Soundworks Weblog/Jan
From Farrimond
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| Saturday, 31 July 2010
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Artists' Soundworks weblog entries for January 2007
Contents |
17th January 2007
Attended introductory lecture. Gained background knowledge on the project. Seems to be quite different to what I expected: it's more a case of abstract multi-tracking of sounds or creating a mood rather than short interviews or musical pieces which I expected this to be. I have a little background knowledge in sequencing and musical production, so that should help somewhat.
Took notes from the lecture. It is apparent I will need to produce:
- A contextual reference file: Sound clips - CD, Written references - contextual research: artists etc.
- Sonic Library consisting of sound clips I will collect over the next few months.
- Final Outcome in WAV format. To go on CD.
All sonic pieces to be burned to a CD for review/assessment. The project theme is 'the city'.
Research
Began researching some artists' soundworks on http://www.ubu.com/ , a website suggested in the module handbook. This has proved a useful source of information for me, a relative soundworks newcomer. Listened to a number of pieces, including:
- The Bristol Project: Vito, Acconci
- A 45-minute narrative piece centring on a journey about Bristol, a town in America. The narrator's voice can be quite soothing as well and even irritating at times, capturing the full range of moods one can go through when travelling through a city. This is overtracked with city hubbub such as human voices, sirens blaring and traffic. To contrast this busy city life, the use of the 'water' metaphor is prevalent, helping to achieve a calming influence. All in all, an effective radio narrative piece.
- Jarrod Fowler's work, in particular the 'JMF012' pieces
- These are a series of synthesiser-produced pieces to capture moods such as the ocean in The Ocean of Infinite Being and nothingness in 'When We Focus on Nothing'. These can be calming, soothing and even disturbing at times, evoking emotion through chords and discord.
- Music with Sound: The Tape-Beatles
- A series of two and three minute sound clips which merge archive sound captures with musical parts, mixed quite crudely though effectively to create some dramatic soundscapes utilising just two or three tracks: narrative, sound, musical snatches. Though quite vocal based, the editing techniques here can be taken and perhaps utilised: quick cuts and slices to create 'vinyl jump' type effects.
- Interview with a Cat: Broodthaers, Marcel
- Whilst not directly connected to the 'city' theme, was amusing and quirky nonetheless. Is literally an interview with a cat. The cat seems to react to the interviewers voice, almost answering his questions, as it were. Not sure if this is edited and multi-tracked or it's done in one take. Quite impressive if the latter.
Documented initial thoughts on these and more, as well as some early ideas in sketchbook, based on a short walk through Liverpool and from listening and thinking about some of these reference points.
Possible themes
- 'Sounds of the subway': Escalators, elevators, buskers, trains pass overhead
- Traffic: horns blaring, cars screeching tyres, vehicle engines revving
- City Hubbub - people: conversing in park, children playing
- Sirens: police car, dogs howl, fire engines, busy city noises
No doubt I will develop more themes as I being to build my sonic library.
What next
The next step will be to continue looking at artists as I have done, perhaps look into the history of soundworks by borrowing books from library. Certainly I will look to think of a theme as soon as possible and start creating a sonic library from which to work.
24th January 2007
Attended brief seminar where research material was handed out. Was given tutorial on equipment, in particular the hand-held sound recorder, which I borrowed for the afternoon to take around Liverpool. Although I am still unsure which course of action I may take with regards to subject, it was a good idea to build up my sonic library. Perhaps I would gat some ideas from the recording.
Recordings
Got around 17 recordings, mainly in Liverpool city centre. These included various street furniture sounds such as coins falling through a public payphone, zebra crossing beeps and general city ambience. Logged each of these in my sketchbook for future reference with track names and brief descriptions including where the recording was taken.
Research
Read the research material and took notes in sketchbook. Names of the pieces along with a brief summary of each is given as follows.
- An extract from A Year with Swollen Appendices by Brian Eno.
- Explains how, in his quest for a unique, original recording, his search led him to computer and technology, in particular a piece of sound software called "Koan" which generated a new piece of music based on a given soundscape each time. Explains how computers are an exciting new medium in sound generation, which, in itself, is a separate genre to live and recorded music, combining advantages of both.
- Making the Nature Scene, an article from The Wire Magazine
- Comments on how soundscapes of the world are ever changing due to the changing world. City soundscape projects are taking place all over the world, from Japan to Zimbabwe in an ecological sonic landscape of the earth. Mentions how the web has helped proliferate this, and refers to many examples of artists' works, including Douglas Quin's study of Antarctic life.
- An extract from Luigi Russolo's The Art of Noise, 1913
- Takes form of a kind of letter. Explains some key points relevant to this module, including how soundworks must be free from confines of man made 'music' and embrace natural and everyday sounds such as trams passing which can be just as interesting. Mentions there is an infinity of possibilities and how the machine helps produce and propagate this. Explains that all noises, no matter how loud or soft, have a certain impact and must be taken into account.
There is more on each of these in my sketchbook.
Was watching the North West news last night with an interview with Liverpool music type Pete Wylie, who mentioned an audio tour of Liverpool was available free on the web. Thinking this would be more artistic based (perhaps stupidly) decided to take a look but, as it turns out, it's more of an audio documentary of the Liverpool music scene. However the concept is certainly relevant: perhaps I could jam a whole aspect of Liverpool culture into my one-minute piece.
Began looking at some of the websites suggested in a handout. Particularly interested in Soundtoys.net, which fuses multimedia visual aspects with the soundscape idea. It's a little more commercialised than the traditional soundscape: one could say its an evolution of the medium for the web. This would be a good area for me to look into, being a Multimedia designer.
Some more specific examples:
- 'Approved': a nice little interactive piece that combines user input with a series of short animations in a simple but interesting manner.
- Random looper: a short looper program which expresses in part what Eno was trying to get across.
Possible themes
These are a little more developed now, hopefully by next week I will have some sort of concrete 'base' from which to build up my sonic library.
- Construction seems to be an interesting area, what with the city of Liverpool currently undergoing urban redevelopment. There is a lot of it around: jackhammers, motorised saws, cranes, chainsaws, JCBs: the list goes on. This, coupled with the idea that the machine is helping to develop the sonic medium would be certainly an interesting prospect and potentially lucrative area.
- I still like the idea of sounds of the subway, or even the train station, with passing trains and commuters rushing through constantly. Perhaps this could be widened to encompass all public transport, with car engines revving etc.
29th January 2007
Not managed to get any more recordings this weekend, unfortunately. Been trying some of this 'deep listening' whilst just going about everyday life. Since I live in a built-up area, this mainly consists of passing vehicles, with the odd construction crane or gust of wind thrown in there. But you do start noticing things like the general hubbub of a busy street with people milling around. This actually differs quite a lot on my local high street and Liverpool city centre, so it would seem that I am starting to 'get into' this theory of the Derive.
However I have been going through my sound/music collection looking for some good examples of commercial soundworks. Got a couple of these, not sure how relevant they will be, though. I will most likely present them in my final portfolio under the existing soundwork source and not here due to upload restrictions. One is a busy mesh of voices talking, dogs barking and other weirdness lasting for about 25 seconds, whilst the second is a series of sounds such as radios being tuned, children and other sound effects that make one think 'how is that produced?'
The Next Step
I will most likely work off the lecture on Wednesday based on any excursions to galleries/source material handed out. I will also continue to build up my sonic library when possible in Liverpool and any other towns/cities I plan to visit in the coming weeks. I will develop some ideas in my sketchbook and speak to tutors about possible formats of outcomes.
31st January 2007
Attended seminar relating to textual element to be produced. Made notes on what is required. Used these to help draft out a skeleton biography and piece statement. Need to produce:
- A 3rd person biographical statement about myself
- 3rd person statement to accompany piece
Went on to further tutorial on Pro Tools, the piece of software I am to use when creating the project, in particular the input of sounds and a few of the basic effects. Got a brief tutorial on the soundboard with plenty of knobs and switches and listened to some other students' recordings up to now.
Also, for reference, looked at some past student statements and final pieces. These proved that even with a wide-ranging subject such as city life in general some interesting results can be produced in the editing stages.
Ideas
Looked at some of the source material and sketched out a couple of ideas I might look to produce based on the rough idea that I have at the moment. These are transcribed below in their earliest state: I only conceived the idea today after being advised to base the project around what I am currently researching. Since this is community collaboration via the web, I felt it appropriate to begin developing the idea of creating a sonic community collage, bringing together the audio recordings of a number of individuals. Perhaps I could give them free reign over whatever they want to record, or give them restrictions making it something of a social science-based piece.
Rough versions of statement
Limit for both: 100 words. These are, of course, subject to major change, not least because they are not even 100 words in length yet. Also, they will most likely be reworded many times.
Biographical statement
Dan Farrimond Wigan, Lancashire
Dan Farrimond is a Multimedia designer and web artist who has studied at Liverpool John Moores University and has exhibited at Wigan College. Currently researching the web, new media and its collaborative capabilities, he is primarily interested in how the Internet opens up possibilities for both new and existing communities. His work takes the form of websites and written essays and also more traditional drawing-based pieces.
Maybe I will talk a bit more here about my artistic background and the type of work I have produced in the past.
Piece statement
[Name of piece] is a 60 second collaborative sonic collage containing audio clips recorded by people from around the world. A journey that takes the listener around the world from London to New York, the piece highlights the dialectal as well as vocal differences between geographical areas, but is also an experiment to see how people would react if asked to record ten seconds of "anything as long as it was inventive."
I will then go on to comment about some specific instances and references that will be contained in the piece. Part of the project is that I have no control over what the contributors actually do for their ten seconds.
Research
Also read the source material from today's Guardian newspaper on Chris Watson, who has made nature and wildlife recording something of a niche. Made further notes in sketchbook on this.
Have borrowed a couple of the books mentioned in the soundworks handbook from the library:
- Performance Art by RoseLee Goldberg
- Happenings and Other Acts by Mariellen R. Sandford. Will take a look at these and record my findings in my sketchbook and here.
What next
Unfortunately I will be hindered in making my own recordings this week due to lack of a sound recorder. However I can start to collect some of the aforementioned ten second pieces from other people. Perhaps I could ask people from University or look further afield, using the Internet to reach people from other cities and towns to continue building up my sonic library.
I would like to have a fairly solid idea of what I am going to produce when it comes to next week's seminar, when studio timetables will be handed out.
