Research: Sound Around You - Part 2

"The Sound Around You" is a world wide soundscape research project using a free app for the iPhone, iPad, or iPod, or one's own recorder, that allows one to capture, comment on, and upload their day-to-day sound environment to a sound map. A goal of the project is to raise awareness of how our soundscape influences us - information that might have implications for professions and social groups ranging from urban planners to house buyers. Access Map.  Also, Click2Read background material archived on this blog March 12, 2012.

Sound Around You Video Diary. These were early tests of the software and mapping system by Researcher Charlie Mydlarz. 

• Promo Video  - Project Overview by Charlie Mydlarz

• In and around Paris

• Bryant Park - New York City

• Time Square Part 1 - NYC

• Time Square Part 2  - NYC

• Trump Towner - NYC

• Central Park 1 - NYC

• Central Park 2 - NYC

• Central Park 3 - NYC

• Central Park 4 - NYC

• Exchange Square, Manchester, UK

• Urbis Garden, Manchester, UK

• Printworks, Manchester, UK

• Parsonage Gardens, Manchester, UK

Research: The Sounds Around You - Part 1

The Sounds Around You Map Project is Researcher Charlie Mydlarz's PhD undertaking at the University of Salford's Audio and Acoustic Engineering Research Centre, Manchester, UK. He has been building a sound map of the world to investigate how sounds in the everyday environment affect people. 

The traditional method of sound surveying is to use trained professionals to go to a specific location to measure and assess a site using dedicated and expensive equipment. This project aims to enfranchise the public by providing them with the opportunity to play an active role in evaluating a soundscape by encouraging people to use their smart phones to record sound clips documenting their community soundscapes.  These are then uploaded to a virtual map along with a set of answers to questions about their selection

Video:

Introduction to Sound Around You Project (3:58) Charlie Mydlarz discusses how individuals can contribute to a 'Sound Map' of the world using their mobile phones. This process will soon change allowing participants to record and post comment simultaneously using a new phone application under development. Source: Vimeo

Project: Soundscape Diary Bryant Park NY

Bryant Park Diary (2:26) Using the Soundscape Around You project mobile phone application, Researcher Charlie Mydlarz explores the soundscapeof New York Cit's Bryant Park. In this video he explains the documentation process and how he rates the environment on scales from 1 - 9 for "pleasantness", "tranquility" etc. This data is then shared with the Soundscape Around You project. Click2Learn more about this project.

Project: Evaluating Soundscapes

Soundscapes in and around Paris (5:32) By Charlie Mydlarz. The Research Centre at the University of Salford is building a sound map of the world to investigate how sounds in our everyday environment make us feel. People around the world are asked to use their mobile phone to record 30 second clips from different soundscapes and upload them to the Centre's Sound Around You Internet site. 

This video demonstrates the selection of various French soundscapes using the Sound Around You software. The soundscapes you hear were recorded with a mobile phone and tagged in-situ with opinion data (i.e. scores out of 10 for the likes of soundscape quality, pleasantness, excitement, eventfulness, tranquility, etc).  Locations include the Versailles Hall of Mirrors, Gardens of Versailles, Gardens of Foutainbleau, Place de la Concorde, Cimetière de Montmartre, Sacré Cœur and Provins. See an earlier posted video: Project: The Sounds Around You. 

Education: A Sound Addiction

Those who choose a sound oriented career often do so based on early interests and experiences with listening. Some approach acoustic-ecology from an artistic perspective and others from a social or scientific one. In this set of videos four individuals explore their early fascination with the sounds around them and how being influenced by what they heard  they  opted for an a career in acoustic science and engineering.  These individuals  have been students at  the University of Salford's Audio and Acoustic Engineering Research Centre, in Manchester, UK.

(1:41) Charlie Mydlarz "The Whole Nine Volts"

(2:34) Jon Hargreaves "Sounds So Bad"

(2:43) Neil Bruce "Addicted to Sound"

(2:44) Trevor Cox "Engineering Baby"

Source: YouTube