Soundproofist

A soundwalk is an intentional listening experience that focuses on the soundscape of an environment. Brought to worldwide attention by environmentalists such as the late R. Murray Schafer, it's practiced today around the world. But how do you conduct a soundwalk?  There's more than one way, and Dr. Antonella Radicchi, who authored "A Pocket Guide to Soundwalking," describes a basic soundwalk in this Soundproofist episode.

Most cities have parks and quiet spaces, but they're seldom documented for their quality. We talk with Dr. Antonella Radicchi about why she developed the Hush City app to capture their essence. Hush City includes decibel readings, audio recordings, documenting the types of ambient sound, and describing how it makes you feel. Before you upload the data for a quiet space, take a photo and the information will be posted to a map. This should help urban planners in protecting these spaces as well as inform residents and visitors about where to take a small retreat from urban life. 

Like many restaurant patrons, Gregory Scott struggled to hear his companions when dining in New York City restaurants. He kept a list of venues that were "quieter." Then he decided to create an app where customers could submit noise ratings, put the restaurant geolocations on a map, and help others  find venues where they could hold a conversation without shouting and straining. That app was called "SoundPrint," and we talk about it in this Soundproofist episode.

Dr . Erica Walker is a public health researcher and the founder of Noise and the City and the Community Noise Lab. She's been tracking the impact of noise on communities in Boston  as well as in other cities.  In this interview, she talks about how she was personally affected by noise and how it inspired her to help others. She stresses the importance of quantifying how noise makes people feel and how it increases their stress levels, not just tracking decibel readings.

Restaurants can get noisy, even when they're not very crowded. Their hard surfaces create reverb and amplify sound. Customers often have to shout over the sound of piped-in music, kitchen activities, and other customers.  These noise levels could be reduced with sound panels and other noise treatments. We discuss some options with Mitch Zlotnik, founder of Audimute, one of the leading companies in the United States that makes custom noise-control products.