Soundscapes

The Wikipedia definition of a soundscape is :

A soundscape is a sound or combination of sounds that forms or arises from an immersive environment.

 A soundscape is something that allows us to picture a scene or environment through sound and without us actually having to see it. It can tell a story or just be a general insight into a place.

A key figure in soundscaping is Raymond Murray Schafer, more commonly known as R. Murray Schafer. He was an author, composer, musical educator as well as an environmentalist.

Schafer suggests that there are 3 elements to a soundscape:

• Keynote Sound A keynote means the same here as it does when talking about any music, a keynote is that which defines the key of a piece.
  
• Sound Signals Are the sounds that stand out to us and we probably pay more attention to, for example sirens or alarm bells.
  
• Soundmark Similar to the term landmark it means a sound that is specific to a place.
  

A simple example of how to build a soundscape can be found here.