Monthly Archives: January 2014

sound journal 1
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1. 1/31/14 8:30am my dorm room

2. I can hear the muffled sounds of distant traffic. It is the more gentle sound of tires on pavement, rather than engines or horns.

 

3. My roommate’s white noise generating fan is on. It creates a constant softening and deadening of all other noises. I can also hear the shower running, just on the other side of the wall. The dripping water changing pitch occasionally.

 

4. The whir of my laptop’s fan is higher pitched and harsher than the white noise fan, almost as though the sound clashes with itself, but of similar volume and consistency. When I move my arm, I can hear the sound of my skin brushing against the sheets of my bed.

 

5. For Hofstra campus, it is quite quiet and calm. Yet there is definitely noise, it is the consistency and soft quality of those noises that allows it to seem quiet.

 

6. routine

 

7. white noise fan, shower, computer fan.

Journal 1: “Do you understand decaf?” Wednesday, at Starbucks
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1. 1/29/2014, 7:30 PM, Starbucks on Hempstead Turnpike

2. Identify the sounds farthest from you:  Sitting by the window, I can hear the muffled sounds of the turnpike, as cars (some with reckless drivers going above speed limit) race past the ice-cold glass.  I can also hear the sounds of the parking lot: patrons getting in and out of their cars and walking towards the doors of the store.  The people sitting on the other side of the shop are talking, but the sounds at medium range mask them enough so that I can still hear that people are exchanging words, without understanding their conversation.  I would definitely be able to tell if the baristas, Doug and I were the only people present.

3. Identify the sounds at medium range: The lovely tunes of the Starbucks playlist seems overly prominent, while I focus on listening to my environment in this familiar coffee shop.  The fun and very flamboyant Chinese barista is having an animated conversation with the Spanish barista (who is in an unusually giddy mood).  He sassily asks her, “Do you understand DECAF???” They then continue pronouncing types of coffee in silly, over-exagerated accents.  I enjoy hearing them laugh, and the sense that their shifts are almost over makes me happy for them.  Of course, I can hear the water running in the sink behind the counter, and the baristas cleaning up, while there are no customers ordering.

4. Identify the sounds closest to you: Doug looking up from his homework and asking me “Why?” when he sees me sitting still, with my eyes closed and voice memo recorder on.  Luckily, he assumes it’s homework, and I can continue listening to his squeaky mechanical pencil and surprisingly loud page turns.  I can hear myself swallow down my soy vanilla latte.  I hear the increasingly hollowing sound of my cup as I place it back on the table.  I adjust my hair, and hear the sound of my fingers on my skin above my ear.

5. General sound level and activity:  With my eyes closed, it sounds like Starbucks is exceptionally loud this Wednesday.  There aren’t even many people around me, but the combination of a few conversations in a setting comfortable for the speakers, playful baristas, the tunes, the bustle of the Starbucks kitchen area, my internal sounds and the turnpike outside combine for a general sound environment that doesn’t come across as the best one to focus in.  Part of the reason why I like doing work here so much is that there is some environmental aural business.  There’s company, even when you are working alone.

6. One word to describe the sound environment: Unapologetic 

7. 3 essential sounds to the sound environment: 

– The sounds of the appliances and utensils behind the counter.

– The exaggerated conversation between the baristas.

– The Starbucks music filling the store.

 

 

Sound Observation #1
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1.Thursday 1/30/14 6:45pm. 614B Portsmouth House, Colonial Square.

2. Boys playing soccer in the hallway.

Cars on the street behind C-Square.

3. Suitemate humming as she gets ready to go out.

Shower head running.

Lana Del Rey playing somewhere next door.

4. Heater blowing out air.

5. Generally calm, save for soccer balls slamming into the walls that are jarring and alarming.

6.  Dense

7. Soccer ball hitting the wall outside

Humming

Lana playing in background.

Journal Entry #1
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1. 1/30/14, 9:58 pm, Dorm Room

2. Identify sounds farthest from you:

  • Cars passing by outside
  • Music coming from the room above mine

3. Identify sounds coming from medium range:

  • Swords Clashing from the common room where my roommate is playing Skyrim
  • Music from my suite-mates room coming through the wall next to me

4. Identify sounds closest to you:

  • The humming of the heater next to my bed
  • The humming coming from my laptop fan
  • The sound of my bed squeaking as I shake my foot

5. General sound level and activity:

The sound level is very calm and peaceful.  There is definitely a lot of activity but nothing is too loud and overtaking other sounds.  There is a balance.

6. One word to describe the sound environment: Calm

7. Three essential sounds from the environment:

  • The swords from Skyrim
  • The humming of the heater
  • The music from my suite-mates room

Sound Journal Entry 1
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1- DATE-TIME-LOCATION of the sound environment
Thursday, January 30th, 2014. 8:44 P.M. EST. 959 Braxton St Uniondale, NY

2- Identify and list the sounds farthest away from you.
• A car engine starting; the car suubsequentially driving away
• The whimper of a window left ajar against wind gusts
• The echo of the television hitting the kitchen wall

3- Identify and list the sounds at a medium range from you.
• An oven, metal creaking as it heats up
• Static bulb hum (from a Television)
• Inhalations & Exhalations of a sleeping Gary Newman

4- Identify and list the sounds closest to you (You can include internal sounds if noticed or relevant).
• The scratch of my hair against a polyester chairback
• Type-type-typing of a MacBook Pro
• Thumbpads striking the surface of the tablet I’m writing this on
• Blinking

5- Describe the general sound level and amount of sound activity.
It is quiet. There is noise, but the air is thick with introspection. The television is on low, unwatched. Background noise.

6- Assign a one word description to the “sound environment”.
Cavernous

7- Select and list 3 sounds which are essential to the sound environment.
• Echo
• Sleeping Gary
• The Howling Wind

Journal Entry #1
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1. 1/30/2013, 2:36 pm, my dorm room.

2. Identify sounds farthest from you: Sound of the cars passing by, rap music down the hall, doors closing.

3. Identify sounds at medium range: Sound of the heater, humidifier, and fridge.

4. Identify sounds closest to you: My bracelets shaking against each other, the typing noise on my iPad, and the noise of my fingers against the iPad screen.

5. General sound level and activity: Mostly soft low sound level except for the the music which is loud. The activity is low but constant. The noises are all continuous but rather mundane and common noises except for the music.

6. One word to describe the sound environment: Disruption.

7. Three essential sounds to the environment: The music, humming of the heater, and cars going by.

 

Sound Journal #1
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1- DATE-TIME-LOCATION of the sound environment
Thursday, January 30th, 2014. 2:36 p.m. EST. Room 107 Emily Lowe Hall, AKA “The Psibrary”

2- Identify and list the sounds farthest away from you.
>The whirring of a distant machine, possibly something in relation to the heating.
>Footsteps from way upstairs, they’re more of a shuffle than a step.
>A professor speaking. The noise is way too muffled to even determine the gender.

3- Identify and list the sounds at a medium range from you.
>There’s a door that keeps slamming, the slam consists of two very rapid clicks, one for the collision of the door and the other for the locking mechanism.
>Voices in the next room over, students. The voices are orderly, not one speaks over the other.
>A stapler has been being used consistently for almost two minutes at this point. Followed by the occasional ‘Ah, shit’ from Angela.

4- Identify and list the sounds closest to you (You can include internal sounds if noticed or relevant).
>The noises nearest myself are very quiet.
>The clock ticks in a manner that makes you feel like it’s working too hard. The sound of a marker on an easel from the updated Act Facts of the day.
>Another clock is ticking, and it’s slightly out of sync with the other.
>A very calm tapping, something just short of a water droplet on the ceiling.

5- Describe the general sound level and amount of sound activity.
The sound level is a few steps above eerily silent. The voices at medium range allow for a relaxing background that isn’t all that unnerving.
The activity can be described as dispersed, free, very thinned out, and passing.

6- Assign a one word description to the “sound environment”.
>Sparse.

7- Select and list 3 sounds which are essential to the sound environment.
>Out of sync clocks
>Footsteps
>The orderly voices of students

Sound Journal #1
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1-  January 29, 2014, 11:20am, Unispan

2- Identify and list the sounds farthest away from you.

Furthest away from me, I can hear the sounds of people’s feet shuffling and crunching with snow and salt coating the bottoms of their shoes. I can hear talking at all different volumes: some yelling, some speaking softly, and some just chatting with their friends. I hear people’s breaths get heavier as they climb to the top and then a sigh of relief once they start walking down.

3- Identify and list the sounds at a medium range from you.

Closer to me, I hear the rustle of the jackets on the people next to me and the music coming from some kid’s headphones as he blares his music way too loudly. I hear the excitement in people’s voices as they excitedly talk about their weekend plans or how nervous they are for their course load. I hear the sound of the unfortunate soul who brought too many books to class and is trying to make it through the crowd without being run over.

4- Identify and list the sounds closest to you (You can include internal sounds if noticed or relevant).

I hear the sound of my breathe get heavier as I climb to the top of the unispan and my own sigh of relief when I start the climb down. I hear the rustle of my jacket as my arms swing side to side. I hear the beating of my heart and the thoughts in my head of all the things I need to accomplish today.

5- Describe the general sound level and amount of sound activity.

It is a loud and boisterous sound level as people quickly and excitedly make their way around campus. There is a lot going on and it’s hard to focus on specific details without getting lost in the hustle and bustle. It’s really interesting to try to focus on certain things though because it forces you to try to pinpoint where the sounds are coming from.

6- Assign a one word description to the “sound environment.”

Rushed

7- Select and list 3 sounds which are essential to the sound environment. Note: you need to try and figure out what sounds make up this environment and which of those sounds need to be there for the feeling of the environment to stay intact.

The shuffling of feet with snow and salt on the bottom of their shoes, the sound of music from the kids’ headphones, the beating of my own heart as I climb and descend the unispan

Assign category “Journal Entry” to the post.

Add your first name as a tag. Add appropriate tags to the post (location, sounds, etc.).

Sound Journal #1- Doesn’t Anyone Eat Breakfast?
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1-  January 29, 2014 9:50 am Bits & Bytes at a table

2- Identify and list the sounds farthest away from you.

  • The rumble and crackling of the radiator
  • The morning news on the television
  • The door opening and closing
  • The wind brought in by the opening and closing of the door

3- Identify and list the sounds at a medium range from you.

  • The footsteps of students
  • The rotation of the ceiling fan
  • The shaking of sugar packets by a cafeteria worker at the coffee machine
  • A student pulling out a chair and arranging their things

4- Identify and list the sounds closest to you (You can include internal sounds if noticed or relevant).

  • The humming of the toaster oven
  • The conversation happening between cafeteria workers
  • My pen writing on paper

5- Describe the general sound level and amount of sound activity.

  • The general sound level is low but the sound activity is very low.  It is still considered early in the morning for most people, so there is no conversation made by any passing students. It is also a time where the cafeteria is generally empty. Most of the sounds are coming from objects.

6- Assign a one word description to the “sound environment”.

  • Asleep

7- Select and list 3 sounds which are essential to the sound environment. Note: you need to try and figure out what sounds make up this environment and which of those sounds need to be there for the feeling of the environment to stay intact.

  • The conversation among the employees
  • The humming of the toaster
  • Footsteps

Assign category “Journal Entry” to the post.

Add your first name as a tag. Add appropriate tags to the post (location, sounds, etc.).

Sound Journal #1
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1 – 1/27/14 – 12:39pm – Axinn Library, second floor

2 – Identify and list the sounds farthest away from you.
Numerous students conversing in the adjacent room.
A group of people shuffling toward the stairwell door.

3 – Identify and list the sounds at a medium range from you.
Students talking to each other on the red couches.
The student printer, printing out homework.
The “pinging” noise the elevator makes as it approaches the second floor, along with the opening of the elevator doors.
The stairwell door closing loudly.

4 – Identify and list the sounds closest to you.
My repetitious typing on the computer’s keyboard.
The drone of the heat registers in back of the computer monitors.
Students flipping through the sheets of their study guides near me.

5 – Describe the general sound level and amount of sound activity.
The general sound level and rate of activity feel moderate for the second floor. The noises of the keyboards are generally consistent. The loud voices of the other students prove to be distracting as they carry out their conversation, while other students are completing assignments.

6 – Assign a one word description to the “sound environment”.
Busy.

7 – Select and list 3 sounds which are essential to the sound environment.
The typing on the computer keyboards.
The elevator’s noises.
The consistent sound the heat registers make.