Using Sound

· [demarey+]’s Categorisation: The use of sound can be based on the following factors

o Music

o Voice

o Feedback

o Notification

· Sonification uses sound in stead of, or to complete, visual data.

· The simplest sonifications are the simple mapping of some aspect of data to an auditory parameter such as pitch/loudness.

· Blattner calls musical messages “EARcons”.

· Earcon mappings are purely symbolic. EARcons can combine to form compound EARcons. So if A=file, B=delete actions, then AB means deleting a file. EARcons can be used to support visual representations.

· Gaver’s Auditory Icons.

· Generally used for feedback and (background) information. They are metaphoric or iconic in nature – grounded in reality, not arbitrariness. (eg delete sound when emptying recycle bin). They can be used to supply information about unseen data.

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