Music people call it sound.
Neighbors call it noise.
We bring practical solutions for both.

Whether you need a complete rewrite of your sound ordinance or some targeted updates, Sound Music Cities brings unparalleled expertise in the music industry, municipal government, and community resolution on matters of sound and noise. The growing cities where people want to live have vibrant music scenes that can be at odds with people who live in those cities. We get it. In Austin, TX we reduced noise complaints by 74% through our Community Sound Management™ approach. Community Sound Management™ packages are customized to your needs and packages start at $20,000.

Community Sound Management™ is a participatory design process that actively embraces and solves sound-related problems with the people involved in those problems: the business, the residents, and the city government.

This approach requires partnership and asks people to embrace cooperation and collaboration between all parties. In doing so, each entity gains an understanding of the various components of the underlying problems as well as the roles, goals, and boundaries of creating, regulating, and enforcing sound policy. People support solutions they help create. While it may take more time and effort up front, a community-minded and participatory approach to sound management will lessen the need for costly enforcement.

Community Sound Management™ defines regulation as government intervention through a set of rules identifying permissible and impermissible activity on the part of individuals and businesses. The lens of this type of regulation focuses on compliance more than enforcement. That is not to say that enforcement is not necessary, but in our experience, compliance with well-understood regulations lessens the reliance on enforcement. Achievable and well-understood regulations provide transparency and successful compliance.

In addition to policy and regulations, city staff and personnel are a key ingredient to the success of Community Sound Management™. Well-trained and knowledgeable city staff are vital to achieving the optimal regulatory environment. Both neighbors and venues need to feel that they have an informed, neutral advocate in city staff that is focused on advancing the process in an objective way.