1. The topics I'm considering are Running, Basketball and Graffiti.
2. The top 6 questions that I received for Running were:
1) What kind of mind state are people in when they run?
2) Why do people run past their limit?
3) Why do people even like running?
4) How mentally tough does one have to be in order to complete a marathon?
5) What does running have to do with the way we see ourselves?
6) How do you metaphorically run/run away
3. I've already recorded some sounds but I'm planning to record more sounds this weekend.
4. The topic of running matters to me because it's something that I've been doing for years and enjoy, but It's hard to explain to people why I enjoy it and I think this assignment might help me do that.
5. The challenges I see in creating the project are mainly in collecting sounds that I can't record in person (i.e. a cheetah would be hard to find). Also I'm planning to add a sort of poetic narrative over a series of running sounds that both reflect the state of mind of a runner and explain why I enjoy running personally, so coming up with that poem could take some time.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Research Sound - Professional Examples
For the professional examples I decided to comment on Artificial Treatment and Territories de Sans Blanc because I found them both to be very similar in essence but different compositionally.
I found Artificial Treatment to be interesting because of the strange way these very artifical mechanical sounds seemed to work together. The timber was generally the same throughout the piece so that may be the reason that all the sounds seemed to blend together well, but the use of the different pitches and tones also worked in a an interesting way. The piece was almost irritating yet soothing at the same time and it's kind of hard for me to explain why exactly. There were also some occasionaly uses of rhythm throughout the piece created by a few repetitive mechanical sounds.
Territories de Sans Blanc worked in much of the same way that Artificial Treatment did, it used the same artifical/mechanical sounds with a sense of imber that was generally the same. The tones in Territories de Sans Blanc also seemed to have that irritating yet soothing quality. My only criticism about this piece is that it seemed to lack the variety that was present in Artificial Treatment and I think that's where Artificial Treatment seemed to break away from Territories de Sans Blanc.
I liked both pieces, I think that they both seemed to have an aesthetic quality about them that was somewhat pleasing, I just think Artificial Treatment was a little better compositionally.
I found Artificial Treatment to be interesting because of the strange way these very artifical mechanical sounds seemed to work together. The timber was generally the same throughout the piece so that may be the reason that all the sounds seemed to blend together well, but the use of the different pitches and tones also worked in a an interesting way. The piece was almost irritating yet soothing at the same time and it's kind of hard for me to explain why exactly. There were also some occasionaly uses of rhythm throughout the piece created by a few repetitive mechanical sounds.
Territories de Sans Blanc worked in much of the same way that Artificial Treatment did, it used the same artifical/mechanical sounds with a sense of imber that was generally the same. The tones in Territories de Sans Blanc also seemed to have that irritating yet soothing quality. My only criticism about this piece is that it seemed to lack the variety that was present in Artificial Treatment and I think that's where Artificial Treatment seemed to break away from Territories de Sans Blanc.
I liked both pieces, I think that they both seemed to have an aesthetic quality about them that was somewhat pleasing, I just think Artificial Treatment was a little better compositionally.
Research Sound - Student Examples
Of the student research sound examples that I found there were two that I found particularly interesting one was about poetry and the other was about attention deficit disorder.
I guess I found the piece on poetry interesting because it both describes the art of writing poetry and gives examples of different types of poetry. Not only does the piece accomplish this but it accomplishes it in a very poetic way, the rhythmic beating of the drum in the background sounds a lot like one of those drums you might hear someone playing at a poetry reading while they recite poems, and the use of different voices all work together in this very poetic fluid way that is both informative yet interesting because of the way the voices overlap.
I found the piece on A.D.D. to be similar to the poetry piece in the sense that it was also narrative, but what I found especially interesting about this piece was the way all the voices jumbled together sounds like the thoughts and voices that might be going through someone with A.D.D. and I thought the way the artist did this is what took the piece to the next level. There are also a few instances throughout the piece where you get a real clear sense of who the person is that actually has A.D.D., for example there's one case where there's a voice that says "I'm so bored, but yet I'm still hyper" and then there's something about his head feeling like "a million people jogging an olympic race." The piece also finishes with a voice saying "Andrew pay attention," which I find to be a really nice touch, it's almost as though the entire piece was just the person with A.D.D. wondering off thinking about all these things when really they should be paying attention to something else. This is a good example of creating a situation or narrative that conveys the point through the use of structure and composition rather than just words alone, and I found it really effective.
Neither one of these pieces really seems to focus on pitch, tone or timber all that much, although they are all used in some way. The main focus of these pieces seems to be in the narrative and although that's different from the representational and abstract sounds that we have been studying, I think they both work nicely.
I guess I found the piece on poetry interesting because it both describes the art of writing poetry and gives examples of different types of poetry. Not only does the piece accomplish this but it accomplishes it in a very poetic way, the rhythmic beating of the drum in the background sounds a lot like one of those drums you might hear someone playing at a poetry reading while they recite poems, and the use of different voices all work together in this very poetic fluid way that is both informative yet interesting because of the way the voices overlap.
I found the piece on A.D.D. to be similar to the poetry piece in the sense that it was also narrative, but what I found especially interesting about this piece was the way all the voices jumbled together sounds like the thoughts and voices that might be going through someone with A.D.D. and I thought the way the artist did this is what took the piece to the next level. There are also a few instances throughout the piece where you get a real clear sense of who the person is that actually has A.D.D., for example there's one case where there's a voice that says "I'm so bored, but yet I'm still hyper" and then there's something about his head feeling like "a million people jogging an olympic race." The piece also finishes with a voice saying "Andrew pay attention," which I find to be a really nice touch, it's almost as though the entire piece was just the person with A.D.D. wondering off thinking about all these things when really they should be paying attention to something else. This is a good example of creating a situation or narrative that conveys the point through the use of structure and composition rather than just words alone, and I found it really effective.
Neither one of these pieces really seems to focus on pitch, tone or timber all that much, although they are all used in some way. The main focus of these pieces seems to be in the narrative and although that's different from the representational and abstract sounds that we have been studying, I think they both work nicely.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Haley Uyrus - Abstract Sound
Listening to Haley's abstract rhythm file there is a pretty good sense of rhythm being demonstrated through the use of the metallic tapping, the potato chip crunch sounds and the ticking of a clock. There are some sounds at the end of the file that are a little more abstract and harder to determine what they are but they sound like they work rhythmically. My only criticism is that the sounds at the beginning are a little repetitive and I kind of want to hear a little more of the variety that there is at the end of the piece earlier. Also the ambient machine sound in the background along with some of the more random sounds sound a little more like pitch. Overall I still think it's a good piece.
Hayley's abstract pitch file works really well there's clearly a a range of different pitches and tones and the variety of timber is also very effective. The piece may use ordered language but I think the ways in which the language is manipulated works as it becomes very abstract. The end of the piece seems a little too different from the beginning of the piece and it could use something to relate it back to the beginning. The idea of adding an extra "you can't do the switch" at the end, which was mentioned in class, might be a good idea.
Hayley's abstract pitch file works really well there's clearly a a range of different pitches and tones and the variety of timber is also very effective. The piece may use ordered language but I think the ways in which the language is manipulated works as it becomes very abstract. The end of the piece seems a little too different from the beginning of the piece and it could use something to relate it back to the beginning. The idea of adding an extra "you can't do the switch" at the end, which was mentioned in class, might be a good idea.
Friday, February 23, 2007
3 Things I Learned In Class 2/23/2007
1. I learned how certain aspects of a sound art piece like pauses, timing, transitioning and variety can really contribute to what makes a sound piece interesting to the listener. I'll definitely make an effort to pay extra attention to these things in my next assignment.
2. I learned that the ways in which sounds are manipulated can really create an emotional impact for the listener, certain sounds can be used in a way that makes them humorous or frightening and a number of other various emotions simply because of the ways in which the pitch, tone, etc. were manipulated.
3. I learned how to take a concept and develop it in a quick and efficient way with the help of other people. I usually like to brainstorm on my own and then have other people give me feedback, but having other people help me brainstorm ideas for this next assignment was very effective today.
2. I learned that the ways in which sounds are manipulated can really create an emotional impact for the listener, certain sounds can be used in a way that makes them humorous or frightening and a number of other various emotions simply because of the ways in which the pitch, tone, etc. were manipulated.
3. I learned how to take a concept and develop it in a quick and efficient way with the help of other people. I usually like to brainstorm on my own and then have other people give me feedback, but having other people help me brainstorm ideas for this next assignment was very effective today.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Into The Zone
What does it mean to be in the “zone”?
I think being in the zone means to be in a mental state of complete focus and concentration, that enables you to perform physical tasks to the best of you're ability despite any sort of fatigue.
When have you been in the “zone”?
I guess I've been in the zone a few times during both cross country and track meets, I just got to the point where I felt as though I was able to run faster and all the fatigue that I had been feeling just seemed to pass. I think I've been in the zone a few other times when playing sports recreationally but it's hard to remember specific times.
What exactly enabled you to get into the “zone”? Please be specific.
I'm not really sure, usually before I compete I listen to music and sometimes while I'm in the middle of competing I get this sort of beat in my head that get's me into this sort of physical rhythm and I just start to relax and focus on what I'm doing and block out everything else.
How could learning about methods or tactics for getting into the “zone” help you with your Research Sound project?
I don't know maybe I could study the songs I used to listen to to prepare myself for competitions and see if I could put together some sort of compilation that has a similar feeling or effect that the songs had.
I think being in the zone means to be in a mental state of complete focus and concentration, that enables you to perform physical tasks to the best of you're ability despite any sort of fatigue.
When have you been in the “zone”?
I guess I've been in the zone a few times during both cross country and track meets, I just got to the point where I felt as though I was able to run faster and all the fatigue that I had been feeling just seemed to pass. I think I've been in the zone a few other times when playing sports recreationally but it's hard to remember specific times.
What exactly enabled you to get into the “zone”? Please be specific.
I'm not really sure, usually before I compete I listen to music and sometimes while I'm in the middle of competing I get this sort of beat in my head that get's me into this sort of physical rhythm and I just start to relax and focus on what I'm doing and block out everything else.
How could learning about methods or tactics for getting into the “zone” help you with your Research Sound project?
I don't know maybe I could study the songs I used to listen to to prepare myself for competitions and see if I could put together some sort of compilation that has a similar feeling or effect that the songs had.
Friday, February 9, 2007
3 Things I Learned In Class 2/9/2007
1. I learned how to observe and listen carefully to representational sounds and use those observations to make conclusions about what the sound is and where it is in relation to the space it occupies. This will help me improve my representational sound composition.
2. I learned how to listen to abstract sounds and comment on them using terminology like pitch, timber, tone, tempo, etc. I got a better understanding of what all these terms mean as well.
3. I learned how to take normal sounds and alter them in ways that make them sound entirely abstract, using Sound Studio. I altered the sounds by changing the pitch, tempo, amplitude and volume.
2. I learned how to listen to abstract sounds and comment on them using terminology like pitch, timber, tone, tempo, etc. I got a better understanding of what all these terms mean as well.
3. I learned how to take normal sounds and alter them in ways that make them sound entirely abstract, using Sound Studio. I altered the sounds by changing the pitch, tempo, amplitude and volume.
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