When considering the interior of a store or other business space, just as it’s important to think about how the space looks, it is also important to think about how it sounds. Music joins the visual displays and interior design to become part of the overall sensory experience. That experience enhances the perception of the products on display or services on offer.
In some cases, the sensory experience is mostly about the products, not the display. For example, I recently had the opportunity to create a Music Design concept for a brand with a very minimal visual space. The store interior uses simple and understated displays so the main focus is on the products for sale. With music acting as an extension of the visual space, the music I selected was also simple and understated. By contrast, other brands have a higher sensory interior with more visual stimulation. In these spaces, the music, like the visual components, is a more prominent feature. The atmosphere in this type of space isn’t only there to sell a product, but in a way it also becomes a part of the product.
Music differs from the fixed aspects of display and design in that it is not static; music changes continuously, creating movement and flow within the space. The sonic atmosphere sets a tone for the space and for the brand. Music Design, then, encompasses not only curation but also construction, building a musical space to join the physical space as a representation and extension of the brand.
– Submitted by Erin Yousef, Music Design