Dial Everything Else Down

There is a counterintuitive audio engineering rule about how to make something louder. It might sound crazy. But it’s true.

To dial something up — don’t dial it up.

Dial everything else down.

This rule is especially true in physical spaces. In spatial experiences, we can’t turn up sound indefinitely, because there will be other sound sources nearby.

In museums, this rule applies even more to light than sound. Many collections objects require near-darkness. Lighting them too much means destroying them a little. So everything else has to seem as dark (ideally darker) for the experience to work.

Here’s the thing:
To dial something up — don’t dial it up.

Dial everything else down.

Warmly,
Jonathan

P.S. I proudly note that there is no reference above to a mockumentary where a certain dial goes to eleven.

P.P.S. What else does this rule apply to? Hit REPLY and LMK.