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WRI-101: Voice, Noise, Sound, Sense.

A section of Davidson College's Writing Program, exploring the intersections of sound-studies and writing instruction.

trcandelaria

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Writing Project 4

Trevor Candelaria
Andrew Rippeon
Voice Noise and Sound
November 29, 2018
Understanding Sound
There is no one way to look at or comprehend sound. It is multifaceted, multi-dimensional, and full of nuances. There is no concrete definition of what sound is. We must accept that sound is subjective and that its meaning and value is determined both by the producer and by each individual perceiver. My understanding of sound over the course of this semester has been similar to sound itself; fluid and ever-evolving. The variety of sound that I have encountered through this course has both affirmed and contradicted my ideas, forcing me to constantly reflect and reevaluate. This journey of reflection through sound is marked by my desire to conceptualize what sound is, but just as importantly, what sound is not. My reflection and growing understanding of sound can be witnessed explicitly through my writing assignments throughout this course. To demonstrate this continual growth, we will examine my writings in a chronological order, analyzing how and why my definition of sound has changed. As a method of comparison, we will also consider the work of DJ Spooky, a turntablist, record producer, philosopher, and author. Ultimately, we will arrive at how I interpret sound in the present and its application to this paper.
The first time I truly grappled with the conceptual entity of sound was while listening to Alvin Lucier’s, “I Am Sitting in a Room.” I was incredibly naïve and not fully capable of appreciating what Lucier was doing in this work. However, this is where my foundation for understanding sound started. Although I did not explicitly provide a definition, my takeaway from the piece was that sound can be understood concretely, in words, and abstractly, in symbolism. I argued that the noises being transmitted at the tail end of Lucier’s recording were,

“essentially the intended message being condensed into its purest symbolic form.”

While my claim is not unreasonable, it is incomplete as it fails to quantify exactly what the “purest symbolic form” of sound is. Further, the work of DJ Spooky contradicts the idea that there is a singular “purest symbolic form” of sound. Rather, he explains that sound isn’t one particular thing or shape, nor can it be understood in isolation. Sound is indeed fluid as my original claim suggests, but there is not one purest form of sound because sound possesses purity in all of its forms.
Naturally, as I began to gain exposure to different sounds my understanding of sound grew. In the first writing project I was asked to situate and discuss a vocal text in a theoretical context. While this project was geared towards the voice, it was still relevant to sound as voice is merely a subgenre of sound. My focus for this project was based on how,

“True meaning and voice can only be deciphered when the sounds made by an individual are understood in their original context”

At the time of its creation, this description seemed undeniable. It felt unauthentic to consider a voiceover such as “Bad Lip Reading” to be synonymous in value to its original recording. I recognize now how that thought process was flawed. DJ Spooky shows us the value of a remix as he relishes in the ability to create new meaning from meshing different sounds and voices. The residual meaning from the remix is in no way inferior or less authentic compared to the original. It is in every way equal, as it provides a fresh perspective often untouched or unattained by the original. Essentially, sound carries purpose and meaning regardless if it is “original” and regardless of the context.
The second writing project took an even more in depth look at the art of remixing as it required me to examine how sampling, the process of capturing an aspect of one song and applying it to a new song, is utilized by artists to create sound. After studying the topic, I concluded that,

“[Sampling] affords artists the ability to re-contextualize sounds in a way that provides new perspective or meaning.”

I began to realize at this point of my journey that sound is never stagnate or frozen in form. Sound is infinite. Much like a loop, there is no beginning or end, just a constant stream capable of being contoured. The remixing of a song is merely a nuanced way of understanding the original sound. DJ Spooky echoes this sentiment in his life’s work, exemplifying how the manipulation of sound is a marvelous tool in reaching new audiences and applying new meaning. After considering how remixing affected sound, I recognized that my definition of sound must also be “remixable” as it is impossible to define an ever-changing construct with an inflexible description,
In my third writing project I was asked to engage with the acoustic environment around me. I was charged with the responsibility of carefully listening to and defining the “soundscapes” that exist within the Davidson Campus. This activity forced me to contemplate sound in a way that I was previously unaware of: sound as an indication of time and location. I learned the significance of keynotes/ soundmarks and their role in my personal understanding where I was at a particular time and place. But perhaps most importantly, I became cognizant of my negligence to observe the sounds around me:

“Unfortunately, we often fail to recognize and appreciate [soundscapes] for what they are, and thus deprive ourselves of the qualities they possess.”

I found that I subconsciously ignored many of the sounds around me and subsequently prevented myself from fully understanding sound’s importance in my life. After this project I came to the realization that sound is just as critical to the identity of an environment as its physical properties are, and that it is possible to recall an environment based solely off of the sounds it emits. DJ Spooky touches on this idea by explaining that the meaning of a sound can be dependent on the place it comes from. For example, the sound of running water can derive its meaning from the existence of a stream in a soundscape. Sound plays a critical role in how we interpret the places around us, and the better we acknowledge that fact, the better we understand sound’s value as a whole.
At last we arrive at the present, where my understanding of sound is nowhere near its limit, but nonetheless greater than where it was before I started this course. DJ Spooky has provided a guideline to my awareness of sound and facilitated my understanding in many ways. Not to say that his opinions are the be-all and end-all, but they have certainly assisted in my reflection. I recognize that sounds are fluid and capable of being altered to form something new. I appreciate the role sound plays in my comprehension of the places around me, and perhaps most importantly, I now know my definition of sound is limitless and subject to continual expansion. To expand in one last way, I leave you with my final observation of the course: Writing and sound are in many ways synonymous. In essence, writing is the tangible encapsulation of sound. Just as a DJ would mix and sample sounds from various artists, an author utilizes the sources and ideas from previous writers to create a nuanced collection of words and thoughts. Further, the words you are reading off this screen are the embodiment of my voice- a voice comprised of sound that is both unique and ever-evolving.

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Blog 13

The sample sound map that our class created forces listeners to contemplate the noises/sounds they hear within their environment more intently than they normally would. Instead of contributing to the soundscape as one typically would when walking about campus, the listener is a third party and is able to absorb and dissect the things they hear at a greater depth. For example, when listening to our soundscape I picked up on just how involved the sounds of nature are within the Davidson College campus. I was able to hear multiple birds, the chirping of insects, the rustling of leaves etc. at several of the geographical points on the map. When actually visiting these sights in the physical sense those sounds go unheard or unappreciated because I am either oblivious to their existence or too loud myself to receive the sounds.

 

Similar to the sound map we created, Westerkamp’s creation helps the listener key in on the different sounds that her environment creates. Contrary to ours, Westerkamp’s recordings are derived from a beach location. However, there are certain points on the map where the “city” or what appears to be more of an urban environment are prevalent. Westerkamp explores the two distinct soundscapes by emphasizing each of their qualities. For example, she isolates the naturalistic sounds of the waves and plays them uninterrupted by the hectic cityscape at some points while at other points she allows the loud recordings of cars and city life to run free. The contrast she creates with her map exemplifies the many ways that a listeners can interpret their surroundings through sound.

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The Sonic Color Line

“When scholars invoke nonvisual idioms of race, they are treated as ancillary to visual indicators rather than as constitutive forces in their own right” (4). This quote is significant because it brings to light the underdeveloped social conscience regarding racism amongst white Americans. Many Americans view racism as a one-dimensional issue and confine their perspectives to include only the visual aspect of it. The Sonic Color Line and the Listening Ear, by Jennifer Stoever, warns against this practice and introduces the relevant relationship between sound and race. Stoever explains how “…listening operates as an organ of racial discernment, categorization, and resistance…” (4). Admittedly, this idea was foreign to me before reading this piece, but after consideration, it resonated heavily. I’ve heard the phrase, “he/she talks black” on more than one occasion and in more than one setting but have never seriously thought about the implications of the statement. That statement is racism in its purest form. The way one speaks can result in being categorized and profiled in the same way they would be for their outward appearance and pigmentation. Stoever reiterates this concept throughout her writing and forces the reader to acknowledge their role within auditory racism. Will a raised sense of awareness of the relationship between sound and race change the social dynamic regarding racism in America?

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“Walk On The Wild Side” / “Can I Kick It”

Walk On The Wild Side: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG6fayQBm9w
Can I Kick It: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v65eXd56Yp8

The band, A Tribe Called Quest, is well known for sampling excerpts of songs from various artists to create their own music. Perhaps one of their most popular creations is the song called “Can I Kick It” that samples its bass/guitar intro from Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side.” The first and most noticeable difference between these two pieces is the time periods and genres in which they were created. “Walk On The Wild Side” was produced in the year 1972 by rock artists Lou Reed while “Can I Kick It” was produced in the year 1990 by hip/hop and rap band A Tribe Called Quest. Immediately, I think about how just as sound and voice has evolved over time so has music. A Tribe Called Quest builds on Lou Reed just as Barthes and Sterne did on Plato and Aristotle. Similar to how theoretical discussion regarding voice has developed from its foundation, musical sampling draws inspiration and meaning from its predecessors.
While the genre and type of music differs between these two pieces, their impact is relatively similar. Both songs open with the same bass/guitar combo that eases the listener into an equally tranquil mental landscape. This keeps the authenticity of Lou Reed’s creation intact. It is important to notice that this is achieved void of “voice” and solely on musical composition. On a different note, it must be acknowledged that A Tribe Called Quest did obtain permission from Lou Reed to use the sample in their song. This is pertinent because it negates the idea of forgery or stealing and instead becomes a creation of added meaning.

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Crawford and Social Media

By this point in the day on a Sunday afternoon, it is likely that you’ve spent at least a little bit of time scrolling through social media. Whether it be Instagram posts of your friends or tweets about football, you’ve been exposed to a multitude of information. Have you been listening to this information? As Kate Crawford explains in “Following You: Disciplines of Listening in Social Media,” the way in which we actively participate in listening to social media “contributes to the sense of what is possible, as well as to the qualities of being” (79). Crawford touches on the ever-evolving landscape of technology and how it affects how we communicate over social media. She explains that, just as if we were to listen to one in a face to face conversation, we listen to the things people post about on social media. Essentially, what one puts out onto social media can be equated to their “voice.” Personally, I had never really thought about it in this context. I spend a significant amount of time on social media, but I don’t believe that I “listen” to what is being shared as attentively as I should, or the way I would if I was listening to someone’s physical voice. Crawford also brings to light the fact that, with social media one has the previously impossible ability of listening to the ideas and words of millions of other people, so our responsibility to listen becomes much greater. Nine years later and this point becomes exceedingly more relevant. Social media has grown tenfold since 2009 and millions more voices are being shared. So, just as the number of voices are rising, the number of active listeners should as well.

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Contextualizing Lucier in the context of Barthes

“The Grain of Voice” by Roland Barthes touches on the idea that voice in itself is meant to take on a symbolic figure rather than being interpreted for its literal property. In other words, as Barthes describes it, “Above all, [the] voice bears along directly the symbolic, over the intelligible…” This concept relates perfectly to Lucier’s performance in that the content of the words being spoken were in many ways irrelevant to the phonic experience being conveyed. As the track continues to loop, Lucier’s words become incomprehensible and all we are left with is a meshed composition of noises. This suggests that the actual verbiage in the performance was unimportant, or at the very least secondary to the noises that comprised the words. Further, and in the context of Barthes theory, Lucier would be more concerned with how his audience construes the sounds that come from performance over their understanding of the the tangible words. Ultimately, as I believe Barthes would argue, the noises being transmitted at the tail-end of Lucier’s performance are essentially the intended message being condensed into its purest symbolic form.

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Blog 101

Perhaps the most vivid experience I can recall with sound is hiking the Colorado Trail. The aura of a Rocky Mountain hike has no equivalent. It is remarkably quiet, yet bountiful with noise. When the breeze slows and the trees settle I can hear every breath I take. Simiarly, I can hear the crushing of leaves underneath every step, or the buzzing of a bee on an individual columbine. Virtually everything in the mountains emits some sort of noise, but it is at the hiker’s discretion to choose which noises they want to embrace. It is in this ambiguity that I find fascination.

By the same token, Lucier’s “I Am Sitting in a Room” provides a certain ambiguity in how the message can be received. Personally, and especially in the beginning, I had a hard time ignoring his speech impediment. After his initial stutter I had difficulty refocusing and the substance of the subsequent words became irrelevant. It was only after the track looped about ten times that I was actually able to enjoy what were now just a collage of liquified noises. However, maybe that’s the point. As his stutter becomes less distinguishable, his precision on the pronunciation of the other words is also compromised. Lucier could be implying that eliminating imperfections may come at the cost of the integrity of the piece.

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