Soundcities – Herd Above The Noise.

Sound artwork tbat play thousands of sounds from around the word. I am interested in the sounds of specific places, and how the sounds reflect this identity and re-imposes characteristics back onto the location or environment. It becomes an online aural experience that evokes place, both as literal description but also developed musical composition. The city is its own music, constantly evolving, a beautiful composition of squeaks, clanks, and pulses. The city is the orchestra. As globalization fractures the identity of the city experience we start to find things that appear the same the world over. Soundcities, involves field recording literally the sounds we hear as we walk out of the door. Not just as noise (data) or as noise pollution but also as an appreciation of sound and how this not only affects the space but is the space. The noise is the city, the noise is the music, the city is the orchestra and we are just conductors whose interactive actions compose this music as we walk around. We control the interface of the city as we navigate the streets. We are responsive in out interactions of the city space.

The custom software system can play thousands of sounds from around the world and is arranged into a series of online maps. The artwork interface links to the soundcities.com database and the sounds are fed into this online software system. This interactive installation allows the audience as creative user the possibility to remix the thousands of sounds from around the world on various soundmaps. The audience can visits the various cities and mix the soundmaps.

The sounds of cities give clues to the emotional and responsive way we interact with our cities. Cities all have specific identities, and found sound can give us clues to the people that inhabit these spaces, as well as provoking us and stimulating our senses in a musical way.

The system works in auto-mode if no one uses it or can users can interact and choose the sounds that get played (Its both interactive and generative) The online interface uses the Soundcities online database of the thousands of sounds from around the world. (available only on request 11.11.23)

ALSO Installation version.

What you see and experience is a map of wires and cables including over 170 speakers, a custom made amplifier that are all used to make the installation. The installation can be changed to just focus on any given city ie London, Paris, Rome or the whole world.

The installation features the use of soundcities.com database and live feeds with a new software system. It works in auto mode if no one uses it or can users can interact and choose the sounds that get played on the speakers. (Its both interactive and generative)

Available. Online or as installation. Both are available for exhibitions on request.

Keywords: Online, net art, system, real time, city, urban, derive, flaneur, sound art.

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