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Glite Dictionary
👂 Heard, not seen 🎵 Unseen music
acousmatic

acousmatic

9.9
A recorded sound meant to be heard without seeing the thing that made it
  • noun
  • /əˈkuːzmætɪk/
  • Specialized
: acousmático
  • At the concert, the audience listened to an acousmatic without knowing what instruments created the music.

Examples

  • The composer presented an acousmatic that filled the hall with mysterious, unseen sounds.

  • Many modern festivals feature at least one acousmatic to showcase innovative sound design.

  • The acousmatic piece captivated the audience at the concert.

  • Many composers experiment with acousmatics in their works.

  • At the festival, the audience was entranced by an acousmatic composition that evoked a range of emotions without visible performers.

  • The sound of waves crashing was transformed into an acousmatic experience, immersing listeners in a world of auditory beauty.

  • During the art installation, visitors encountered an acousmatic soundscape that made them contemplate the relationship between sound and space.

Surface Forms

acousmatic singular
acousmatics plural

Etymology

Acousmatic as a noun comes from the same Greek root akouein, meaning 'to hear', and from the idea of listening without seeing the source. So an acousmatic is a recorded or fixed sound piece meant to be listened to without showing what makes the sound.