What is soundwalk? Definition and examples
A soundwalk is a kind of listening exercise which aims to increase awareness of the sonic environment around us. (And which may or may not be facilitated via “the use of technology”.)
Soundwalking allows participants not only to prioritize the pleasure of listening – including by providing an opportunity to become aware of sounds which might otherwise be overlooked. In this way, a soundwalk becomes “a form of active participation in the soundscape […] [which] encourage[s] the participant to listen discriminately”.
It’s possible to carry out soundwalks wherever you find yourself, whether that’s at home, or out and about; in nature, or in an urban setting; alone, or in a group. Techniques which may aid participants’ engagement with soundwalking include a relaxed, receptive state of mind; a slower-than-usual pace; listening with closed eyes (when possible); and asking yourself questions about what you can hear (such as the loudest or quietest sounds, or whether specific sounds like birdsong, music, or aircraft are audible).
The term ‘soundwalk’ was originally coined by composer, writer, and environmentalist R. Murray Schafer, one of the architects of the World Soundscape Project (WSP), which conducted research on an international scale in an attempt to “examin[e] and preserv[e] the dying sounds of unique environments […] threatened by rapid industrialization and technological innovation”. Schafer described the whole world as “a huge musical composition that is going on all the time”. Approaching our environment in this way means that, by “listen[ing] carefully to the soundscape[,] it becomes quite miraculous” – and it is this mentality which underpins the notion of soundwalking.
However, people take part in soundwalks for a variety of reasons – for example, in a spirit of meditation or to increase their understanding of or engagement with the world. They can also have applications within a variety of academic disciplines and artistic or creative practices, including fields such as “sound art, media studies, sound studies, urban planning, [and] social science”.
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