Postproduction
After continuous experimentation, I finally listened back extremely excited with the sound of sonic divinity the filtering tool elevated the immersive experience and achieved the correct tonality and distinction between the two worlds of sound I am experimenting with. The soundscape evolves from ultrasonic frequencies into reality and then phasing between the two. Furthermore, it builds up tension again using more ultrasonic field recordings and sub risers and drops into a space of just wind and whistles. This contrasts the activity of noise with a mostly silent section for the listener to be allowed to think and just sit with the emotions they just felt before the soundscape is further developed into its final section where again their inner peace gets destroyed by the active sounds that will be unleashed. The ending creates a listening state where consciousness is perfectly in sync with the fazing of the two worlds, the listener senses their own divinity in the buzzing of the city.
I am satisfied with the result however after playback and sharing the listening experience with others, I was able to areas I could improve on. For example, the use of bass risers and drops was too frequent which takes you out of the immersiveness. I also heard the external music composition backing the police sirens sounds too peacefully which is not the intent of hearing the sirens, this takes away the ecology of fear I am intending to sonically incision. I plan to redo this finding a new library of sounds for a more fearful and dramatic effect. In the section on open space and minimal sound activity, I want to reinforce the use of the human voice by including whistling. Inspired by Jose Macabra I found in his performances the use of voice elevates the sense of consciousness which therefore can be altered depending on the use, I believe the familiarity of voice connects us to our species and our inner divinity. I plan to include whistling in this section.
Sonic Divinity
Please listen to the audio file through the link provided below. This blog website only allows .mp3 uploads, therefore this reduces the audio quality. This work is best experienced through the .WAV a high quality audio file which is linked below. Also please listen with the volume increased for a full-body experience.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18vbsceg3MH39fWGShlR4miuI0ADaswZ-?usp=sharing
The previous changes I stated I would make, I have made and these have resulted in a very successful outcome. To address the colour coding, red = field recording, green = music composition, = blue = downloaded sound and yellow ultrasonic frequencies (there are other ultrasonic frequencies throughout however they are coloured red by mistake). Colour coding tracks are a part of my creative process to help me in editing, especially with a large number of tracks (106 in this case). The ending leaves on a huge bang taking the listener out of my soundscape back into reality. I intend for the listener’s afterthoughts to reflect on how they engage with their sonic environment and listen out for their sonic divinity…
My work has developed from my initial research about shungite into a complete composition. My initial interest was discovering radiation and its relationship to ultrasonic frequencies. This began the conceptualisation of this project. As field recording is a core part of my practice I intended to field record London using my previous experience and skill to deliver high-quality work as well as developing this skill using a variety of microphones and recorders. I discovered the H5 zoom was lowering the quality of my audio therefore I learned how to use the premix6 which elevated the quality of my audio which I was very pleased with. I began production intending to create an audio-visual work however, after experimentation with camcorders I realised this was behind my skill range with the limited time I had due to deadlines. After a seminar with Jose, he discussed live performance and sound. His work was very inspiring and conceptually similar to mine in the way of using sound to create fear and alter states of consciousness. He then discussed his thoughts on implementing visuals and his take was to make sure it does not distract the listener from the composition. This resonated with me and I made the creative decision that visuals would distract the listener from the auditory experience as my composition/soundscape creates the feeling that what you hear you are not able to hear therefore you are not able to see. What I mean by this is that the unpredictability of my soundscape is what creates the fear therefore the aspect of the unknown is key to experiencing my soundscape in its true form, to use sound in the effect of ecology of fear. Visuals would disrupt the sensory experience where I only want the sound to have an effect. My soundscape is best heard with no visual stimulation this includes any lights so please turn all lights off and turn the volume up.
My soundscape is called Sonic Divinity. I originally thought of electric hearing however sonic divinity came to me as I was in the production process. Hearing my field recording, the connection between the sound source and the emotion perceived was conceptually my goal to bring awareness in this visually biased Western culture in art, the sonic is not misunderstood, people are just unaware that we only perceive sound emotionally.
“The story here, the directionality of its chain of events, is a common one that persists into contemporary cognitive neuroscience: sound-cognitive classification of sound to attribute external source and internal subjective emotion movement, or activation of the body in response to the emotion. However, this model rests on certain problematic presuppositions regarding the relation between mind and body and their activation between feeling and emotion.” (Goodman, 2012, p. 67).
My soundscape encapsulates the deeper emotional response to the contemporary sonic environment of London. A constantly developing technological city as well with its population only increasing, the sonic space only becomes more filled. The more filled the sonic environment the less we can hear peace and feel connected which is why I titled my work Sonic Divinity.
Bibliography
Goodman, S. (2012). Sonic warfare: sound, affect, and the ecology of fear. Cambridge, Mass. ; London: Mit Press.