Science/Music of Natrl Sounds

Acoustic energy is all around us, and hearing is a truly omnidirectional sense. This course will investigate what we can learn about environments from how they sound. It will also explore global changes in sonic environments and their consequences for human health and ecological sustainability. At the same time, hearing is a very personal experience. Sonic preferences can influence where people live, what sounds they value, and how attentively they listen in different contexts. This course will be enriched by the distinctive perspectives the students bring to discussions. We will all record and measure outdoor acoustic environments and study the significance of the sounds we encounter. Yet students will have substantial freedom to choose the outdoor venues for their studies, as well as the theme that weaves these soundscape explorations into an auditory journey. For biological signals, we will survey the functions sounds serve for producers and intended receivers, and the important role of "eavesdropping" on the sounds of other species. One important form of eavesdropping, which many students might practice, is monitoring behavioral and ecological events through the sounds that attend them. We will also consider the concept and consequences of noise in depth. Is noise always defined in the ear of the beholder? Reference materials on the physics of sound, the evolution and functions of hearing, and acoustical analysis will be provided for offline study. Live discussions will consolidate knowledge acquisition and interpretation, and explicitly address relevance to your past and future. Likely digressions are the connection between environmental sounds and music, and the instructor's extensive experience studying acoustic resources and their management in U. S. National Parks. Subsequently, selected readings on the ecological and human dimensions of environmental sound will provide stimuli for student-led discussions. Through student-led seminars, we will discuss selected readings on the ecological and human dimensions of environmental sound. One outcome of the class will be compilation of student recordings, enriched by your design choices. These could include narrative interpretations of the sounds and their significance, soundscape composites that convey a scene or story, or blends of music and natural sounds. No previous recording or digital editing experience is required. The goal is to expand your awareness of sound and elicit your contributions to conversations and audio products that share some of your insights with others. Texts: No textbook is envisioned at present. Articles and excerpted passages will be provided to catalyze offline learning. Credits/Evaluation: Regular attendance, participation in recording field trips, completion of the "soundscape" audio project, leading classroom discussions and informed participation in other student-led discussions, written responses to the reading, and one major research presentation.