NPR Binaural Soundscapes

Listen through a selection of NPR’s binaural soundscapes and write a short reflection on the one that stays with you, using the spatial impression diagram below to structure what you noticed.

1. Open the NPR Soundscapes playlist on SoundCloud . Headphones required; binaural audio collapses on speakers.
2. Listen through and pick your favorite recording.
3. Explain why it stood out, working from the diagram:
   • Source position. Could you tell where sounds were coming from, and how far away? Did azimuth, distance, or elevation shape the experience?
   • Source dimensions. Did width, depth, or height of the sources register?
   • Focus/diffuseness. Did sounds feel pinpointed or spread out, and what did that do to your sense of the space?
   • Environment. How did the recorded space itself affect envelopment, depth, or width?

Diagram: spatial impression framework

Submit a one-paragraph reflection (150-200 words) on D2L; the due date is posted with the assignment. Counts toward your participation grade, complete/incomplete.