Eventscape: The Aural Experience of Space and Place

Transcription

1 Eventscape: The Aural Experience of Space and Place Dr. Barry Blesser Blesser Associates 2/25/2011 Blesser

2 The Focus of This Lecture By looking at sound from a new perspective, can we better understand why people engage in sonically destructive behavior? 2/25/2011 Blesser

3 Sensory Connection to World Where are you located now? Objects and geometries (objectscape) Events and activities (eventscape) How do you place yourself in the world? Hearing, vision, smell, and touch 2/25/2011 Blesser

4 Sensory Deprivation 2/25/2011 Blesser

5 Senses Determine Your Location Properties of the senses vary Area of coverage Duration and time Transport mechanism Sources that can be sensed Robust or fragile medium 2/25/2011 Blesser

6 Inner Space is also a Space Altered State of Consciousness Arousal and hyper-focus Trance-like states Sensory input changes the mind Internal and external worlds fuse Intensity as analgesic Suppress other sensory input 2/25/2011 Blesser

7 Music Creates an Inner Space 2/25/2011 Blesser

8 Sensory Anthropology Functional definition, not biology Cultural relativism, wide variety Hausa culture s view of senses Brain wiring: you are how you live Cognitive strategies of preference Field work is instructive 2/25/2011 Blesser

9 Uniqueness of Sound Flows around obstacles, into openings Reveals the interior state of objects Requires action energy to create Contains time sequence, never static Can radiate over distance Multiple sources overlap No respect for private property 2/25/2011 Blesser

10 Uniqueness of Hearing More than for music and speech Evolutionary optimization for survival Echolocation among many species Controls direction of visual focus No ear-lids, involuntary access Emotional connection to people Broadcasts high speed actions 2/25/2011 Blesser

11 Hearing Serves a Function Instant awareness of dynamic events Emotional channel in social context Experience of disability workers Elderly in 1950s English study Functional deafness is event isolation 2/25/2011 Blesser

12 Inside a Physical and Social Space 2/25/2011 Blesser

13 Definition of an Eventscape An aural event is a natural, intentional, or accidental conversion of mechanical energy into sound, which is then broadcast to the inhabitants of a space. An eventscape is the composite of temporal & spatial distributed dynamic events that are transported to listeners. 2/25/2011 Blesser

14 Soundscape is an Eventscape Natural & human events create sound Events have a spatial location Language of sound based on events Embedded in an event panorama Events compete for our attention Evokes sense of place 2/25/2011 Blesser

15 Initial Answers to Questions Q: Where are you located now? A: Embedded in social and physical worlds composed of static objects (objectscape) and dynamic activities (eventscape). Q: How do you know where you are? A: By hearing events and seeing objects. 2/25/2011 Blesser

16 But There is a New Question Q: Where do you want to be? A: Here or somewhere else! 2/25/2011 Blesser

17 One Aural Eventscape 2/25/2011 Blesser

18 Combat in the Eventscape Dueling auditory arenas, shared resource, power matters, social isolation, trance-like state. 2/25/2011 Blesser

19 Eventscapes: Season to Taste 2/25/2011 Blesser

20 Transporting the Listener Modern electronics can now create a complete (natural and virtual) eventscape in video games, headphones, movie theaters, home theaters, and automobiles. 2/25/2011 Blesser

21 Overlaid Eventscapes Existing in multiple eventscapes (aural spaces) at the same time Functional deafness Democratic Individual control Double exposure 2/25/2011 Blesser

22 Why Make Sound LOUD? 1. Suppresses unwanted events 2. Transported to new eventscape 3. Altered state of consciousness 4. Overlays multiples eventscapes 5. Commercial combat and control 2/25/2011 Blesser

23 A New Dialog of Empathy 1. Loudness as a pleasure addiction 2. Alternative ways of controlling consciousness 3. Acknowledge rewards for loudness 4. Creative alternatives for controlling eventscapes 5. Debate the positive and negative trade-offs 6. Encourage self-agency versus helplessness 2/25/2011 Blesser

24 Logic Has Little Influence Facts that contradict false beliefs, harden rather than change beliefs. 2/25/2011 Blesser

25 Loudness as an Addiction Many forms: adrenalin, shopping, risk, sex, games Common element is managing helplessness Mind and mood management, not logic Withdrawal symptoms when removing loud music 2/25/2011 Blesser

26 Conclusion and Summary Destructively loud music is about who owns the experience of space and place. Loudness compensates for our lack of earlids and spatial focus. 2/25/2011 Blesser