1. How was your experience with the Olympus digital camera?
It was not as bad as I thought. I found that the camera was low quality, and yet I got a lot of great shots with it. I thought it was going to be a lot harder to get good shoots but it was not that difficult.
How did it compare with other still or video cameras you have previously used?
It was a lower quality, and it had less effects. This also adds to the need for photographic talent. I liked having low quality camera, because I created something that looks good, with something so cheep.
Were you able to successfully implement your Image Capturing Strategies using the features of this camera?
Yes, I used very basic stratagies, so the camera being very basic did all that I needed it to do.
In an ideal world, how would your still/video camera of choice function?
It would have an endless power source, and memory. It would also always get good pictures and the pics would turn out exactly as u wanted them to in your mind.
2. Discuss your choice of video-editing software and describe your history with this software.
I choose to use Final Cut Express. I choose this on a suggestion from my TA, and friends. They told me it was a useful program, and that it can do the most out of all of my available programs. I have no prior knowledge of use of this program. It helped me accomplish my goals because I created the videos I wanted and I like them.
If you used this software for the first time, explain why you chose this particular application and how you think it helped you to accomplish your creative goals (or proved detrimental).
See above.
Will you use this software again for future projects?
Yes I will. I have also been told that this program is becoming the industry standard. So I will try to become better at using this program, and hopefully one day be excellent at using it.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Reading Response #2
1. Identify the article you have selected and why you chose it.
I choose Cage’s article because I liked his ideas about what the future of music would be. I liked the way he described everything and the way that he talks about it as a process. I felt that this essay was inspirational in a way because it made it seem as if we could make music from noises and that seems interesting to me.
2. What are the main points of the essay?
In the essay the main points are the title listed in bold print. The first is a definition on how to make music. The next talks about the use of electronic instruments and the future of music. After that it talks about how musicians will have a whole field of sound to work with.
3. How are the ideas or arguments in this article relevant to your own practice as a media artist?
This article is relevant to me because I too wanted to make a music like sound with my collected sounds. I wanted to record sounds from the world around me and use them to create something that would have rhythm, and sound pleasing to the ear. I also like the process to which Cage describes in creating the music.
I choose Cage’s article because I liked his ideas about what the future of music would be. I liked the way he described everything and the way that he talks about it as a process. I felt that this essay was inspirational in a way because it made it seem as if we could make music from noises and that seems interesting to me.
2. What are the main points of the essay?
In the essay the main points are the title listed in bold print. The first is a definition on how to make music. The next talks about the use of electronic instruments and the future of music. After that it talks about how musicians will have a whole field of sound to work with.
3. How are the ideas or arguments in this article relevant to your own practice as a media artist?
This article is relevant to me because I too wanted to make a music like sound with my collected sounds. I wanted to record sounds from the world around me and use them to create something that would have rhythm, and sound pleasing to the ear. I also like the process to which Cage describes in creating the music.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Ten Questions
1. What other areas in Milwaukee are culturally diverse?
2. Where can I find old buildings with historical significance?
3. Are there any other ways to manipulate the microphones to create interesting sounds?
4. Where can local animals be found in the city?
5. Where is there construction happing?
6. What types of sounds could be recorded in wooded areas in the city?
7. What sounds do multiple trains, moving at various speeds create?
8. Is there any where in the city where one can find non-traffic related sounds and still be out doors?
9. Can one get good sounds while riding only the bus?
10. Where is there a tall building, where at the top can get all so
2. Where can I find old buildings with historical significance?
3. Are there any other ways to manipulate the microphones to create interesting sounds?
4. Where can local animals be found in the city?
5. Where is there construction happing?
6. What types of sounds could be recorded in wooded areas in the city?
7. What sounds do multiple trains, moving at various speeds create?
8. Is there any where in the city where one can find non-traffic related sounds and still be out doors?
9. Can one get good sounds while riding only the bus?
10. Where is there a tall building, where at the top can get all so
Drift Assessment
1. Describe two situations that aggravated, bothered, shocked or otherwise stressed you during Drift 1. (Please note that the situation CANNOT be technology-related.)
The first situation that bothered me during my first drift was when I was walking around, people tried to talk to me. People would see the equipment and then try and get recorded by talking to me. This happened several time and ruined several sounds.
The second situation that aggravated me was that my microphone picked up too much. During my walk the microphones picked up several sounds that I did not want to pick up. These sounds were unavoidable but still, it was aggravating.
2. Describe, with details, two situations during Drift 1 in which you felt unusually peaceful, at ease, or contemplative.
The first situation during Drift 1 when I felt unusually peaceful was when I picked up the Russian dialect in the store. Up until that point I was worried that I didn’t get anything good but when I walked into the store and picked up the dialog, it was a stress relief, which made me peaceful.
The second time that I felt peaceful was when I was recording the sound of the tree in the wind. I herd that sound while I was walking by and I just so happened to hear that sound. Then it got even better when a few people ran by and kicked up some leaves.
3. Describe three surprises or unexpected situations you encountered on your Drift and in the days that followed. The surprise could stem from your expectations that conflicted with "on the ground" realities, cultural or social issues of which you were previously unaware, feelings and reactions that you did not expect to have, appearances and soundings of things you did not expect, good or bad outcomes of "on the spot" decisions you had to make, or the discovery of "deeper" realities in the materials you brought home. (Again, skip anything technology-related!)
The first surprise that happened was when I was starting on my walk. I had already created my strategy and as soon as I started walking I had to change my strategy at almost every stoplight.
The second surprise was where my strategy took me. I found myself by shops that I had never seen before and cultures I didn’t know existed in this area, such as the Russian shop.
The third thing was not a surprise but instead an unexpected situation that happened back in the studio. During the editing process I tried to edit my sound and everything seemed ok, until I tried to edit the sounds further only to find out that my sounds did not play. This problem was due to downloading the wrong software. Yet this situation was unexpected and unwelcomed.
4. Describe your favorite experience, situation, place, or recollection from your Drift. Be specific about what happened, how you felt, how you reacted, and why you think this particular experience affected you so much.
My favorite experience was once again being in he Russian store. In the store it was a cultural difference then the one that I was raised in. I walked into the store and looked around at the magazines, movies, and food from Russia. I then heard a costumer talking to the cashier. It made me feel curious about this culture and the people who lived in the area. I reacted excitedly and I think this experience affected me because it was something new that I hadn’t experienced before.
The first situation that bothered me during my first drift was when I was walking around, people tried to talk to me. People would see the equipment and then try and get recorded by talking to me. This happened several time and ruined several sounds.
The second situation that aggravated me was that my microphone picked up too much. During my walk the microphones picked up several sounds that I did not want to pick up. These sounds were unavoidable but still, it was aggravating.
2. Describe, with details, two situations during Drift 1 in which you felt unusually peaceful, at ease, or contemplative.
The first situation during Drift 1 when I felt unusually peaceful was when I picked up the Russian dialect in the store. Up until that point I was worried that I didn’t get anything good but when I walked into the store and picked up the dialog, it was a stress relief, which made me peaceful.
The second time that I felt peaceful was when I was recording the sound of the tree in the wind. I herd that sound while I was walking by and I just so happened to hear that sound. Then it got even better when a few people ran by and kicked up some leaves.
3. Describe three surprises or unexpected situations you encountered on your Drift and in the days that followed. The surprise could stem from your expectations that conflicted with "on the ground" realities, cultural or social issues of which you were previously unaware, feelings and reactions that you did not expect to have, appearances and soundings of things you did not expect, good or bad outcomes of "on the spot" decisions you had to make, or the discovery of "deeper" realities in the materials you brought home. (Again, skip anything technology-related!)
The first surprise that happened was when I was starting on my walk. I had already created my strategy and as soon as I started walking I had to change my strategy at almost every stoplight.
The second surprise was where my strategy took me. I found myself by shops that I had never seen before and cultures I didn’t know existed in this area, such as the Russian shop.
The third thing was not a surprise but instead an unexpected situation that happened back in the studio. During the editing process I tried to edit my sound and everything seemed ok, until I tried to edit the sounds further only to find out that my sounds did not play. This problem was due to downloading the wrong software. Yet this situation was unexpected and unwelcomed.
4. Describe your favorite experience, situation, place, or recollection from your Drift. Be specific about what happened, how you felt, how you reacted, and why you think this particular experience affected you so much.
My favorite experience was once again being in he Russian store. In the store it was a cultural difference then the one that I was raised in. I walked into the store and looked around at the magazines, movies, and food from Russia. I then heard a costumer talking to the cashier. It made me feel curious about this culture and the people who lived in the area. I reacted excitedly and I think this experience affected me because it was something new that I hadn’t experienced before.
Audio Hardware/Software Repsonses
1. Discuss your experiences with building your microphones. Was this process more or less what you thought it would be? How did your microphone rig work on your Drift walks? Were you able to capture both overall ambiance and extreme close-ups? Describe your ideal microphone and recorder setup, with unlimited time and money.
The experience was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I thought that attaching the microphone heads to the wires would be a lot more complicated. My microphone set up worked a lot more smoothly. The microphones were balanced and the windscreen worked perfectly. It worked almost too well when I went into the Russian store and it picked up the refrigerator sound. My ideal setup would be a microphone that could be adjusted to specific sounds that could be picked up. It would be easy to use and could record as much as needed. Also the microphone would be disguised so that one could record anything inconspicuously.
2. How was your experience with operating the Minidisc recorder? How does this recorder compare to other audio equipment you've used? In an ideal world, how would your recorder of choice function?
My experience with the mini-disk recorder was not so bad. I was annoyed that each time you saved memory you had to reset everything, but besides that it wasn’t so bad. This was the second time I recorded sound and I prefer this to the other recorder I used. My perfect recorder world be compact, and have lots of memory. It would be hooked up to my brain somehow so that if I heard an interesting sound it would automatically just record that sound.
3. Discuss the audio-editing software you chose and your history with this application. If you used this software for the first time, explain why you chose this particular application and how you think it helped you to accomplish your creative goals (or proved detrimental). Will you use this software again for future projects?
I chose Audacity, which I used when I was in the 8th grade to edit a song. I used it again because from what I recalled it was easy to use. That was not the case. This program was unstable on my computer, even after I downloaded the correct version. Any time I typed the letter “r” it would start to record. It did this with other command keys as well. I might consider using other editing software for my second drift walk. Although in the end Audacity did get the job done.
The experience was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I thought that attaching the microphone heads to the wires would be a lot more complicated. My microphone set up worked a lot more smoothly. The microphones were balanced and the windscreen worked perfectly. It worked almost too well when I went into the Russian store and it picked up the refrigerator sound. My ideal setup would be a microphone that could be adjusted to specific sounds that could be picked up. It would be easy to use and could record as much as needed. Also the microphone would be disguised so that one could record anything inconspicuously.
2. How was your experience with operating the Minidisc recorder? How does this recorder compare to other audio equipment you've used? In an ideal world, how would your recorder of choice function?
My experience with the mini-disk recorder was not so bad. I was annoyed that each time you saved memory you had to reset everything, but besides that it wasn’t so bad. This was the second time I recorded sound and I prefer this to the other recorder I used. My perfect recorder world be compact, and have lots of memory. It would be hooked up to my brain somehow so that if I heard an interesting sound it would automatically just record that sound.
3. Discuss the audio-editing software you chose and your history with this application. If you used this software for the first time, explain why you chose this particular application and how you think it helped you to accomplish your creative goals (or proved detrimental). Will you use this software again for future projects?
I chose Audacity, which I used when I was in the 8th grade to edit a song. I used it again because from what I recalled it was easy to use. That was not the case. This program was unstable on my computer, even after I downloaded the correct version. Any time I typed the letter “r” it would start to record. It did this with other command keys as well. I might consider using other editing software for my second drift walk. Although in the end Audacity did get the job done.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
I chose Ferrington’s article because I could identify with it now, living in Milwaukee. I used to live in the country and next to a highway so I always heard cars. But when I moved here it was a different experience and the way Ferrigton said it in the start of his article I could identify it. I also noted that I could also hear a lot of nature sounds from high above, early in the morning, on a Sunday. That is why I chose this article.
The main points of this article is that even if you are in a city you can still hear a lot of nature sounds. Especially if you live high up. It is true that you can hear a lot more cars and traffic noises but if one really listens you can hear a lot more. I felt that that was the major point in his article that even if you live in a city you can hear a lot, if you just listen.
I feel that this is relevant because as an artist I need to listen to not only the obvious sounds, but also the subtle ones too. I also need to listen to the world around me and hear what it has to say. That is what I took away from this article.
The main points of this article is that even if you are in a city you can still hear a lot of nature sounds. Especially if you live high up. It is true that you can hear a lot more cars and traffic noises but if one really listens you can hear a lot more. I felt that that was the major point in his article that even if you live in a city you can hear a lot, if you just listen.
I feel that this is relevant because as an artist I need to listen to not only the obvious sounds, but also the subtle ones too. I also need to listen to the world around me and hear what it has to say. That is what I took away from this article.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Soundwalk one
Were you able to find places and spaces where you could really listen?
-Yes, I sat on the one of the bridges in Downer Woods.
Was it possible to move without making a sound?
-No it wasn’t. Every time I walked my jeans would rub up against each other or the sound of my own breathing would always make sound.
What happened when you plugged your ears, and then unplugged them?
-When my ears were plugged, I looked around and heard nothing but planes and cars, but when my ears were unplugged I heard a lot of sounds from natural ones, to man made ones and I heard them all around me.
In your sound log exercise, what types of sounds were you able to hear? List them.
-Birds cherpping musically
-Annoying loud Birds
-There were cars driving by from in back of me to in front.
-A Loud irritating and constant machine noise to my far left.
-A Plane went over my head from my left side to my right side.
-The sounds of wind blowing threw the trees behind me.
Were you able to differentiate between sounds that had a recognizable source and those sounds you could not place?
-Yes and there were very few sounds that I could not place.
Human sounds? Mechanical sounds? Natural sounds?
-Cars were the human sounds. A saw and airplane were machine sounds. And birds, and the wind blowing threw the trees were natural.
Were you able to detect subtleties in the ever present drone?
-No not really, they were all blended together.
Extremely close sounds? Sounds coming from very far away?
-The wind blowing threw the trees were close. The Machine sound was far away.
What kinds of wind effects were you able to detect (for example, the leaves of trees don't make sounds until they are activated by the wind)?
-Just the wind going threw the trees.
Were you able to intervene in the urban landscape and create your own sounds by knocking on a resonant piece of metal, activating wind chimes, etc.?
-Yes by knocking against a metal box.
Do you feel you have a new understanding or appreciation of the sounds of our contemporary landscape/cityscape?
-Yes, because not only do we have nature sounds and city sounds all in one area.
How do you think your soundwalk experience will affect your practice as a media artist, if at all?
-I think that it showed me how powerful sound can be and how it can affect one.
-Yes, I sat on the one of the bridges in Downer Woods.
Was it possible to move without making a sound?
-No it wasn’t. Every time I walked my jeans would rub up against each other or the sound of my own breathing would always make sound.
What happened when you plugged your ears, and then unplugged them?
-When my ears were plugged, I looked around and heard nothing but planes and cars, but when my ears were unplugged I heard a lot of sounds from natural ones, to man made ones and I heard them all around me.
In your sound log exercise, what types of sounds were you able to hear? List them.
-Birds cherpping musically
-Annoying loud Birds
-There were cars driving by from in back of me to in front.
-A Loud irritating and constant machine noise to my far left.
-A Plane went over my head from my left side to my right side.
-The sounds of wind blowing threw the trees behind me.
Were you able to differentiate between sounds that had a recognizable source and those sounds you could not place?
-Yes and there were very few sounds that I could not place.
Human sounds? Mechanical sounds? Natural sounds?
-Cars were the human sounds. A saw and airplane were machine sounds. And birds, and the wind blowing threw the trees were natural.
Were you able to detect subtleties in the ever present drone?
-No not really, they were all blended together.
Extremely close sounds? Sounds coming from very far away?
-The wind blowing threw the trees were close. The Machine sound was far away.
What kinds of wind effects were you able to detect (for example, the leaves of trees don't make sounds until they are activated by the wind)?
-Just the wind going threw the trees.
Were you able to intervene in the urban landscape and create your own sounds by knocking on a resonant piece of metal, activating wind chimes, etc.?
-Yes by knocking against a metal box.
Do you feel you have a new understanding or appreciation of the sounds of our contemporary landscape/cityscape?
-Yes, because not only do we have nature sounds and city sounds all in one area.
How do you think your soundwalk experience will affect your practice as a media artist, if at all?
-I think that it showed me how powerful sound can be and how it can affect one.
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