Reading Response 1

Identify the article you chose and why you chose it

The article I chose to respond to is "On a Clear Day I Can Hear Forever" by Gary Ferrington. The reason I chose this article is because it showed me an entire different way of observing my surroundings than I am used to. It really made me think about how much I might have missed by not paying as close of attention to the sounds in my environment. After reading this article I have a much greater appreciation for the sounds around me and I tend to take more time to just listen. Out of all of the articles we have read, this one has had the biggest efffect on me.

What are the main points of the essay?

The majority of the essay is Gary Ferrington describing the sounds of his city. He goes into great detail describing all of the different sounds he observes from his apartment, including passing trains, cars, and planes, church bells, birds, and my favorite... wind. I believe that the main point of this piece is to urge his readers to take the time to listen and to observe their surroundings with their ears. Ferrington hopes to instill his appreciation for sounds upon all of his readers.

How are the ideas or arguments in this article relevant to your own practice as a media artist?

Prior to reading his article, Ferrington's ideas were not very relevant to my media practices. However, after reading the piece through three times and taking some time to consider the message within it, my practices have changed. I never used to just sit and listen to my surroundings just for the sake of listening. I was mostly a visual observer. Now, thanks to this article, I often find myself taking in my surroundings with my eyes shut and my ears at the ready. Now, more than ever, I pay close attention to the audio aspect of my art projects as well as the visual and other aspects. As a whole, this article has greatly effected my media practices for the better, and I believe it will help guide me to making quality pieces in the future.

Sound Walk 1

• Were you able to find places and spaces where you could really listen?

Not really, there were always loud background noises and/or interruptions

• Was it possible to move without making a sound?

No, you can make very little sound, but you can't be completely silent.

• What happened when you plugged your ears, and then unplugged them?

When I unplugged my ears, I was aware of more sounds than previously when I was listening.

• In your sound log exercise, what types of sounds were you able to hear? List them.

Bus and car engines, foot steps, squeaky brakes, bus exhaust, wind rustling the leaves, pencils scratching on paper, a moped, somebody coughing, people talking, a bus backing up, rustling paper, an airplane, chewing of gum, and skateboard wheels.

• Were you able to differentiate between sounds that had a recognizable source and those sounds you could not place?

Yes, some sounds I knew right away, others took a while to identify, and some I couldn't recognize.

• Human sounds? Mechanical sounds? Natural sounds?

I heard all three types of sounds.

• Extremely close sounds? Sounds coming from very far away?

Close sounds were much louder and clearer. The distant sounds were faint and unclear at times.

• What kinds of wind effects were you able to detect (for example, the leaves of trees don't make sounds until they are activated by the wind)?

I heard the wind in the trees mostly, but if I turned me head towards it I could hear it passing over my ears too.

• Were you able to intervene in the urban landscape and create your own sounds by knocking on a resonant piece of metal, activating wind chimes, etc.?

Yes, I banged on a handrail and listened to the resonance.

• Do you feel you have a new understanding or appreciation of the sounds of our contemporary landscape/cityscape?

Definitely

• How do you think your soundwalk experience will affect your practice as a media artist, if at all?

I will pay much closer attention to the sounds of my surroundings and how they play into everything else.