{"id":1823,"date":"2019-04-15T12:21:31","date_gmt":"2019-04-15T12:21:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wri-101k-s19.andrewrippeon.com\/blog\/?p=1823"},"modified":"2019-04-15T12:21:33","modified_gmt":"2019-04-15T12:21:33","slug":"the-natural-sound-of-the-unnatural","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wri-101k-s19.andrewrippeon.com\/blog\/writing-project-3-the-davidson-soundscape\/the-natural-sound-of-the-unnatural\/","title":{"rendered":"The Natural Sound of the Unnatural"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Abstract\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Davidson campus is a beautiful and scenic setting with many interesting soundscapes. The outdoors seems to dominate most of the conversation surrounding both the campus and its respective acoustics; and so, it was only fair to analyze the \u201cnatural soundscape of Davidson\u201d. To accomplish this, I used my iPhone to record videos and pictures of the different soundscapes and explored their environmental and cultural contexts, and the role they play in what makes the soundscape of nature. Through discussion of three soundscapes differing in origin, I attempt to find the connection between what I deem \u201cnatural\u201d and \u201cartificial\u201d sound.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Natural Sound of the Unnatural\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, and perhaps even before, the sound of the manmade world seems to plague and contaminate the soundscape of the natural world. Within everyone lies this distinct association between metallic cacophony and the artificial world of transportation, industry, and technology. On the other hand, the natural world is often credited with its pleasurable and peaceful soundscape. The sound of a rooster waking everyone up at the crack of dawn or the sound of small waves crashing gently against a shore are culturally ingrained in the minds of listeners. This binary opposition between natural and artificial sound and their corresponding associations of peaceful and organic, and perverse and obnoxious tell us a great deal about the power and effects of soundscapes in the human mind. However, these associations are nothing short of stereotypes, as this rule is by no means concrete and often contradicted. The Davidson College campus provides a perfect plethora of real-life examples which serve as counterarguments to this. With unpleasant natural sounds, pleasant artificial sounds, and even seemingly natural manmade noise; the Davidson soundscape shows us that the human perception of natural and artificial noise is much more complex than good and bad. The Davidson soundscape shows us how often the soundscape itself is all we hear, rather than the noise producing it.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the sound of nature is too broad and vague to be categorized as pleasurable or calm, it is certainly portrayed as such. However, not all the sounds of nature are as peaceful and soothing as the crashing of waves or the gentle hymn of insects. As a matter of fact, the hymn of insects can be quite the opposite, as observed on the path between Baker Dr. and the Duke residence hall. Between the two there is a small strip of trees and dirt with some wooden chairs; a rather pleasant and\u00a0green\u00a0setting. However, on any given night above sixty degrees without rain, the unmistakable call of cicadas drowns out just about any other noise. The incessant ringing is reminiscent of a broken air conditioner. In Michael Chion\u2019s\u00a0The Three Listening Modes<\/em>\u00a0he mentions three forms of listening of which one is particularly useful for observing these sounds in nature. Via \u201cReduced Listening\u201d, we can listen to a recording of the cicadas as opposed to being in the presence of the sound, and the sound itself becomes much clearer and loses the natural and peaceful aspect of the soundscape. Instead of looking for the cause of the sound, such as in casual listening; we entirely disregard the cause and associations that come with it, leaving nothing but the sound itself and its individual soundscape. Upon listening to the recording below, the noise emitted is more reminiscent of the static from a television rather than any insect. While the individual might hear many different varying sounds, there is a common unpleasantness to the constant high-pitched, monotone ringing.\u00a0Despite being the epitome of natural sounds, the cicadas are anything but calm and soothing.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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