I really enjoy this idea of a sound walk and having a soundtrack of different areas by recording the "music" of the different places we explore. It brings a new perspective to what many may view as "noise" others hear music.
What is Sound Art?
I enjoyed reading about how sound art functions differently from popular music forms such as pop music. (p. 14) It states that sound art views sounds as "a phenomenon of nature and or technology. It said how it rarely attempts to created a portrait etc. So with that being said what is its purpose? If it doesn't create a portrait or a picture than is it just noise? Or is that a false statement if I heard a sizzling sound the picture created would be something being fried.
So I think like most definitions there are always parts that can be debated.
When they say that all sounds can be music, they are also talking about music in not just terms of notes and instruments but, that music also includes the spectator/listener who carries their own, “perspective shaped by social, political, gender, class, and racial experience.” (107)
ReplyDeleteWhat is special about the sound walk is that the each listener has their own different personal experience when they go for the walk. The sound walk plays on the idea of time and what it means to be present. The prerecorded sound is referring to the past, someone’s past experience in that place. Thus when each listener experiences that piece they feel the disconnection between the past and present experience of that place. They become more aware of the sounds around them. An example from class was when you hear sirens and aren’t sure if it is the music you are listening to or really happening.
I agree that one of the ideas pg. 14 was trying to get across was the difference of sound art and music. One of the main differences is that sound art can be defined broadly, that yes, sound art could just be noise and that sound does not have to be associated to an image. When they refer to portrait, I thought of more how lyrics of music try to tell stories, singing about places, love, a lost dog.
By referring to the ‘phenomenon of nature and or technology,’ it is referring to all the things sound can include before it became categorized into different types such as pop music, sound effects, jazz. It serves to open up the possibility/definition of sound. Pop music has a very specific sound, it has certain expectations, it’s predictable, it’s for entertainment. Sound art is not necessarily tied to the expectation that it needs to be enjoyable.