Music people call it sound. Neighborhoods call it noise. We bring practical solutions to both.


Music people call it sound.
Neighborhoods call it noise.
We bring practical solutions to both.

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Music people call it sound. Neighborhoods call it noise. We bring practical solutions to both.


Music people call it sound.
Neighborhoods call it noise.
We bring practical solutions to both.

  • “ Don Pitts brings unique insights on how to meld these resources in harmony and assist your city to realize its full potential as a music city. ”
    — Jim Peters, President, Responsible Hospitality Institute, Scotts Valley CA
  • “ Don Pitts is, without a doubt, one of the global leaders in music city strategy development and implementation, with hands-on experience leading Austin, one of the busiest music cities in the world. ”
    — Amy Terrill, lead author of The Mastering of a Music City, Toronto, Ontario
  • “ When it comes to sound ordinance issues, Don Pitts is the best thing since sliced bread. ”
    — Mary Ingle, President Austin Neighborhoods Council, Austin Texas
  • “ Don is the leading voice on sound management in cities. Don easily translates his experiences in Austin to other cities regardless of size and local dynamics, which is why he's a leader in the global music cities movement. ”
    — Bryce Merrill, Music Programs Manager of Bohemian Foundation, Ft. Collins CO
  • “ Don Pitts is the sound whisperer. Don has successfully led Austin in striking a balance between all parties that has resulted in a 70% drop in noise complaints. ”
    — Kate Becker, Director of Film and Music Office, City of Seattle
  • “ Don thinks outside the box when obstacles present themselves, and is always looking for the right combination of dots to connect so that parties who may have been historically adversarial, actually find common ground. ”
    — Rebecca Reynolds, President, Music Venue Alliance Austin

Overview


Sound Music Cities brings
expert strategy and solutions
for sound issue management and music city development.

Overview


Sound Music Cities brings
expert strategy and solutions
for sound issue management and music city development.

For music ecosystems – be they fragile or brimming with economic development potential – proper management of sound issues is not just about turning levels down. We created Sound Music Cities because finding a balance requires sound, practical policy solutions that can be efficiently implemented and speak to multiple stakeholders.  Sound Music Cities has spent the last decade developing practical solutions for sound issue management in one of most influential music cities in the world.  
 
We work with local and municipal governments, venues, entertainment districts, music festivals and neighborhood associations, and other community leaders to create plans of action to negotiate the intersection of music economies and the built environment.  We solve existing sound issues and craft strategies to avoid future ones through policy, training, and bridge-building best practices. 

The Latest


The Latest from Sound Music Cities

The Latest


The Latest from Sound Music Cities

featured Blog Post: 

Featured
Beyond Agent of Change: Moving Past the "who was here first" to Sustainable Solutions
urban sound policy, agent of change, sound music cities, noise management Don Pitts 1 Comment
urban sound policy, agent of change, sound music cities, noise management Don Pitts 1 Comment
Beyond Agent of Change: Moving Past the "who was here first" to Sustainable Solutions
urban sound policy, agent of change, sound music cities, noise management Don Pitts 1 Comment
urban sound policy, agent of change, sound music cities, noise management Don Pitts 1 Comment

Sound impact can be addressed in three ways: through the source, the path, and the receiver.  Most sound policy focuses on the role (and responsibilities) of the source, gives scant attention to the path, and overlooks the role of the receiver completely. 

When policy does not specifically and proactively address the concerns of future residents in or near an entertainment district, it has made the nightlife economy an easy target for those who do not understand sound management, and gives those trying to solve conflict only two options: turn it down, or turn it off. Read More >

Read More →
urban sound policy, agent of change, sound music cities, noise management Don Pitts 1 Comment
urban sound policy, agent of change, sound music cities, noise management Don Pitts 1 Comment
Welcome
Don Pitts
Don Pitts
Welcome
Don Pitts
Don Pitts

At Sound Music Cities, we create custom solutions for cities that value music as a key economic driver and want to start, reinvigorate, or grow their music economy, using proven best practices. 

We love music of all kinds, and we especially love what it can do for the heart and soul of a city, in addition to regional economies. We’ve been at this for a while, talking to cities and countries around the world about music policy, community relationships, and cultural tourism, learning from the steps forward - and the steps backward.  And over the years, we have put together a significant global knowledge base of practical, real-life policy solutions for the most common challenges facing commercial music and entertainment ecosystems.  Read More >

Read More →
Don Pitts
Don Pitts

WEBINAR:

Sound Management in Nightlife Districts

July 18, 2017 10:00am to 11:00pm Pacific Time

Sound complaints rise with housing development in or near nightlife venues and districts. In New York City the number grew from 86,365 calls in 2010 to 179,394 in 2015, with clubs and bars accounting for 93,412 complaints in 2015. Managing the source and transference of sound requires robust partnerships between planners, developers and nighttime businesses. This webinar will showcase two of the most progressive nightlife cities on their approach to sound management: Austin and San Francisco.

Lessons to be Learned from this Webinar

  • How to move past the "Who was here first (residents or businesses)?" argument to a "How can we make this work together?" approach.
  • Incentivizing businesses to establish good sound management policies.
  • New standards for residential development in nightlife districts.
  • Subsidies and matching grants for businesses to upgrade their sound systems:why the benefit outweighs the cost.
  • Best sound systems and layout for mitigating sound impacts on the surrounding community.
  • Proactively anticipating and addressing sound impacts with new commercial or residential developments in already dense districts.

Register at http://www.rhiweb.org/webinar/index.html