Introduction to Prompt:

Have you been spending a lot of time in one place lately?

You may notice the color of the wall, the objects in the room, and even the scent and feeling you associate with this setting. But how about the sounds from this space? In this two-part exercise, you will spend some time exploring the different parts of your home to investigate the sonic qualities of each nook and corner. Then, you will compile a playlist of up to 5 different spatial recordings to share with the whole class. The final goal is to curate an immersive acoustics experience by fabricating a device for sound diffusion, vibrations, mixing, and other unique outputs.

Part One: Found Noise Soundtrack

In the Resource tab, watch TOKiMONSTA plays DJ set with Sushi - Sushi Sequencer. Taking inspiration from this unique approach, choose  5 different locations throughout your home/yard. Then, decide what your sound input will be- is it your whistling, strumming or singing? You may also borrow from other sounds like your cat meowing, the microwave beeping, the branch tapping on the window. How does this space carry sound and what effect does it have on the experience of being there? You will each need to test out best method for recording- whether that is using an app on your phone or using your laptop or an attachment microphone. Here is an example of recording bird sounds outdoors. 

Deliverables: 

• 5 separate recordings (minimum of 10 seconds) from different locations.
• At the end of each sound recording, include a voice memo note. For instance- The song of an Eastern Phoebe, recorded on the 2nd of April. At Sapsucker woods Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Temperature about 61 degrees, etc.
• Share sound clips to the designated studio cloud.
• Take a photo of each location. Post it to the class Instagram. The caption should be the location, type of sound input and your name. Please post all images in one post. 

Part Two: Acoustics Simulator

Watch the two videos posted in the response tab- Andrew Bird’s Echolocations and Bloom Smart Surface for Spatial acoustics. In the case of Echolocations, the artist explores how the sonic qualities of the canyons influence his compositions while in the Bloom project, the creators regulate the absorption and regulation of sound in space with an active installation.

For this part of the prompt, decide what your sound input will be- Then, conduct a few spatial acoustics experiments. What is it like when you recite a meditation om from your bathtub?
Consider propagation of sound through different mediums (solids, liquids, etc). When you have made some observations, prototype at least 2 different devices that alter, manipulate, control, amplify, mute, sounds using various techniques and methods.

Deliverables:

• Documentation of 2 different prototypes
• Video of devices at work
• Name and description of each prototype