You never forget the song that played in the background during your first dance. Your trip to the coffee shop will not be complete without mood setting music. And when your heart skips a beat, you know your heart plays a tune that only you can hear.
Sounds make our lives wonderful. As much as condo lighting makes the space more dramatic, so does creating an ambient soundscape makes the home feel lighter, cozier, and bursting with personality. Soundscape, a sound or combination of sounds, is said to help people sleep faster and feel better. American physicist David Gibson even suggests that sounds, those that induce the feeling of peace, tranquility, and relaxation—help the body and mind heal.
If you want to maximize the positive effects of condo living, you might want to consider creating ambient soundscapes to turn your home into a sanctuary and refuge, wherein peace, serenity, and calmness thrive.
Decide on the feeling
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What are you creating a soundscape for? Do you want sounds for entertaining guests, keeping children creative, for a lively family dinner or just to relax your mind after a long day at work? Living in a condo could mean living amid distracting noise, with most condos located in the heart of the busy metropolis. Tune out the unwanted noise by knowing how to create an ambient soundscape and deciding on the mood or feel that you want. If you don’t like what you hear, that could just add up to the noise.
All about that bass (and rhythm)
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According to Science, the most relaxing song of all time is “Weightless” by the Manchester Trio Marconi Union. It is found to be more relaxing than a massage and induces 65% reduction in overall anxiety. What makes it relaxing? It uses strategic bass lines, rhythms, and harmonies. This mix is so relaxing that it can make people drowsy and definitely not recommended for drivers. The harmonic intervals, random chimes, and whooshing sounds make the song a calming tool.
The string element
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Strings create some of the most relaxing tunes. Most of the music you hear played at spas or hotel lounges are heavy on strings.
In your ambient mixer, have a variation of string instruments such as cello or violin. Add chordal elements and try different settings until you find the perfect balance that you want. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
Make it dynamic, not static
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Keep things interesting by shifting your soundscapes. After all, your mood upon waking up and trying to sleep are obviously not the same. Living in a condo can be repetitive if you confine yourself within a box, especially sound-wise. Have a variation of slow and fast, fun and relaxing, and bumpy and smooth soundscapes. Being dynamic rather than static gives the space more texture and keeps it exciting.
Play with tempo
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One of the benefits of condo living is that it gives you the best of both worlds. For example, the resort-themed amenities of DMCI properties being surrounded with the conveniences of city living lets you experience the world in more ways than one.
Same goes when creating a soundscape for your condo. You can play it up or play it down. Feel free to experiment with the settings of your ambient mixer to create original sounds. You can slow the tempo for a more chill out feel. Slowly, you can up the tempo if you please.
Water for sleep
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Have you ever spent a lazy afternoon in a beach bed while reading a book, overlooking the vast blue ocean, and listening to the waves? There’s something about the rushing waters and waves crashing on the sand that is so satisfying.
A 2012 study explains that calming water sounds, regarded as non-threatening noises, are blocked out by the brain. On the other hand, sounds of abrupt threats like a helicopter approaching or a telephone ringing could jolt people awake.
This is why sounds of rushing water is a good ambient sound to have at home. It easily relaxes your mind, putting on a sort of a “vacation mode.” Pair with a sleepy condo lighting if you want to doze off fast.
Sound of nature
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Apart from water, it would also be nice to have a collection of calming sounds from nature to help your body and mind slow down.
The sound of falling rain or waterfalls crashing down are also very comforting. No wonder people find it very hard to get up during a “bed weather.” The sound of chirping birds in the wild or the gush of wind in the forest takes you to another place, like a dreamland of sorts. These calming sounds are nature’s way of telling us to take it easy.
Sense of place
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There are sounds that we easily associate with places or feelings. You know when you’re inside a grocery because of the sound of push carts; you know when you’re inside a classroom because of the noise of children talking and laughing; you know you’re inside an office because of the sound of computer keyboards.
Now, think of a place that relaxes you. It could be a garden, the beach or your home away from the city. Try to create the landscape of your comfort place through sound. This will give you a sense of place, and when you have it, you feel safe and peaceful.
Music, an ambient soundscape, does more than just make your home feel cozier. It also gives you a feeling of warmth and tranquility. It makes you feel truly at home. You know you’re home when you hear familiar sounds that soothe you and calm you down.