Improv Session:

A couple weeks ago me and Anna decided to set up a whole class studio session to socialise and share ideas between everyone in the class, unfortunately the attendance was low on the day that we had planned it but still went ahead with a few of us there.

I had also been reading at the time a book on Brian Eno and had been fascinated by this idea of becoming part of the process which I interpret as sort of creating the environment or climate that sound is to be made and then sort of letting it loose (an over thought jam session really). But I also think that the process of creating sounds is enjoyable itself and not focussing much on the final output. I had also watched a piece by Angus Carlyle at café Oto in which multiple microphones were set out and used to capture sounds of multiple objects.

Me and Anna gathered some instruments and laid out microphones in a circle pattern and a mixer at the 12 o’clock position with the idea being that after each little jam everyone rotated around sections, which meant everyone used a different instrument and got to compose (bring in and out different microphones) on the mixer. This resulted in a quiet lengthy compilation of harp, guitar, ukulele, microphone feedback, odd percussion and even a hurdy gurdy with all of us non-sensibly going at it on each section. Here is the result:

I really enjoyed this improv session as it was a great for each of me, Simon, Fran, Anna and Declan to share ideas and socialise, I look forward and hope to do more with all the group.

Assignment Progress:

The 500-word section of this assignment has been challenging as the question ‘what does sound art mean to you’ deserves more word count or I just find it difficult to shorten my answers. It has also been challenging to decide what exactly I would like to include and where I have been influenced, I have chosen my first quote from Cathy Lane’s ‘Sound Arts Now’ which is featured in the course literature and shows the idea of diversity in sound arts which is something I want to include into my text, I also might include something about how there seems to be a lot of restriction or labelling in art which is something I disagree with. For the section on practices or themes I’m keen to explore I think I want to write about my interest in being in the process as I really enjoyed the improvisation session.