In essence, the system adjusts tone, pitch and volume for respective areas of the hotel to create a “musical landscape” that changes from place to place. The music, which is mostly big band and standards, provides a sense of continuity while also adapting to its surroundings, Blumenthal says. “As you walk through the hotel, into the lobby and the adjacent areas, there is a little bit of a voyage with the music,” he says.

The Plaza is believed to be the first hotel in the world to implement such a customized musical arrangement.Blumenthal's company, Sentient Music for Media, Los Angeles, oversaw the project and its installation.