If you’re like me, you love to have music playing when you’re working, whether it’s yard work, working in the garage or working in the office. When I start working on a landscape design, music is almost always playing. I even change the type of music depending on the client type. It may be hard for you to believe, but music has a huge influence on the finished design.
For years, Andrew Landscape has been installing outdoor sound systems with our backyard projects, some fancier than others. We would get a couple outdoor speakers or maybe some of those, “look like real rock” speaker things. I still have to smile when I see a rock speaker out in someone’s backyard. I guess it’s supposed to blend in with the landscape or something. But they always look like a plastic rock with a speaker in the side. Now don’t get me wrong, it seemed the music always sounded pretty darn good, especially in a small backyard.
Recently I was called by the manager of one of our suppliers. ” Wayne ,” he said, “You’ve got to come by here today! We have a guy demonstrating an outdoor sound system that is truly amazing, you need to hear it.” I was currently half way through a design project, but was getting tired and started to run into that wall that pops up sometimes. On my way I was thinking, well if you have a large enough amplifier and big enough speakers, its bound to sound good. But where would we ever put speakers that could be the size of one of our wheelbarrows? When I got there I was introduced to a gentleman that had been working on sound systems for over thirty years and this new one, that I was there to listen to, for about the last eight years. He had set up the system in the parking lot for me to hear and give my thoughts. I had to move my truck because I had parked in front of some of the speakers and hadn’t even noticed them – I guess they weren’t the size of our wheelbarrow after all!
Well let me tell you, he turned the system on and it sounded like we were at the Greek Theater, not some parking lot. I told him I was impressed, but what happens when the volume is turned down? My wife and I entertain a lot and like to be able to talk to everyone with the music on at a much lower output. He turned it way down, we were able to easily have a conversation and yet the quality of the music was the best I ever
heard outside of a theater venue! The sound was still so strong and crisp, even at a very low volume.
All this beautiful music was produced by a basic amplifier with CD player, eight “satellite” speakers and one woofer. The satellite speakers are about the size of a soda can and are installed as one might install landscape lighting. The woofer is bigger, maybe a foot and half tall with a mushroom shaped top. My woofer is behind a bush, you can see the top of it but the antique bronze color is perfect for blending in just fine. I’m using a blue tooth capable amplifier, so I use my I pad to stream music online.
As I’m writing this in my backyard, listening to music and enjoying a rare day off, I’m reminded how important music is to me. If you’re like me, give us a call to learn more about this system. I don’t have a system I can bring to your home to demonstrate, but I would love to have you come to my place to enjoy some music and have a nice cool glass of wine. I’ll even let you listen to some of your favorite music. Then we can install a system for your backyard also.