Al's XPUB2 thesis

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Drafting [wip pads]

▶ thesis visual structure
▶ Very WIP pad
▶ chapter 1 // intro
▶ chapter 2 // glossary
▶ chapter 3 // the sound jams
▶ chapter 4 // methods
▶ chapter 5 // outro

Research questions

_Which methods of collective sound-based publication making can be applied in a group of practitioners from various backgrounds?

↳ What factors are important for the structure of the process and the care of the group dynamic while implementing the sound jams?
↳ What brings people together in the sound-based pieces creation and sharing? 
↳ What elements of the structure and the process are vital for them to find a comfortable space for experimentation and trust?

Intro

[wip]
We are surrounded by sound on a daily basis and it is a medium that has a major role in the perception of the world around us - with the exception of the people with damaged hearing, it helps us navigate through the space as soon as we wake up. Our bodies are used to perceiving all sorts of sonic signals while orientating in the private and public spaces. We hear other people while having a conversation or attending a meeting. We listen to music to relax, dance or distract ourselves. But as a working medium, it still feels quite inaccessible for many practitioners: oftentimes, mainly associated with music, it is a reserved territory for people with musical training and for sound artists. In reality, it is far more accessible and there are many ways of how sound-making can be open for makers coming from any kind of background. Thus, I am looking at which methods of collective sound-based publications making can be applied in a group of practitioners from various backgrounds, without the restriction of having experience with sound as a medium in their practice.

With this research, I am facilitating various sound jams that I have designed, in order to test the methods in reality and understand what are the important factors when creating a sound-making experience for people from different backgrounds. What brings them together in the sound creation and sharing? What elements of the structure and the process are vital for them to find a comfortable and welcoming space for experimentation?

By a sound jam, I understand any facilitated process of sound-making and publishing that includes more than one person. Its core principle is inclusivity: it is open to people with or without a musical training and offers a structure in which everyone is invited to find a suitable role and space for experimentation. This paper explores different sound jams as applied methods that provide such processes and a safe space for makers coming from various backgrounds to open up to a moment of collective sound-making and sharing.

The research followed certain steps to unveil the methods and draw important observations and learning outcomes from the sound jams. It started with designing the sound jams and creating instructions for several methods to be tested with a group of people. In order to do that, I harvested from my facilitation practice over the past 6 years and took inspiration from other handbooks and collections of artistic prompts and assignments. Each sound jam was implemented in a particular time and space context and then reflected upon. I had the opportunity to gather groups of people in several different locations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and to implement a facilitated process of producing sonic pieces together. Afterwards, during debrief sessions or in interviews, the participants were invited to share their experiences of the sound jams. The extracted learning outcomes were analysed and transformed into key principles for applying such methods of sound-making and publishing.

Another goal of this research was to feed a Handbook of Sound Jams, that is a collection of instructions for implementing a version of the methods in other contexts and with other groups. After trying out the initial instructions of the jams and analysing them, I am also redesigning them in order to provide a publication containing the already improved applied methods of sound making and publishing.

Thus, this paper follows that process. Starting with creating a context for this research, I am warming up the space with the next chapter, containing a glossary with the key terminology. I find it important to make sure that whatever words are used here and understood in the particular context of this research. In the following chapter sound jams, I am describing what methods I managed to design and test. I am going through the steps each sound jam proposed and what actually happened in reality. Some key observations are drawn from that particular process and explained. Afterwards, in order to turn them into learning outcomes, I am analysing the key factors that are important for the sound jams implementation and I am drawing the core principles of the methods in the chapter principles. The outro of the paper explores what might come next for the sound jams and how the methods can be open source. In the appendix, there is an extended list of terms relevant for this research and the sound jams.

Glossary

▶ Very WIP pad

[about] There are many terms in this research that have different meanings in other contexts. It is also possible that you might have not come across some of them. By creating this space, I aim to bring the words I am using into a particular context and explain how I understand (and therefore, use) them.

I believe in clear communication. Even though it is something “easier said than done”, it definitely worth the effort. Trying to be clear when communicating whatever you want to express, can save us from many misunderstandings and misinterpretations. It is quite often when we see something differently from someone else, even when we are convinced that our point of view is somewhat universal.

This effort of bringing our context into the conversation also saves us from being presumptuous. We are much more generous to our reader if we don’t assume what they already know and what they don’t. Thus, explaining the key terms I am using in this research helps keep clear and honest communication.

In this chapter, you will find terms and their definitions that might look copy-pasted from a proper dictionary. However, that is not the case here and this glossary is not universal. It is a collection of terms brought into context by me in relation to my artistic and research practice. Of course, most of their description comes from real definitions and usage in more universal contexts. Nonetheless, bear in mind that my personal touch is also part of them.

core terms for the project

[sound jam] In the context of this project, by sound jams, I understand any facilitated process of sound-making and publishing that includes more than one person. They are not restricted by form, time, place or environment. Thus, some of the sound jams are literally facilitated jam sessions with musical and sound instruments, whereas others are open calls on the internet for submitting contributions, or several months-long sound residencies.

[sound or sonic publication] Sound/sonic publication or sound-based publication is a term that is commonly used in this paper. By it, I understand an audio piece that is shared with the public. There are two core elements in this term: sound or sonic, as being an audio piece (but not limited to) and publication, as a piece that is shared publicly, that is being published. Thus, being a wider term, it may vary - from musical pieces to podcasts or audiozines - anything whose core medium is sound (music, noise, voice, ambient sounds etc.).

[listen and respond] The basis of the approach to sound jams is to listen and respond with sound. By this, I mean giving the contributors the time to listen to others' sounds before jumping into the sound jam. Inspired by the work of Pauline Oliveros, this approach gives space for awareness and mindfulness in the collective making. To listen and respond in this research means that the contributors are invited to take the time to perceive the soundscape around them before adding their own sound to it.

[score] In music, a score is a musical composition in written or printed notation. It is basically the written form of the piece which highlights rhythms, frequency, pitch, and instrumental notes in the song. The scores of the sound jams in this project are also a visual representation of the piece. However, they might have the form of text, sketch, illustration or a mix of all.

Sound Jams

Principles

Outro

Bibliography

Appendix

▶ all terms are listed here