A
soundscape is a
sound or combination of sounds that forms or arises from an immersive
environment. The study of soundscape is the subject of
acoustic ecology. The idea of soundscape refers to both the natural
acoustic environment, consisting of
natural sounds, including
animal vocalizations and, for instance, the sounds of
weather and other natural elements; and environmental sounds created by humans, through
musical composition,
sound design, and other ordinary human activities including conversation, work, and sounds of mechanical origin resulting from use of industrial technology. The disruption of these acoustic environments results in
noise pollution.
The term "soundscape" can also refer to an
audio recording or
performance of sounds that create the sensation of experiencing a particular acoustic environment, or compositions created using the found sounds of an acoustic environment, either exclusively or in conjunction with musical performances.