Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, we can think of sound as something that is heard but as something that is embodied. Sound exists within a relational and contextual space, shaped by external factors (such as physical acoustics) and internal ones (such as cognition and emotion).

In their book Sonic Virtuality, Mark Grimshaw and Tom Garner introduce the idea of sound as an emergent perception—a fusion of external (exosonic) and internal (endosonic) components. Exosonic elements refer to the measurable properties of sound (like frequency and amplitude), while endosonic elements encompass our memories, emotions, and expectations. Imagine taking a restorative walk through the forest when you suddenly notice the distant sound of a chainsaw. Although it may not be particularly loud from that distance, the sheer presence of someone using a chainsaw disrupts the peaceful atmosphere you are starting to enjoy. On the other hand, the same sound might evoke a completely different reaction from the woodworker who is pleased with the powerful model she recently purchased. For her, that chainsaw represents a tool that helps her complete her workday more efficiently and with less effort.

Grimshaw and Garner argue that sound waves have no inherent meaning until they are perceived and interpreted by a listener, pointing at the role of cognition and experience in shaping our auditory reality. Interestingly, this perspective also challenges the common belief that auditory experiences must involve actual sound waves. For example, sound can exist without sound waves when we recall the noise of a chainsaw from memory or hear it in our imagination while reading this text.

Sound is both Subjective and Intersubjective

Subjective reality does not imply that everyone’s experiences are necessarily different. Multiple individuals can share the same or similar subjective experiences because the meaning we assign to a particular sound is influenced by our shared cultural and social contexts, as explored in the research of scholars like R. Murray Schafer and Jonathan Sterne. For example, depending on our cultural context, we can „read“ the industrial sounds of a factory as economic progress, as unhealthy noise pollution, or even as music. Similarly, the sound of fighter jets can feel frightening or reassuring.

Our experience of sound is influenced by our aesthetic perceptions. When we share an experience with others in the same physical space—such as in a sound art exhibition—we subjectively interpret our experience of a shared common physical reality. Thus, sound is both a subjective phenomenon and something that is collectively shaped and understood.

Sound Beyond the Ears

Our experience of sound is not limited to hearing. Neuroscientific research confirms that sound perception is multisensory. Vision, touch, and even spatial awareness influence how we perceive sound. For example, in a bustling café, we don’t just hear voices—we also rely on lip-reading and body language to interpret conversations. Don Ihde has shown that sound adds meaning to an environment—and vice versa. Consider a museum exhibition: sound does more than provide background noise—it actively shapes how visitors navigate and interpret the space.

Similarly, in film, we do not experience merely a sound and an image track, but a cinematic world. As Michel Chion has meticulously examined, the sound shapes the meaning of the image as much as the image shapes the meaning of the sound. It means that our perception is inherently multisensory and cross-modal, particularly regarding the sensory experiences we allocate to a medium such as a movie—or a staged space such as an exhibition. Even the sensations of smell, touch, and taste can emerge through complementary modes of perception, as is evident in media that cannot reproduce these physical realities, such as film, literature, or audio drama.

Consequently, it is impossible not to design the sound in sounding media.  In fact, we are always designing sound, whether we do so intentionally or neglect to consider it at all. By acknowledging the multisensory and intersubjective qualities of space, as well as the interconnected nature of sound and space, we can create richer, more meaningful, and immersive narratives and spatial experiences.

Can Sound Be Reproduced?

Here’s a fascinating thought: while we can technically replay sound waves, we cannot fully reproduce the experience of sound. Each time we listen to a song, our perception changes; we notice new details, recall different memories or feel varying emotions. Each act of listening is unique and influenced by our shifting cognitive and emotional states.

From this perspective, it makes sense to view sound as a constantly evolving process rather than a fixed entity. We are not just dealing with sound waves; we are engaging with a rich, multidimensional phenomenon that both shapes and is shaped by our multisensory perception.

Designing Space with Sound in Mind

Understanding sound as a dynamic, emergent, and contextual phenomenon has profound implications for the curation, design, and composition of scenographic spaces. Their reciprocal relationship leads us to believe that sound and space mutually co-produce each other; neither exists independently. Instead of treating sound as an isolated design element, we should see it as an active agent that co-creates our experience of space. From the outset of a project, we must integrate sound thoughtfully alongside lighting, architecture, and interactive elements.

Becoming aware of the role sound plays in our interpretation of the world is essential for effectively working in the auditory dimension of staging space. So, the next time you step into an exhibition space, take a moment to immerse yourself in the layers of sound. Consider how each individual sound influences your experience of the space and how the exhibition space shapes your perception of a particular exhibit.

Readings

Chion, M. (2019). Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen. In Audio-Vision: Sound on Screen. Columbia University Press.

Grimshaw, M., & Garner, T. (2015). Sonic virtuality: Sound as emergent perception. Oxford University Press.

Ihde, D. (2007). Listening and Voice—Phenomenologies of Sound. State University of New York Press.

Merleau-Ponty, M., & Landes, D. A. (2012). Phenomenology of perception. Routledge.

Schafer, R. M. 1933-2021. (1994). Our sonic environment and the soundscape the tuning of the world. Destiny Books [u.a.].

Stein, B. E., & Meredith, M. A. (1993). The Merging of the Senses. MIT Press.

Sterne, J. (2003). The audible past: Cultural origins of sound reproduction. Duke University Press.