“one can engage in a first-person qualitative analysis of formal structures in sound and audiovisual installations, tracing connections between the poietic construction of formal-structural possibilities and the aesthetic perception of formal structures. Of course, such as approach negates the notion of a singular form accounting for the operation of a single installation work; there are at least as many forms as there are visitors experiencing the work.”

Adam Basanta, Organised Sound

Basanta highlights the importance of the spatial on visitor perception of audio. Explaining that everyone can move around the speakers in different orders therefore, ones installation won’t be received in the same way twice. The diagram below shows the non-linear exposure to a sound source visitors will receive. Only having a short peak of experienced intimacy.

In static audio installations having different levels of dynamics and arcs throughout the timeline of the piece is important.

Due to limited time in the installation space, it is unlikely most visitors will perceive macro-scale developmental arc structures in full. Rather, depending on the temporal frame enacted by the visitor – the points at which they choose to enter and leave the installation, as well as the elapsed duration of their stay – most will only perceive fragments of macro-level structures.

Adam Basanta, Organised Sound

Visitors will be spending a limited amount of time engaged with your audio piece and because of the chronology of sound, the whole timeline of the piece will not be observed, therefore having dynamic arcs within the larger arc of the installation is important in creating interest and attentiveness in the visitor.