Karine Lukenda

COMN 4729 – Mark Hayward

The Noon Hour Sounds at Aroma Expresso 

Location: Aroma Expresso Bar – 1407 Yonge Street

Time: 12:45-1:30

Date: September 25^th, 2013

            During the time I spent at the Expresso Bar, I detected various sounds with different frequency, volume, timbre, tone, pitch, and duration. I will describe the sounds in detail and I will categorize them according to industrial, natural, and musical sounds as well as distinguish if they are continuous, repetitive or unique sounds. First, the rustling sound of a paper being turned was a simple tone and had a high and low pitch. The duration of the sound was somewhat short and clear due to proximity, and it was an industrial and unique sound. Next, constant chattering from the customers was a musical and continuous sound. The sounds were muffled as conversations intermixed, which made it difficult to determine the duration, frequency, pitch, and tone. The volume changed slightly throughout the 45 minutes, however it was consistently loud. Next, the jingling of keys is an industrial and somewhat repetitive sound. It had a high pitch and high frequency, a high volume, and the timbre was clear. The duration of the sound was somewhat prolonged as it faded into silence. Next, the knocking sound that came from the employee emptying the remnants of coffee grinds into the sink was an industrial and repetitive sound as well. The volume, tone and pitch were quite high, and the sound was crisp, sudden, and short. In the background, constant, but varying music played. The volume was somewhat loud, but was often muffled by the sound of chatter. Again, the pitch, tone and frequency were very difficult to detect through all the noise. The music is industrial and continuous. A crisp and piercing sound occurred as a result of a bell being hit. The ring had a short duration, but it resonated, as the sound faded. The pitch and tone were high and this sound is industrial and repetitive. Next, a loud grinding sound pierced through the noise of the bar. The pitch and tone were high and the duration was long, but stopped abruptly. Similar to the previous sound, this one is industrial and repetitive. Another industrial, repetitive, and harsh sound came from the clinking of cutlery hitting a plate. The sound had a high pitch, volume, and tone, as well as a higher frequency. The duration of the sound was short and stopped suddenly. The grazing sound of shoes dragging along the floor was soft and mellow. It had a low tone with minimal pitch. The frequency stayed the same as the duration of the sound dragged on until it was gone. Finally, this sound is both industrial and unique. The bubbling sound of water coming from the tap was light, but clear and had a low pitch. The duration was long and stopped instantly. This sound is industrial and somewhat repetitive sound. Next, the rustling of a plastic bag was soft and light. It had a low pitch and tone and the volume was moderately low. Lastly, a crisp and loud sound came from an employee who was shouting out a customer’s name. The sound was musical (or human), repetitive and unique. It was repetitive because the calling out of names occurred often, and yet each name was different. The pitch was somewhat high, the duration was short, and the tone was alerting and high as well.

        The sounds I have described are mainly technological/manmade and repetitive. There were no natural sounds present; therefore, one can assume that the sounds took place indoors. The constant chatter suggests that the location is a busy and social environment. The sound of clinking cutlery on plates marks the presence of food. Also, the shouting of names, the ringing of bells, and the jingle of loose change in the till indicate that some sort of service is offered. The repetitiveness of the sounds indicates a consistency in behaviour. In other words, the constant sound of coffee grinding suggests that this is a daily routine.

       The keynote is the sound of chattering in the background. At first the chattering was distracting and overly noisy, but after sitting there for 45 minutes, the sound became less distracting and more of distant rumble. I did not experience a soundmark, however, if the background music was identical each day, then their music could be considered a soundmark.

        The place in which I heard the sounds does affect their meaning. Calling out a person’s name can signify something entirely different depending on the location and intent. For example, calling out an accused person’s name in court will alter the tone and intent. Also, in a different setting, the ringing of a bell could mean caution versus a notification that a person’s food order is ready. Other coffee shops such as Tim Hortons may not have the same clientele, which would in turn affect the quality and sound of the chattering. Ultimately, sounds are subjective and differ depending on context, so it does matter that I heard each sound at the Aroma Expresso bar.