Auralizing in the Sonosphere: A Vocabulary for Inner Sound and Sounding

Abstract

‘Auralization’ is a term coined by Architect Mendell Kleiner for acoustic simulations of rooms and buildings. This term is also apt for referring to inner sound and sounding, or sounds and sounding heard mentally. Generally the word ‘imagination’ is used with reference to all senses. Image, of course, is a visual term. So there is a cognitive dissonance when using ‘imagination’ to refer to hearing inner sound – for example a phrase of a new piece of music. This article introduces some vocabulary for discussing sound including the concept of the sonosphere.