Day 1 (Group 15 Tan Zhi Jie)
We were introduced to the event Sketchfest. Hakym briefed us about the event schedule. We did our very first sketching session at the Central Library and the Town Hall.

DAY 1 AND 2 //
We went to our chosen sites which have different characteristic of sound and space to carry out site analysis. We've got to explore around and experience what we usually do not get to ( in the studio sadly ). Above shown is the general mapping of the sites in city scale at 1:5000.

DAY THREE // Today, we participated in a workshop run by NAVARS. After explaining the basics of different sound editing software, we were able to edit our recorded sounds using Reaper. This allowed us to create different soundtracks for our Multi-Sensory Installation.

Day 04

Workshops with NAVARS. Today we learnt how to use sound editing software such as Audacity, Reaper and GarageBand. It also enabled us to come up with ideas for eventual final output - sound - responsive installation.

Day 03

This day we got to listen to the sounds we recorded the day before. We have been asked to produce the photo collage of sound site analysis from the previous day therefore within my group we considered archetypal, keynote, signal sounds alongside circulatory and human sounds and semantic effects. The final output of this task is a map made of overlaid analysis of each sound qualities transformed into beautiful photo collage.

Day 02

Having collected the recording equipment, we headed to our sites in order to acknowledge the sounds that constitute them. We started in Afflecks where we heard mostly music and sales staff. Afterwards, we moved on to St. Peter's Square which was surprisingly loud keeping in mind that it is the Central Library site. Maintenance construction work and trams dominated the soundscape of the site which we tried to recognise from different key points on the site - entrances to the main buildings (Central Library, Midlands Hotel and offices around the square). Our next destination was the roundabout with nature surrounded by cars and eventually we reached Whitworth Art Gallery which allowed us to explore the differences of the quality of the sound in spaces of different volumes.

Day 01

After having split into smaller groups of 4, we were distributed the sites from which we chose 1 of each category for further analysis. The categories were public realm, transport hubs and two types of interior spaces. We decided to analysis the roundabout under the Mancunian Way behind the MMU Business School, St. Peter's Square, Whitworth Art Gallery and Afflecks Palace.

03 | Workshop with NOVARS. They showed us how to clean up and filter recorded soundscape with the help of Audacity and Reaper audio software.

Soundscape workshop with NOVARS

We reconvened and shared the information we had gathered as a group. As an initial output we diagrammed the sound produced, overlaying them on maps of our chosen sites. Each member of our group analysed a different noise quality produced on the space, supported by the recordings made on the previous day. We considered signal sounds, archetypal and keynotes sounds, semantic effects, and circulatory and human sounds.

02 | We spent the day creating visuals for our recordings, mapping locations within city and working on site plans with detailed sound analysis.

Kitted with a wave and handy recorder, we began exploring the sites we had identified across the city. These two pieces of equipment allowed us to pick up and record sounds of varying intensity and specificity, each site generating sounds unique to their location. As a group we began to consider how we might visually illustrate these differences, and researched artistic interpretations of sound.

In our first events session we were provided with maps of Central Manchester, and were asked to consider the different quality in sound generated by different sites in the city. Having been provided with suggestions we then, in smaller groups, researched the spaces, and chose four sites that we expected to have contrasting acoustic qualities.

DAY ONE // Today, we began recording different sounds around our chosen sites. Upon our visits, we sketched, diagrammed and photographed the locations. We explored different aspects of the sites and how sound is affected by its surrounding.

01 | Recording sounds in one of four chosen sites. We used clapping in each place to determine specific sound qualities.

1// On the second day we collected the sound recording quipment and headed to various sites to start on our site analysis. My group picked Picadilly Gardens as our first site and took a recording focussing on specific sounds: birds taking flight, bicycle tires, shoes on the pavement, children laughing, trams and buses stopping. This information we will collate to then start on our project.