The following soundscape analysis will evaluate the sound pallet of a two-hundred – year- old barn located near Dufferin and 18^th street in King City, Ontario. I chose this location as I found it both interesting and relevant to notions brought up by Murray Schafer in his excerpt entitled “Introduction and Listening” from “The Soundscape,” as well as, A.Y. Kelman’s article “Rethinking the Soundscape.” Both authors examine the concept of “hi- fi soundscapes” as pertaining to the rural soundscape. The “hi-fi” environment refers to one in which “discrete sounds can be heard clearly because of the low ambient noise level,” and the concept of “lo-fi” pertaining to urban areas (Kelman 216). The authors also explore the notion of natural, synthetic and human sounds in relation to the world around us. In this manner, I have decided to write my analysis while standing by the doorway of the barn, to hear a mixture of the inside and outside sounds; this will allow me to explore a “hi-fi soundscape” with natural, synthetic and human sounds. This analysis will explore the frequency, pitch, volume, duration, tone, and timbre of the sounds, and suggest that natural sounds are the keynotes and soundmarks of the rural community.

In order to analyze the soundscape, I would like to group the sounds that I hear by “Natural,” “Synthetic,” and “Human,” as well as, provide an account of the location, date and time:

LOCATION: Near Dufferin and 18^th Street , King City, Ontario.

DATE: September 25^th, 2013

TIME: 7:00 pm

NATURAL SOUNDS

Barking of dogs – outside: (Frequent) The barking was lower in pitch, specifically the grunting. The barking was very high in volume and a distinct part of the soundscape. It would vary in duration, presenting itself in intervals throughout my analysis. The timbre and tone of the barking was very clear, and was not drowned out by the ambient noises outside. 

Snorting of horses – outside: (Frequent) Much like the dog barking, the snorting was lower in pitch and lower in volume. This discrete sound would come in intervals. Since there are four horses, the snorting would match up occasionally, making it more distinct and higher in volume. The sounds were very clear considering the low ambient noise.

Meowing of cats – outside: (Frequent) The cats’ meows would vary in pitch, usually ranging from high to low when the cat was grunting. Both the meows and grunts were lower in volume, and could only be heard due to my close proximity with the cats. The cats’ meows came in intervals throughout my analysis. The cats voices were clear when the ambient noise was low and muffled when the sound of barking or laughter washed them out.

Chirping of birds – outside: (Frequent) The chirping of birds were higher in pitch, being a distinctive part of the soundscape, as it would come in thirty second intervals. The sound was clear, yet whiny at times. The background noises did not wash them out.

Running water – outside: (Continuous) The running water of the fountain was low to medium in pitch, depending on the quantity of water pouring down. The sound was very distinct and medium in volume; however it was a continuous sound throughout my analysis making it an important part of the farms soundscape. The sound from the water was very clear unless muffled by louder noises like the ringing telephone.

Whistling of the wind – outside: (Frequent) The whistling of the wind was higher in pitch and medium in volume. It would come in intervals as it was about to rain. The sound was clear and whiny at times.

Rustling of the leaves – outside: (Frequent) The rustle of leaves was medium in pitch and medium in volume. I was able to hear it at the same time as the whistling of the wind. It was a clear, soft and comforting in nature.  

Creaking of wooden floors – inside: (Frequent) The creaking of wooden floors was higher in pitch and of higher volume due to my close proximity. The sound came in intervals, every time somebody decided to take a walk or walk up the stairs inside the barn. The sound was clear and frequent, being heard in different areas throughout the barn.

Cracking of firewood – inside: (Continuous) The cracking of firewood was higher in pitch and would sound like soft pops throughout the night. The sound was low in volume, yet continuous throughout my analysis. The cracking was clear, yet muffled when louder sounds such as laughter would arise.

Squeaking of old door – inside: (Frequent) The squeaking of old doors was higher in pitch and loud in volume due to my close proximity to the door. The squeaking happened in intervals every time the wind blew the doors open or closed. The sound was whiny and very unpleasant to the ear due to the high pitched squeak. This sound almost created a suspenseful environment, which could be parallel to an old house in a rural area.

SYNTHETIC SOUNDS

Honking of cars in the distance – outside: (Infrequent) The honking of cars was higher in pitch as it was a warning signal. However it was further in proximity, making it lower in volume. The honking was infrequent, and heard only a couple of times throughout my analysis. The sound was clear, yet it was not a defining sound of the rural soundscape.

Twang of a Telecaster – inside: (Infrequent) The twang of the telecaster was higher in pitch and higher in volume due to my proximity to the inside of the barn. The sound lasted for about five minutes throughout my analysis. The sound would move from being clear and whiny to having higher distortion.  

Ring of a telephone – inside: (Infrequent) The ringing of the telephone was higher in pitch and high in volume due to my close proximity to the phone. This was a unique sound as it lasted for a couple of seconds then disappeared. The sound was clear, although the high volume made it uncomfortable to the ear.

HUMAN SOUNDS

Footsteps being dragged across the pavement – outside: (Infrequent) I found the footsteps to be lower in pitch and medium in volume. The sound was unique as it only lasted a couple of seconds throughout my analysis. The sound was clear and rusty as the feet would drag across the pavement and the dirt would crack beneath the feet. The sound was not washed out due to the low ambient noise.

Full bodied laughter – inside: (Frequent) the laughter varied in pitch (low, medium and high) and distinctively loud. Much like the dogs barking outside, the laughter was just as loud and came in intervals throughout my analysis. The sound was very clear and a distinct part of the soundscape inside the barn.

Garbled speech – inside: (Continuous) the speech inside varied in pitch, mostly medium to low, and medium in volume. It was continuous throughout my analysis, yet due to my proximity, it was muffled as I could not make out the conversation. While the talking is a distinctive part of the inside soundscape, I found it to be easily drowned out due to the louder outside noises.

ANALYSIS

Both the outside and inside soundscape becomes a mere background noise to encounter if not listened to carefully. At first, I found the outside soundscape to feel unnatural, as I come from a “lo-fi” urban environment. This confusion, according to Schafer, is coined as “schizophonia,” which refers to a synthetic soundscape in which machine-made sounds become natural, while natural sounds become increasingly unnatural (Kelman 218). After thirty minutes, I have come to accept the new background noises outside, which include: the barking of dogs, snorting of horses, whistling of the leaves and chirping of birds. These are classified as natural sounds, which suggest that the place is located in a rural environment as it depicts a “hi-fi soundscape”. This means that discrete sounds can be heard over the ambient noises outside, which an urban environment wouldn’t allow due to the background elements such as traffic. The only synthetic noise outside is the honking of cars in the distance, proposing that a “lo-fi soundscape” is nearby.

For a moment, when the car honked, these two soundscapes blended together the rural and urban environment. Even the synthetic sounds inside, such as, the twang of the telecaster and the ringing of the telephone, suggest a blend of unnatural and natural sounds, making synthetic sounds somewhat a part of the rural “lo-fi soundscape”. However, while unnatural sounds still exist, the inside sounds still depict a majority of natural “hi-fi” sounds (the creaking of wooden floors, cracking of the firewood, squeaking of old doors and the echoes of people talking in the barn). The lack of machine-made ambient noise suggests the soundscape to be in a “hi-fi” rural environment. In combination with the outside sounds, it can be extended to the sounds of a farm.

Furthermore, by analyzing a “hi-fi soundscape” it is important to note those natural sounds, such as barking and running water, happen more frequently than synthetic sounds, such as honking. In contrast to rural areas, urban areas would more frequently hear synthetic sounds such as bells ringing and traffic. It has also come to my attention that most high-pitch sounds inside and outside the barn referred to caution signals. This includes cars honking to warn one another, whistling of the wind to indicate that it is about to rain and the squeaking of an old door that has to be replaced. The lower pitched sounds (running water and snorting horses) were the defining sounds of the rural “hi-fi” environment. Moreover, the barns “hi-fi soundscape” enabled discrete sounds to be heard more clearly because of the low ambient noise level. This indicates that the volume of the background noise in a rural environment is moderately low, the highest volume outside would be the braking dog, while the inside contained laughter and the ringing of the telephone.

Finally, the most frequent sound of the barn (running water and crackling of firewood) are natural, forming the background noise against which other sounds are apparent. These discrete sounds form the keynotes of the barn, while the animal noises such as the sound of the horse snort and chirping of birds makes the sound specifically regarded as the “soundmark” of this rural community. The natural sound pallet of the barn, such as the creaking of wooden floors and squeaking of old doors, contain an important meaning, as it is these sounds that define a rural “hi-fi soundscape” that are contained in a two-hundred year old history.