Building the microphones was a highly gratifying experience. I had worked with audio equipment and soldered in the past, and had very little trouble with the process. However, before this class I would have never thought anyone could just cut the plugs off an audio wire and put on microphones. I always thought the wires were built different or that there was more to it than just cut and solder. Once out on the drift, my mics worked great in all situations; I was especially pleased with the performance of the felt wind screens (they truly were cost effective). Furthermore, the fact that my microphones were hand built allowed me a more personal experience with my recorded sounds; really made me feel as though I had created them from the ground up. On the other hand, if I were allotted unlimited amounts of time and money I would have made a few improvements. First of all the recorder would have been able to clip to my clothing. This would give me a little extra room to work with my hands. Also, my microphones would need a little extra wire for those hard to reach places. It would be incredible useful to have a detachable/rotatable “cup” on the mics in order to better isolate, shield, and direct sounds.
The Sony mini disc recorder served my purposes albeit aggravatingly. Don’t get me wrong, the sound recordings were solid, it didn’t lose any of my recordings, and it didn’t freeze or crash on me. However, the device felt rather clumsy. It was a hassle having to reset manual gain mode after every session. To add insult to injury, the device only allowed me to do so through a slow and clumsy process consisting of button combinations and unnecessarily long wait periods. I became quite familiar with the term “wait a moment” during saving, start up, and attempting to access the menu. At times the device was even unresponsive. I would have to hit record multiple times with no prevail and even unplug and plug my microphones at start up in order to get a response. Though I have not used other sound recording equipment in the past, I imagine there are better devices. In a perfect world, my recorder would maintain its setting, be lighting quick, record to a hard drive, and would have a seamless control scheme One day I will find such a device.
I edited my field recordings with Audacity. I found this software to be very straightforward and highly useful. I thought the program had a wide range of useful tools and functions, especially for freeware. I used it for the first time recently when it was recommended to me by a professor. Since this was the only audio software I’ve ever heard of, I went ahead and used it. I took advantage of the various effects and plugins to achieve just about everything from cross fades to distortions. Due to these facts, I will most likely use this program in the future.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Further Investigation
- What more interesting city sounds lye further downtown?
- If I wouldn't have cut my Drift short because of class, what new sound scapes would I have discovered?
- What areas other than downtown are there to explore?
- Are there any other public schools or playgrounds in the drift area?
- Are there any areas other than residential or commercial to explore further south (i.e. Industrial)?
- How would the sounds recorded at night differ from daytime sounds?
- What new sections of town could I discover by going north or west rather than south?
- What part of town could I go to that is most different from the environment I'm used to?
- What part of my drift had the most people and least cars?
- Was there a mysterious or otherwise unsettling location I could explore (within reason)?
- What would Glenn Bach do?
Recollections
When I first went out my drift, I was a little upset because the residential environment we were in was seemingly sparse and generic in its sounds. However, I was pleasantly surprised at not only what I found in this area, but also the subsequent areas it led into. For example, after leaving the residential neighborhood I found the perfect mix of peacefulness and commotion at a sidewalk café. Another bothersome aspect of the drift occurred when I was stuck on Lincoln Memorial drive with no roads to turn off on. This walk was extremely tedious and filled with bland traffic noises. However, it eventually led to the amazingly rich downtown, where I captured one of my favorite sounds. Another unexpected surprise came in the lab. After recording sounds at a rich playground location and later reviewing those sounds, I came upon the realization of the cultural and societal importance of the playground. In particular, an interaction I captured between a mother and her son as she pushed him on a swing shed light on the unintentional roles a playground fulfills.
One of the most peaceful instances on my Drift was when I ended up on the rocky shore of Lake Michigan. It was incredibly serene sitting out on the rocks with only the sounds of the waves echoing in my headphones. Another instance was sitting on the playground and watching the children running around laughing and carefree; it brought me back to those happy times. As the preceding text may have shown, the playground was in fact my favorite experience. Sitting on the playground and looking at the children and their parents running about the grounds I was able to not only appreciate the family function of the grounds, but also reminisce on my own experiences with family and playgrounds.
One of the most peaceful instances on my Drift was when I ended up on the rocky shore of Lake Michigan. It was incredibly serene sitting out on the rocks with only the sounds of the waves echoing in my headphones. Another instance was sitting on the playground and watching the children running around laughing and carefree; it brought me back to those happy times. As the preceding text may have shown, the playground was in fact my favorite experience. Sitting on the playground and looking at the children and their parents running about the grounds I was able to not only appreciate the family function of the grounds, but also reminisce on my own experiences with family and playgrounds.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Derive
I’ve selected Debord, Guy. "Theory of the Derive." I found many of the concepts covered in this article highly fascinating. I’ve always been an extremely curious and spontaneous; this article discusses the exploration of environments and the highly spontaneous and undetermined movements through which to do so. In this way, I was able to relate my own fascination with exploring the “new” and “unknown” through the theory and practices of the Derive.
The main points of this article stress that most people experience the environment in which they live in a very confined and limited way; we travel on a predetermined path from point A to B and repeat these paths daily. The Derive on the other hand wants people to break free from their inhibitions and routines in order to experience their environments in an entirely different way. The Derive invites people to immerse themselves in many different environments by simply wondering through them with no intended purpose or path. The idea is that one will find themselves entering various realms and uncovering hidden treasures they might have otherwise overlooked. Although the Derive stresses stripping yourself of preconceptions, desires, and borders, it is almost impossible for one to occur in its pure form. People are generally consciously or unconsciously led by their own subjectivity. Practices such as the “possible rendezvous” brings a participant into a new environment stripped of the obligations of an ordinary rendezvous. Thus, the participant is forced into a new environment non subjectively and is left to deeply observe his surroundings.
The practices of the Derive relate to concepts of sound walks and Drifts. By immersing myself in new environments, I am able to collect new and exciting sound material. Also, the ideas in this article emphasize the appreciation of deep observation of an environment. By applying these concepts to my work in the field, I’m able to appreciate seemingly insignificant sounds I might otherwise have overlooked. In freeing myself from the everyday routine, I am able to collect entirely unique material.
The main points of this article stress that most people experience the environment in which they live in a very confined and limited way; we travel on a predetermined path from point A to B and repeat these paths daily. The Derive on the other hand wants people to break free from their inhibitions and routines in order to experience their environments in an entirely different way. The Derive invites people to immerse themselves in many different environments by simply wondering through them with no intended purpose or path. The idea is that one will find themselves entering various realms and uncovering hidden treasures they might have otherwise overlooked. Although the Derive stresses stripping yourself of preconceptions, desires, and borders, it is almost impossible for one to occur in its pure form. People are generally consciously or unconsciously led by their own subjectivity. Practices such as the “possible rendezvous” brings a participant into a new environment stripped of the obligations of an ordinary rendezvous. Thus, the participant is forced into a new environment non subjectively and is left to deeply observe his surroundings.
The practices of the Derive relate to concepts of sound walks and Drifts. By immersing myself in new environments, I am able to collect new and exciting sound material. Also, the ideas in this article emphasize the appreciation of deep observation of an environment. By applying these concepts to my work in the field, I’m able to appreciate seemingly insignificant sounds I might otherwise have overlooked. In freeing myself from the everyday routine, I am able to collect entirely unique material.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Taking a Walk With Sound
A sound walk is more than just attentive listening, it's about looking at the world around you in a new light; about making hearing instead of sight your primary source of perception. When observing your surroundings in this way, you may find items ordinarily overlooked.
Listed below are few notable findings from this sound walk:
I was able to find a relatively peaceful location in Downer woods where i could fully listen to my surroundings.
As far as movement is concerned, it is impossible to move without making any noise at some level. Theoretically all objects are in constant motion of some level of another and it is impossible to move without producing sound anywhere except in a perfect vacuum.
I started by first plugging my ears with my eyes open, then later unplugging them and closing my eyes in order to get a full appreciation for every sound. I found i was able to create a more vivid and rich environment by listening to the sounds then I could by simply observing without any sound. I was also to able to pinpoint very soft sounds I wouldn't have noticed.
The sounds I heard were as follows:
Walking
I was able to place most sounds either by orienting them or logically placing them at known landmarks (I.E. sqeeking shoes at tennis and basketball courts), however there were a few sounds I couldn't place. In this case I would either guess or include them in a general white noise category.
I was lucky enough to hear a generous mix of mechanical, natural, and human noises.
As much of a burden white noise is, i always find it incredibly fascinating to pick sounds out and follow them; I was able to do plenty of this on today's walk.
The closest sounds i heard were the ones i was producing, these sounds are probably the most overlooked. The most distant sound was surprisingly the loudest; the jet engine.
The most prevalent wind effect I was able to hear, were the leaves rustling in the wind.
At certain times during the walking section I was able to intervene in the urban landscape by knocking on a chain link fence or kicking pebbles along the path.
After my initial experience with sound walking, I feel that I;m beginning to look at sounds as a primary source of observing an environment and not just a secondary additional sense.
I can use this new found importance of sound in my media endeavors by paying closer attention to the importance of subtleties and adding dramatic sounds to my work.
Listed below are few notable findings from this sound walk:
I was able to find a relatively peaceful location in Downer woods where i could fully listen to my surroundings.
As far as movement is concerned, it is impossible to move without making any noise at some level. Theoretically all objects are in constant motion of some level of another and it is impossible to move without producing sound anywhere except in a perfect vacuum.
I started by first plugging my ears with my eyes open, then later unplugging them and closing my eyes in order to get a full appreciation for every sound. I found i was able to create a more vivid and rich environment by listening to the sounds then I could by simply observing without any sound. I was also to able to pinpoint very soft sounds I wouldn't have noticed.
The sounds I heard were as follows:
Sitting
- Tires squealing on the pavement
- sticks crackling
- insects buzzing around me
- birds chirping intermittently
- jets screaming overhead
- cars whir by softly
- car engines roaring in the distance
- leaves rustling about me
- piano notes piercing the nearby air
- percussive thuds in the distance
- pulsing weed-wacker engine
- car horn blaring
- inhale and exhale
- stomach grumbling
Walking
- Feet clapping against the ground
- gravel crumbling beneath feet
- twigs snapping
- pebbles skipping across wood
- fabric rubbing against itself
- leaves brushing against people
- balls bouncing against pavement
- shoes sqeeking
- rattling of chain link fence
- yelps of people
- snap of door mechanism
- turnstile cranking
- whir and clink of fan
- elevator's electronic chime
I was able to place most sounds either by orienting them or logically placing them at known landmarks (I.E. sqeeking shoes at tennis and basketball courts), however there were a few sounds I couldn't place. In this case I would either guess or include them in a general white noise category.
I was lucky enough to hear a generous mix of mechanical, natural, and human noises.
As much of a burden white noise is, i always find it incredibly fascinating to pick sounds out and follow them; I was able to do plenty of this on today's walk.
The closest sounds i heard were the ones i was producing, these sounds are probably the most overlooked. The most distant sound was surprisingly the loudest; the jet engine.
The most prevalent wind effect I was able to hear, were the leaves rustling in the wind.
At certain times during the walking section I was able to intervene in the urban landscape by knocking on a chain link fence or kicking pebbles along the path.
After my initial experience with sound walking, I feel that I;m beginning to look at sounds as a primary source of observing an environment and not just a secondary additional sense.
I can use this new found importance of sound in my media endeavors by paying closer attention to the importance of subtleties and adding dramatic sounds to my work.
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