Why listening matters

Sound is the only one of our senses that remains active while we sleep. Through hearing we test our safety at distance and in the dark. It can also condition the way we feel. Noise can affect our health and well-being negatively but sound may do so positively. Acousticians are used to measuring noise but the more positive effects of sound less well understood. The idea that sound can reduce stress and inhance our sense of wellbeing and even improve our health is a tantalising target for soundscape designs in the future but we need more fully to understand how to achieve it in a scientific way. We know that a tranquil place does not need to be quiet for instance, and that context and non-acoustic factors are important in the perception of tranquillity. We know that natural sounds: waves breaking, rain, leaves rustling, water babbling, birdsong; and some anthropogenic sounds: a familiar voice, the murmur of conversation, music; can contribute to a positive soundscape. Some examples and the current understanding of why this is, taking in cues from neuroscience, medicine and psychoacoustics are explored leading to quantification of these benefits for application in soundscape analysis and, ultimately, design.