acoustics
theoryah-KOO-stiks
The science of sound, especially its production, transmission, and behaviour in enclosed spaces.
Acoustics is the branch of physics concerned with how sound behaves — how it is produced, transmitted, reflected, absorbed, and perceived. In music, acoustics most often refers to the sonic properties of a performance space. A concert hall's acoustics determine how clearly an audience hears the orchestra, how the sound reverberates, and how well different instruments blend. Key acoustic properties include reverberation time, clarity, warmth, and envelopment. Acoustic treatment in a recording studio uses absorption panels, diffusers, and bass traps to control reflections and create an accurate monitoring environment. The term acoustic also describes instruments that produce sound naturally, without electronic amplification — an acoustic guitar versus an electric guitar, for example.
The Musikverein in Vienna, home of the New Year's Concert, is widely considered to have the finest acoustics of any concert hall in the world.