Mapping Out Walden

Left: Recent Walden
Right: Thoreau's Map of Walden Pond








Thursday is the day that we present at the NMC Online Conference on Educational Gaming.



We continue to work toward creating a Walden experience - where interactivity, nostalgia, and modernity challenge one's sonic perception. The bits and pieces are out there, but it's our mission to complete the puzzle for the ultimate sonic experience.

Before you record, you should consider what elements you'll need for your server of sonic soup. One way to do so is to organize your thoughts and sounds through mapping. Here's some background - (1) musical sound maps (a theoretical understanding) and/or (2) site specific sound maps (a practical application) - see below projects for ideas:

Berlin Soundscape (Organization Guide - See "Sounds")
University Soundscape
Puget Soundscape (click on map to hear sounds)
f7 Sound (http://www.f7sound.com). Check out the section on field recording.

Our Walden project has at least 5 production elements: (1) recording of sounds by project artists, (2) construction of a sound playlist (available via universal server), (3) sound input into server (participants' recordings), (4) manipulation of elements on map routes, and selection/creation of alternate routes, and (5) individual and team scenarios. Completion date is late Summer 2006, with testing in the Fall semester (with SIUC as the sonic hub). The idea is to build a sound archive and partnerhip with several universities....with the concept of Walden being a very open one. See Walden Around The World for a variety of persectives on the concept of Walden outside its physical location.

Articles
Sound and Geographic Visualization (J.B. Krygier)
Sound Mapping (For Children, but good starter)
Kids, Noise, and Orchestrating the Soundscape (Gary Ferrington)

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