As I read Erik Davis’ talk, I was initially struck by how vague and wordy he could be. For instance, his sentences and word choice often become confusing and muddled, leaving me with no choice but to guess at what he means by “zone of space-time,” “areas of the bodymind,” or “unfolding para-spaces.” Perhaps these were references to whatever text he was responding to. Anyway, I found this quote interesting:

Quote: “Resonance is just one quality of acoustic space; another one is simultaneity. Where visual space emphasizes linearity, acoustic space emphasizes simultaneity—the possibility that many events that occur in the same zone of space-time. In such a scheme, a subject—a person, maybe—organizes space by synthesizing a variety of different events, points, images, and sources of information into a kind of organic totality. This isn’t true in the strictest sense, but, nonetheless, our thoughts and perceptions can tend towards this simultaneity: we sense many things at once, and combine them into a coherent if fragmentary whole.”

In this quote, Erik stays true to his style of vague word choice, yet he conveys his overall message effectively. Erik fails to provide concrete examples to support his point, but his argument that acoustic space emphasizes simultaneity is clear. I think it was redundant of him to mention that the subject is “a person, maybe,” as it is clear that his audience is human. Erik’s tone shows that he is a big fan of acoustics; he begins the quote by saying, “Resonance is just one quality of acoustic space; another one is simultaneity,” giving the impression that acoustics have many qualities and are thus vastly superior to the “linearity” of visuals. One thing I would have liked him to elaborate on is how acoustic space is used to synthesize events and images. Erik’s warrant for the simultaneity of acoustics seems to be based on the condition that the subject is hearing and processing several different sounds at once, and it isn’t clear whether the acoustics are accompanied by visuals.

Erik’s quote gives two good reasons to study sound and sound technologies. First, the subject’s perception of simultaneity through acoustics would complement a visual display quite well, and proper study and experimentation of sound and art, such as in a movie, would be great for maximizing entertainment. Second, the rapid technological advances in sound technology such as surround sound and noise-cancelling may open new doors in the perception of acoustic space; the perception of simultaneity would be exponentially greater if different sounds seemed to come from different places.

Megan Nordstrom’s E-Portfolio was easy to read and I found it easy to relate to her Response Paper 1.2 because I am familiar with the movie Seabiscuit. I particularly liked her analysis of the movie’s narrated introduction because it fit with what I had just read from Erik Davis’ paper. This is the quote I chose:

Quote: . “Opening with slow, sad sounds of violins and an orchestra, the movie displays slides of black and white photos used as a timeline of history. As the photos of early cars and assembly lines cover the screen, the narrator describes the historic background of the time period. Appropriately chosen for this film, the narrator’s voice is that of an older man, who speaks with experience and knowledge of the time. His words are simple and straightforward, but his slight variance of tone captivates the audience. The narrator generates a picture of the “old fashion American man” in our heads, who could possibly remind us of our grandfather or even FDR. His voice hints of sadness and sorrow which reminds us of the hard times in American’s past. I believe that the narrator’s voice and background music are essential in bringing the writer’s intended mind-set to the audience.”

Megan provides plenty of evidence in this quote to support her claim that the narrator’s voice and background music set the mind-set of the audience. She describes the visual display of car production first, but then she focuses on the narrator’s tone and the “slow, sad sounds of violins.” Megan also describes the narrator’s voice as that of an older man, allowing the reader to imagine the voice without hearing it. The tone used in this quote is straightforward and conversational; it seems like she is describing the movie to a friend by using descriptions such as the “old fashion American man.” Megan’s argument for how the narration and background music instill a specific mindset in the audience provides good reason to study sound and its effects on audiences. Knowledge on how certain background music or tone of voice influences a crowd’s mood would be extremely valuable when a speaker or movie is trying to convey a specific message or provoke a certain reaction.

These two quotes “intertextualize” quite well. Erik Davis’ talk on how acoustic space has a quality of simultaneity was missing evidence and examples; Megan Nordstrom’s quote about Seabiscuit’s introduction is the perfect example for Erik’s argument. As one listens to the old man talking in sad tones about the Great Depression, “simultaneity” is achieved as the listener thinks about the Depression and memories of grandfathers. The narrator’s voice provides information to the listener while setting the listener’s mindset for the rest of the movie as well as triggering memories and reflective thoughts.

I volunteered at a soup kitchen during high school.40 Hours of community service are required for high school graduation. I recall these experiences as required but satisfying to do with friends. Those service experiences are similar to the service learning component of this course in that it is required to complete the course so I will do it without complaining.

There doesn’t seem to be a rationale for the order of the sounds. All of the sounds are sounds that fit his/her lifestyle, but they aren’t in chronological order or order of personal significance. Other sounds that fit this playlist include the sound of a car’s ignition, a commercial on the radio, ordering at McDonalds, and watching a favorite TV show. Based upon my peer’s playlist, I assume that he/she lives in the dorms, works at Hollister, and enjoys a variety of activities including sports, family, friends, and anime.