Investigation into Background Noise Conditions During Music Performance

We recapitulate a series of studies of the perceptual role of low levels of background noise in quiet spaces for music listening. These include structured listening exercises in two quiet music rooms – Jordan Hall in Boston and the EMPAC Concert Hall in Troy, NY – wherein background noise levels were electronically manipulated while subjects listened critically to live and recorded music in these rooms. Our findings indicate meaningful preference for lower background noise levels, even at levels well below NC-15, while listening to music in unoccupied rooms. Also studied were sound levels during several concerts at another quiet music room – Distler Hall in Medford, MA – to understand better the relationship between background sound levels in the occupied room and in the unoccupied room. Our findings agree with previous studies showing minimum audience noise levels during performances only slightly above unoccupied room background noise levels.