Ambience or Ambiance

The background sound of an environment in relation to which all foreground sounds are heard, such as the 'silence' of an empty room, conversation in a restaurant, or the stillness of a forest. Ambience is actually comprised of many small sounds, near and far, which generally are heard as a composite, not individually. Also called ambient noise.

Compare: Background Noise, Hiss, Keynote Sound, Noise, Stochastic Process, Rustle Noise, Stationary Sound. See also: Acoustic Horizon, Acoustic Space, Ambient Noise Level, Masking, Sound Effect, Sound Event, Sound Pollution.