A Taxonomy of Sound Sources for use in Soundscape Studies

1. COST Action TD0804 Workshop Edinburgh Hot topics in soundscapes October 2009 A Taxonomy of Sound Sources for use in Soundscape Studies Lex Brown Griffith University Brisbane, Australia Acknowledgements to Jian Kang & Truls Gjestland

2. Add the tables here Measurement Locations Kin Che LAM

3. Add the tables here Dominant Sound in Summer in Sai Wan Kin Che LAM

4. Sound source identification is an (initial) component of (nearly) all soundscape studies theneed

5. Examples • Simple description of sources in field studies • Seeking what sources people identify in their surroundings (or in memory) • Names of sources included in laboratory studies • Analysing soundscapes: • disaggregation into component sounds • masking of some sources by others

6. theproblem Different studies often use different (sometimes ambiguous) .….. • source terminology & • categories/classification “human sounds”……….…sometimes includes traffic noise sometimes not “natural sounds”…………sometimes includes humans as natural, sometimes not “urban/city sounds”……....highly variable as to what is included “man-made sound” (sic)

7. theproblem In different studies, current terminology often intertwines: • the presence of a sound • A “proximity” classification background sound foreground sound ambient incidental sounds dominant sounds intermittent (temporal class.) * sometimes without specification of sources that constitute that classification

8. theproblem In different studies, current terminology often intertwines: • the presence of a sound • human values ascribed to that sound. intruding sound unwanted sound annoying sound preferred sound quiet good noise quality (sic) pleasant sounds

9. A standardised classification scheme (taxonomy) of sources/source types towards a solution

10. Criteria for taxonomic nomenclature: • Universal across all types of places (different acoustic environments: urban, wilderness, rural etc)* *with as few footnote qualifications as possible

11. A ‘divide’ in the literature • wilderness, countryside, recreation contexts • urban space contexts

12. Soundscapes cuts across many fields human health/ well-being housing soundscapes environmental noise management urban design/ planning recreation management landscape design and management wilderness management sound quality Music/ sound installations human acoustic comfort

13. Criteria for taxonomic nomenclature: • Universal across all types of places (different acoustic environments: urban, wilderness, rural etc) • Nomenclature avoids value judgements

14. Criteria for taxonomic nomenclature: • Universal across all types of places (different acoustic environments: urban, wilderness, rural etc) • Nomenclature avoids value judgements • Unambiguous in translation across languages

15. ditto5 ditto ditto Urban1 Acoustic Environment Rural1 Acoustic Environment Wilderness2 Acoustic Environment Underwater Acoustic Environment wildlife wind water thunder earth/ice movement roadway traffic rail traffic marine traffic air traffic The Acoustic Environment A Taxonomy of Sources Indoor AcousticEnvironment Outdoor Acoustic Environment Domains Categories sources ditto Nature3 Sounds generated by human activity/facility Sounds not generated by human activity Domesticated Animals3 Human movement Motorised Transport Electro-mechanical: -stationary -mobile Voice& Instrument Other Human6 Social/communal footsteps Non-amplified Amplified4 non-motorised construction bells ventilation voice music clock chimes agriculture speech fireworks domestic singing azan recreation laughter alarms electrical installation industry

16. Domains Categories sources

17. Urban1 Acoustic Environment Rural1 Acoustic Environment Wilderness2 Acoustic Environment Underwater Acoustic Environment Domains The Acoustic Environment Indoor Acoustic Environment Outdoor Acoustic Environment 1 The urban/rural distinction will not always be readily defined, but remains useful. 2 The wilderness category includes national parks, undeveloped natural and coastal zones, large recreation areas etc. The wilderness/rural divide will not always clear cut.

18. Domains Categories sources Urban1 Acoustic Environment Sounds generated by human activity/facility Human movement Motorised Transport Electro-mechanical: -stationary -mobile Voice& Instrument Other Human6 Social/communal Non-amplified Amplified4 4 Recording, replay, and amplification may occur for any sounds – as for example in installations playing nature/wildlife sounds 6 Coughing, for example

19. Human movement Motorised Transport Electro-mechanical: -stationary -mobile Voice& Instrument Other Human6 Social/communal footsteps Non-amplified Amplified4 non-motorised construction bells roadway traffic ventilation voice music clock chimes rail traffic agriculture speech fireworks domestic marine traffic singing azan air traffic recreation laughter alarms electrical installation industry Categories sources

20. wildlife wind water thunder earth/ice movement Domains Categories sources Urban1 Acoustic Environment Nature3 Sounds generated by human activity/facility Sounds not generated by human activity Domesticated Animals3 3 While “nature” and “domesticated animals” sources are “not generated by human activity” there are many exceptions—sounds of running water in constructed water features or the sounds of wind on buildings. Domesticated animal sounds will generally be from animals associated with a human activity/facility.

21. ditto5 ditto ditto Urban1 Acoustic Environment Rural1 Acoustic Environment Wilderness2 Acoustic Environment Underwater Acoustic Environment wildlife wind water thunder earth/ice movement roadway traffic rail traffic marine traffic air traffic The Acoustic Environment A Taxonomy of Sources Indoor AcousticEnvironment Outdoor Acoustic Environment Domains Categories sources ditto Nature3 Sounds generated by human activity/facility Sounds not generated by human activity Domesticated Animals3 Human movement Motorised Transport Electro-mechanical: -stationary -mobile Voice& Instrument Other Human6 Social/communal footsteps Non-amplified Amplified4 non-motorised construction bells ventilation voice music clock chimes agriculture speech fireworks domestic singing azan recreation laughter alarms electrical installation industry

22. Ability to equate category/source nomenclature across all studies in any places of soundscape interest