Background

Architectural acoustics is the study of how physical spaces such as concert halls affect how sounds are reflected in a room. Indirect sound, or echoes, play an important role in how we experience sound in different environments. Some spaces have few echoes and others loud echoes.

In the recording in this activity, you can hear the same sounds in different types of rooms. The sound is played forward first. Listen carefully for the differences. Then the sounds are played backwards and this helps you hear how different the echoes are in each of these types of spaces.

(c) 2017 Acoustical Society of America. Posted with permission.

Illustrations/Sounds

To help you understand the impact of architecture on the quality of sounds, play the audio file below to hear both a hammer striking a brick and an old Scottish prayer in different types of environments.

Play

(c) 2017 Acoustical Society of America. Posted with permission.

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