“In order to listen we must stop, or at least slow down—physically and psychologically. We need to try to be human beings, instead of human doings.”
What I Hear
I wanted to listen to a distinct environment that I usually ignore the sounds of-- the subway. The subway is a vital part of living in New York City, thousands of people ride the trains every day. There are all different kinds of people, from all over the city, in one single subway car. I take the train to and from school, but I never took the time to actually listen to what’s going on around me. Like most people you'll see on the train, I listen to my iPod and ignore the sounds that transpire, except for the announcements that conductors tell passengers through a speaker that rarely doesn't have some sort of static. Our personal, portable music players and other distractions disengage us from the key notes (background sounds) and sound signals (foreground sounds intended to attract attention) of a subway car or station. The screeching of incoming trains and nebulous subway announcements are all part of the distinct sounds we hear in the subway every day.
After class one day, I decided to give my soundwalk a try, the train seemed like a perfect place for noise. Instead of listening to my iPod, like usual, I left my ears open to the sounds of the subway. I heard many things that day: the sound of trains pulling in and out of the station, people talking, people laughing, people whispering, people whistling, people breathing heavily, people chewing gum, people grabbing hold of the handrail, music blasting from headphones, the tapping of women's high-heels and men's boots, the rustling of jackets, the operations of the train car (when the doors close, they make a ding-dong sound). Overall the experience was very interesting, training your ears to discern the different noises you hear is something that improves with practice, and I think I'll take my soundwalks more often.
Jenni
