Essay #3

According to Blesser and Salter the definition of aural architecture is defined as “the composite of numerous surfaces, objects, and geometries in a complicated environment creates an aural architecture” (Blesser and Salter, 2).  All of those components can affect the soundscapes of any given building or area.  Some of the examples they give are how singing in the shower can sound drastically different than singing in a living room or how an orchestra would sound different in a concert hall than the forest.

In my own life I can right away think of one recent example of this idea in my life.  A few months ago I had to clean out my old room at my parents house so it could be remodeled.  With all of the furniture in the room you don’t really ever think about how sounds could be different if the room were somehow different.  But once everything was out and it was just an empty room the sound change is so clear.  The room gave every sound that empty echo that large enclosed spaces tend to impart.  On this Blesser and Salter say “The personality of a soundscape includes the personality of sounds as well as the personality of the aural architecture illuminated by those sounds” (16).

Unnamed Sound

Sound 1 (0:40) Recorded behind Walgreens
WAV
MP3

Sound 2 (0:40) Recorded in a Friend's Garage
WAV
MP3

BUS ROUTE
I didn't really pay attention to which bus I got on, I just boarded one that was in front of the union and picked someone on the bus to get off at the same stop as, which ended not getting me too far, as I just ended up near the corner of Locust and Oakland.

Google Maps
Me on the bus