Important Things I Learned in class 1/29

1. How to use the recorder and transfer sounds onto my computer and manipulate them with sound studio
2. How John Cage performed his musical piece 4:30 as complete silence. He wanted the audience to experience his sounds bye listening to the sounds of the auditorium
3. The importance of the sound pyramid, and identifying the foreground, midground and background

Notes 1/29

sound intervention: something you interject into a space, not normally heard in that space.

Create Space
1. contrasts: clarity/character
2. Volume/amplitude


Pyramid of sound- 3 layers
Forground (heater turning on and off) - less of and louder
Midground (little kid running)
Background (voices from the auditorium) - lower and lots of character

wet space: lots of hard surfaces, sound waves splashing all over the place
dry space: space that absorbs sounds, rather than reflects them

reverberation: the way sound reflects/absorbs sounds

* john cage: founder of experimental sound
" there are two things that dont have to mean anything: music, and logic"

- After watching the short video clip on John Cage, I realized how much we are influenced by experimental sounds . John Cage emphasized the importance of silence, and differentiation in sounds. For example, he stated that if you listen to Beethoven and Mozart, they sound the same. However, if you listen to traffic, it is different every time. This statement exemplifies how experimental sound is constantly changing, moving, and vibrating. These experimental sounds are all around us, everyday. It is up to us to stop, and slow down our busy lives to notice and enjoy them. John Cage believes that no matter what the sound, it is important and beautiful. He is able to hear and imagine compositions of sounds out of everyday occurrences. There is no such thing as noise.

analyzing acoustics

inside slocum cafe
There is a lot of motion, chatter, and mechanical sounds coming from the preparation of food. The modern, simplistic atmosphere of the cafe allows sound to bounce off the walls, plastic chairs, and tables. This effect magnifies the low hum of small talk between students and the ever so often opening and closing of the cash register. Other sounds that surround me are the crinkle of wrappers, the chewing of students eating their lunch, the slurping of coffee, and the clicking of heels on the hard floor.
inside the shaffer stairwell
I sat at the top of the shaffer stair well and just listened to the sounds that traveled up from the bottom. A distant conversation of two girls talking about their art projects, the fast paced footsteps running up the stairs, probably late to class. The tunnel like stairwell reflects the sound. It is easy to hear the outside elements of the wind and snow whipping around outside the tunnel.
Inside the Archebold Gym
Its very loud. Lots of machines, Loud music, constant chatter, short breaths, heavy breathing. Its so busy and bustling and so much noise comes a long with it. The swipe of a card, a desperate slurp of water, a wet sneaker screeching on the basketball court, the clink of a weight as it is dropped, the heavy breath of a man doing pushups on the arm machine. The gym is full of interesting acoustics, all magnified by the large sky top ceiling and the wide open space.

Important Things I Learned in class 1/22

Time Arts was not the class that I expected it to be. I found it to be a lot more inspiring, and interesting than i thought. I learned the importance of blogging and reflecting on things that you learn. By doing this it helps you to remember and build upon information and ideas you learned in class, or in life. I also learned the importance of trying to discover what you are truly passionate about and using art to create and emphasize whatever it is you are interested in. Reading that sentence over now i realize that it is that idea that helps to create your best projects, and what art is really all about. Actually hearing that statement inspires me. I feel that all to often we end up creating things that we don't truly love. Lastly I learned the importance of slowing down life to listen and observe things you otherwise would not.

Time Arts Course Objectives

Objectives:

1. Research
2. Technical Proficiency
3. History/Contemporary Theories/Criticality
4. Formal Vocabulary/Terms