constructedsounding

Constructedsounding is a term used to describe the deliberate design and assembly of audible phenomena through synthetic or assembled components rather than direct recording of natural events. It encompasses techniques from sound synthesis, granular synthesis, physical modeling, and procedural audio.

The concept emphasizes control and transparency in the sound creation process, focusing on how timbre, dynamics, and spatialization are engineered rather than captured. The term is used variably across disciplines and is not widely standardized; it appears in discussions of experimental music, film and game sound design, and certain areas of acoustics research.

Methods include additive, subtractive, FM, wavetable, granular synthesis, physical modeling, and digital signal processing, often via modular or software synthesizers. Producers may layer synthetic tones with convolved impulse responses or use procedural generation to create complex evolving textures.

Applications include creating sonic identities for media, designing sounds for virtual environments where realism is impractical, simulating environmental or architectural acoustics, and exploring phonetic or linguistic stimuli in research.

Critiques center on how the aesthetic of constructedness affects perceived realism and audience expectations; proponents argue it enables precise control and reproducibility. The field remains fluid, with definitions varying by practitioner and context.

Related topics include sound synthesis, sound design, granular synthesis, physical modeling, and procedural audio.