Interferences Between Acoustic Communication Threads in Enclosed Social Environments of Istanbul

Abstract

Various threads of acoustic communication emerge in enclosed social environments (e.g. cafés, pubs, concert venues). While their hierar- chical order may vary based on the social occasion, these coexisting channels interfere with and condition each other. A primary strand which materializes amongst two or more individuals in a social space is that of verbal interaction. Another originates from recorded music playback in such venues; the music functions as an affordance of the establishment and conveys the mood of the place. Therefore, an acoustic communication thread, the main function of which is to moderate social behaviour, is formed between the environment and the individuals within it. A third avenue for acoustic communication within enclosed social environments can be traced between the live music performer and the audience at a concert venue.

This study aims at elaborating a real-world review of the aforementioned threads, and the interferences in-between, in the context of Istan- bul’s social life. Enclosed environments that range in social functions will be investigated as case studies; the communication processes that emerge within these spaces will be scrutinized through interviews and surveys with managers and customers, to portray the acoustic habitats of the given environments. This multi-perspective approach will allow us to reveal how differently these habitats impact social behaviour and whether the interference between two threads conditions the listening habits pertinent to a third one. Through these discus- sions, this paper will delineate a culturally idiosyncratic and modern view of social soundscapes in the city of Istanbul.