A METHOD FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF SOUNDS AS PERCEIVED SEPARATELY FROM THEIR BACKGROUND PACS 43.50.+y Noise: its effects and control; 43.58.+z Acoustical measurements and instrumentation;

This paper presents an interdisciplinary method for sound space representation that takes into account human perception, language and acoustical values of noise in a synergetic protocol of measurements. A qualitative sound map will result that describes the sound topologies corresponding to differentiated sound sources. Every sound topology is a spatial distribution of a sound (traffic, water, music …) distinguished from its background. By using this method, one can know exactly the composition of the soundscape in each point of listening, from the louder (nearer) to the unheard sound