CSD Custom Sound Designs
CSD (Custom Sound Designs) isn't the “cool” integrator with the black t-shirt and tattoos. They’re the “nerdy” scientists who use industry knowledge, psychology, and physics to bring any immersive audio-visual experience to life—and that’s better. By diving deep into the science of sound, listening, and human perception, we shared the “science behind the art” of audio, visuals, lighting, and acoustics across multiple channels, including blogs, social media, and digital platforms.
Blog:
The Architecture of Audio
If you close your eyes right now, can you tell the difference between standing in a cathedral and standing in a carpeted office? Of course you can. Because sound isn’t just something we hear—it’s something we feel. It’s how we understand the space around us. And it’s that last bit that’s the most important. Sound waves need a medium to travel through. They don’t move through a vacuum; they need solids, liquids, or gases to carry them. That medium changes how sound behaves—and that’s the foundation of how we design it. Take a cathedral. The moment you walk in, the space feels big, even with your eyes closed. That’s because of the hard surfaces reflecting sound energy, creating long reverberations that stretch and soar. But it’s more than that. There’s airborne sound—the words spoken, the music played, the sound moving through the air. There’s direct sound—what you hear straight from the source, allowing you to locate where it’s coming from. Then there’s ambient sound—what happens when sound bounces, lingers, and fills the room. And, of course, there’s structure-borne sound—vibrations traveling through walls and floors, like footsteps echoing in an empty hall. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a recording studio is designed to kill sound, not enhance it. Thick carpet, foam walls, and soft surfaces absorb rather than reflect, eliminating reverb and isolating every note and word. Instead of filling a space, sound is controlled, contained, and immediate. Both spaces serve a purpose. But in a live performance environment, you can't have just one or the other - you need both. As a leader, you want your audience to feel like they’re part of something bigger. That’s your message. But you also want them to feel like they’re sitting across from you in a conversation when you speak. The balance comes into play when you take the immersive feel of a cathedral and the clarity of a studio and make them work together. But how do you make marble softer? Or acoustic paneling harder? Obviously, you don’t. At CSD, we bridge this gap using electroacoustic systems like Meyer Constellation and d&b Soundscape. These technologies take a treated room and transform it in real time. We can make a single cello sound like it’s playing in a grand cathedral, filling the space with warmth and depth. And we can make the spoken word sound as intimate as a one-on-one conversation, with nothing getting in the way. That’s the architecture of audio. It’s not about turning up the volume—it’s about shaping sound with precision, designing it to work for the space, the message, and the people in the room. Because when sound is engineered with intention, it doesn’t just fill a space—it commands it. It doesn’t just reach people—it moves them. And if your sound isn’t doing that, then it’s just noise. And at CSD, we don’t do “noise.” We build audio that resonates, inspires, and transforms. Let’s design something that speaks louder than words.
Blog:
The Psychology of Listening
Is your message 1 in 40 or 1 in 11 million? In the realm of worship, the power of sound transcends mere auditory experience. As a pastor or worship leader, your congregation isn’t just hearing your message, they’re listening to it. Or, at least that’s what they should be doing. This distinction between active listening and just…listening lies in the brain’s ability to process information. When said simply, that sounds like no big deal. But when you consider that our brains process 11 million pieces of information per second, and only consciously process roughly 40 of those 11 million pieces per second…you start thinking, “How do I ensure my message is among the 40, and not 10,999,960?” How to connect with your top priority: The Brain. Among the information that our brains process every second is sound. That’s good sound, bad sound, reverberated sound, soft sound, loud sound—the sound that you’re trying to make stand out amongst all the rest, and the sound that carries your message to the ears of your congregation (who are your top priority). As a church leader, to connect with that top priority, you must put yourself in their shoes—or rather, their seats. Think about hearing something important and wanting to concentrate on it. A story across the table at a crowded restaurant, the airport announcement about your flight’s new gate, the final minutes of a close game that you can’t hear because your kids are playing in the background… Incredibly enough, the brain can overcome a lot of that unnecessary noise, but at a cost. Active listening becomes just listening and vital messages are lost, sparking miscommunication. You leave feeling exhausted, struggling to remember all that was said or heard. So, how do you transform the experience so that your message is not only listened to and heard, but better yet—shared? The pivotal role that intentionally designed AV systems play in cognitive processing. Cognitive processing—aka the mental action of acquiring knowledge and understanding through attention, language, memory, perception, and thought, is how we “filter” through that unnecessary noise. Reverberation, or reverb, is a key factor in this equation. When sound waves reflect off surfaces and create prolonged echoes, it can interfere with the clarity of speech and music. Excessive reverb muddles the direct sound, making it harder for listeners to focus, understand, and retain information. This is especially challenging in environments like worship spaces, where clear communication is vital for meaningful engagement. Reverb not only affects our ability to hear but also impacts cognitive functions such as attention, memory, and perception. By carefully controlling the acoustic environment and managing reverb, we can enhance the listening experience. The science behind the art. By leveraging the psychology of listening, we can engineer soundscapes where every word is clear, every note resonates, and every listener can fully immerse themselves in the message. Our intentionally designed AV systems are crafted to help your congregation hear, understand, perceive, share, and retain your message more effectively. By addressing the complexities of cognitive processing, we ensure that every word and note resonates both audibly and emotionally. With CSD, your worship space becomes a place where the science of listening enhances the art of communication, making every service a powerful, unforgettable experience. Connect with us today to learn more about how we utilize both science and art in our designs.
Tags: copywriting, content strategy, blogs
Agency: Arthur Elliott
Role: Copywriter, Content Strategist
Blog:The Weird World of Psychoacoustics
We talk about sound like it’s simple—turn it up, turn it down. But the truth is, loudness is less about a number on a fader and more about how our ears (and brains) perceive frequency. Human hearing isn’t linear; we’re more sensitive to some frequencies than others. So, a system producing equal energy across the spectrum may still sound “off” depending on how those frequencies interact with the space—and with our ears. Welcome to the weird world of psychoacoustics. The ear doesn’t just receive sound—it interprets it. Yes, frequency determines pitch, but it also plays a role in loudness perception. Certain frequencies, particularly in the 2kHz–5kHz range, are perceived as louder than others at the same SPL (sound pressure level). That’s why high to mid-range frequencies tend to cut through a space, and why too much of them can make a room feel piercing, even when levels are technically balanced. In some cases, perceived reverb isn’t just environmental—it’s physiological. Frequencies interacting with the shape and structure of the ear can create a sensation of internal echo or masking (when two sounds cancel each other out.) Combine that with reflections bouncing off untreated surfaces, and you get a listening experience that feels disjointed, disconnected, or even fatiguing. We don’t know about you, but that certainly doesn’t sound very “intentional.” Understanding how listening and frequency go hand-in-hand is what allows us to intentionally design audio-visual systems that cater to each venue’s specific function and personality. Yes, every space has a sonic personality—a set of acoustic behaviors shaped by architecture, material, and even climate. Temperature, humidity, and altitude can alter the speed of sound and shift resonant frequencies. That’s why two identical systems can sound drastically different in two identical rooms…on two different days. For example, “bright/live” is a personality where an increase in hard surfaces combined with little sound absorption makes for harsh reflections and high frequencies. “Damp/dead” is excessive absorption lacking natural reverb and clarity. Or a space can be “boomy” when it has strong resonant frequencies, particularly in the low-frequency range, causing a booming or rumbling sound. To visualize how frequency behaves in a room, we use tools like waterfall graphs to help us track how sound energy decays over time. We can apply that data to directional control cardioid patterns that let us sculpt how sound radiates through the space, minimizing unwanted reflections and improving intelligibility. Ultimately, it's not about pushing more volume or throwing gear at a problem. It’s about shaping the frequency response of a space so that clarity is preserved, emotion is conveyed, and distraction is minimized. Frequency is foundational, but without context, it’s just data. With the right science behind the art, we can design systems that feel right, no matter the function.
Blog: From Pew to Parties
If you asked a group of school kids to play a game of word association with the word “Sunday”, we’d wager more than a few would answer “church.” But here’s the thing—there are seven days in a week. If you asked a group of school
