Memory Soundscape Documentation
This is my memory soundscape:
A. Concept
The concept of my project is to reflect memory beside the sea. In the audio, we can hear two long pauses, which separate two different memories. The first part of the memory is about the bay in the city, where you can hear the sound of a vessel and the ring by the bell tower. In order to run away from the hustle and bustle of city life, I took the subway across the sea and then walked slowly to the beach. All I could hear was the waves in the ocean. I sat there, staring at the sea, and gradually calmed down.
The second part of the memory is about a period when I lived beside the sea. I took a train for quite a long time and arrived at the coast. I remember I had a wonderful life drinking coffee and having a rest there. So the sound shows how my mom made coffee. She prepared, used the machine to make it, and then poured the coffee into the bottle. The sound of the coffee stream mixed up with the waves, which represented the relaxing life beside the sea.
Besides, there is a connection between the pauses, it is the spring water with bird singing. I use it in order to show a happy feeling, a feeling with hope.
B. Process
The sounds that I have used for the project mainly come from natural sounds, like the sea waves, the bell in the temple, the footsteps, the sound of the metro, rain, birds, the coffee machine, etc. Apart from that, as for the echo of the bell, I used the sound of applause from the audience. As for some rhythms with a high tone and a fast speed, I clicked my bottle to make the sound. Also, when it comes to making a coffee, I added the sound of the opening of a bottle to the waves in the background in order to create the whole process of coffee-making through listening and feeling.
When it comes to the challenges that I met, as I reopened my file after it was saved, the draft had changed, and the different soundtracks formed one at last. This caused some trouble to recut the “new” soundtrack.
C. Conclusion
Overall, my intention in making this memory soundscape is to escape from all the tiredness and sorrow in real life, and just enjoy sunshine and freedom beside the sea. I live beside the ocean every year for a month, so this is an experience that I appreciate.
The professor told me that I used the method of “montage” to create the memory soundscape, and the sound of the bell is authentic. As he said my artwork is fascinating, I am so glad to hear that, but I still have lots of space to make progress.
My classmates also gave me impressive comments: They thought that the atmosphere in my soundscape was great. As for the sudden pauses, some thought that it was like a movie scene, and others considered it quite confusing. Importantly, they advised me to make better transitions in my soundtracks, I found which really useful.
If I have more time, I’d like to record more types of sounds in order to show a memory with an impact between different styles and I’d like to try more methods in Adobe Audition to mix the sound.
D. Image of Audition
