Exercise 3

In this class, you will develop a Sound Essay that explores a theme. To generate your creative direction, choose one word from the topic words list and two words from the transformative words list. You may select words other than the ones suggested, but please check with me first.

What You Will Do First

Listening Exercise (in class)

1. Find an interior or exterior location. Bring a notebook and pen. Mute your phone.
2. Sit quietly for ten minutes with your eyes closed and listen intently to the sounds in this place.
3. Make a list of every sound you hear.
4. Rank the sounds from the loudest to the quietest.
5. Which sounds occurred as a response to other sounds?
6. Identify any pattern sounds
7. What was the most remarkable/memorable/notable sound(s)?
8. How did you feel in response to listening or any particular sound(s)?
9. Draw a circle on a new page. You are in the centre of the circle. Place the sounds you heard in the circle from the furthest to the closest.
10. Make some drawings/sketches as visual response to the sounds.
11. Record the time, location, as well as the physical space (glass, wood, concrete etc…) or any other things that come to your thinking.
12. Return to the classroom after 1 hour.

Next Thing to Do

After completing the listening exercise, you will construct a Sound Essay 30-40 seconds in length.

1. Choose one topic word and two transformative words. Together, these words will supply the framework for developing your sound essay.

   Topic Words

   Transformative Words

2. Work to develop an abstraction of the words through sounds; try to avoid literal, obvious approaches (e.g. door closing = door sound).