I chose to do my
sound walk along the East River Walk. I
chose this specific area because the walk has been my own oasis for the past
three years I’ve lived in Manhattan. It’s
my favorite spot to run and relieve stress but I’ve always experienced it with
headphones plugged in and blocking out the sounds around me. I thought it would be interesting to hear
what audio I’m missing when I turn off the music.
I
was surprised at how many noises I heard while on my walk. I guess only in New York could you describe an
oasis as a place where you hear sirens screaming, horns honking, and cars
zipping by. Some soundmarks I heard were
waves crashing along the concrete, the soft thump of running shoes hitting the
ground and the scratches created by the friction of feet, gravel, and concrete. Keynotes were the soft brush of the wind
hitting the tree, the cars passing by, and the distant and nearby voices
between chatting friends. As I continued to walk close to a nearby park more
soundmarks were added such as the kicking of soccer balls, the cheering of
teammates, and the panting and barking of dogs wandering by. Some foreground sounds included the man who scolded
his dog for barking at another dog, the cry of a child who fell off his
scooter, and the wailing siren that sped past.
It
was a lot more noise and chaos than I expected my paradise to be. It was amazing to see how many noises existed
that I was not previously aware of until I took the time out to tune in.
