Acoustic, and sound environments and settings

From acoustics to psychoacoustics to management and control of sound broadcasting: acoustic wellbeing and sound reinforcement

This year’s AudioForum aims to investigate the concept of sound environments and settings: the relationship between quality sound broadcasting, architectural and environmental acoustics, the listening experience, acoustic wellbeing and related psychological implications.

Whether it is a voice or sounds and music, the proper and comfortable use of a sound stimulus is obtained by the sum of acoustic and electro-acoustic adjustments. A proper and comfortable listening environment, independently of the size or destination of use, is obtained by calibrating architectural and structural features with a well-designed sound installation that is properly installed and optimized, thanks in part to modern technologies and techniques of sound control. In this way, the listener will be able to appreciate both the sound content in and of itself and the positive experience of its usage. An experience that includes aspects of acoustic wellbeing, without leaving out psychological variables.The human auditory system processes sound before the visual one does, and at a deeper level, too. So much so that even a consciously imperceptible stimulus can influence peoples’ experience, perceptions and behavior in the background.

AudioForum@ISE 2019’s program was created to involve both professionals with technical training – sound designers, systems integrators, sound engineers, acoustic specialists, multimedia producers, etc. – and those coming from the world of architectural and environmental design – architects, consultants, engineers, etc. It may also be of interest to all those called to manage environments and spaces, such as the directors of hotels, schools and universities, public, sporting or cultural areas, etc.

The event will focus on the following subject areas:

- Production, broadcasting and perception of sound

- Sound environments and settings

- Design, control and management of sound broadcasting for acoustic and environmental comfort

- Sound, experience, memory

AudioForum conference will take place at the RAI Amsterdam on 4th February, the day before ISE 2019. AudioForum@ISE is a unique event that will gather the pro audio and installation business communities, with the professionals involved in architectural design, to focus on sound design and sound experience.

Audio Forum at ISE is produced by long standing ISE media partner Connessioni: the 2019 edition of the full-day conference will be organised in collaboration with the Audio Engineering Society (AES). The event is open to all ISE attendees and is focused towards anyone interested in knowing more about the latest audio technologies, sound design and acoustical comfort.

The program will include (to be completed)

Sound broadcasting, acoustics, environmental and listening comfort Speaker: Donato Masci, Acoustic Designer, Studio Sound Service

The perception of sound; from the physiology of the auditory system to psychological variables Speaker: Alfonso Belfiore, Electronic Music Professor and Coordinator of the Department of Music and New Technologies of the "Luigi Cherubini" Conservatory of Florence (Italy).

“Negative Absorption", an economic electro acoustical solution to make corrections in a room Speaker: Cees Mulder, Teacher in Acoustics and Faculty of Design Science of the University Antwep

Audio Environments with multi source audio systems Speaker: Frans Ockeloen, AES MemberDutch Section

Other sessions will be added in the weeks to come. This will include a presentation from the AES - Audio Egineering Society.

Speakers:

Alfonso Belfiore, Electronic Music Professor and Coordinator of the Department of Music and New Technologies of the "Luigi Cherubini" Conservatory of Florence (Italy). Belfiore completed musical studies in piano, composition and conducting. Since 1977 he has devoted himself to research and experimentation in the field of new electronic and informatics technologies applied to music composition; he has taken part in multimedia projects developing, through the use of electronic and computer technology, complex interactions between gesture, sound, nature , image and word, deepening also the relationships between musical composition, combinatorial calculation and algorithmic processes. For several years he has carried out research as a collaborator of the National Research Council at the Department of Music Informatics in Pisa. From 1994 to 2000 he was invited to New York as a "visiting professor" at New York University, where he held meetings and workshops for electroacoustic musical composition.

Donato Masci, Acoustic Designer, Studio Sound Service Donato Masci is acoustic designer and consultant at Studio Sound Service in Florence (Italy). He worked in the field of acoustic correction for companies, conference rooms and working environments, but also for the assessment of the impact of noise emissions, in the case of musical activity. He cooperates with AES (Audio Engineering Society), and he is author of several articles and publications on sound diffusion and acoustics

Cees Mulder (NL, 1967) studied electronics at the University of Applied Science in Utrecht, after which he followed the course Sound Balance at the Royal Conservatory, The Hague, and the post-academic course Acoustics at Antwerp. He has been professionally active in acoustics for over 25 years, worked for the Philips' international project division and Dutch consultancies. Since 2006 he is a freelance consultant and since 2010 collaborates with Kahle Acoustics from Brussels, designing acoustics for performing arts venues as well as assisting in balancing orchestras. Since 2000 he is also a teacher in acoustics, since 2014 at the architecture department of the Faculty of Design Science of the University Antwerp.