By Nic Vigilante, Camille Backman, and Linnea Scott
This soundwalk aims to capture various sounds of Oberlin students and buildings and how they interact with the biophony in Oberlin's natural soundscape. Ideally, this soundwalk should be done beginning around 12:25pm on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, preferably on a warm, sunny day, so as to draw as many students out from hiding as possible.
The times listed are meant to be approximate arrival times at each destination or segment They are fairly flexible, except for the 1:00pm arrival at Finney Chapel, as the bells ring on the hour. The images provided are meant as guides for certain areas, with the red dots marking your approximate location. For complete map, see bottom of post.
12:25 - Begin on the sidewalk on the north side of Harkness. As you walk slowly along the east side of the building, along Hark Bowl and towards the AJLC, listen to the sounds of students eating outside the building and how they compare to the sounds of students from inside the building, filtered through the walls. Continue towards the AJLC, listening for how increasing distance from Hark Bowl changes the timbre and pitch of the sound created by the students. As you pass the AJLC pond, do any frogs greet your ears?
12:30 - As you enter the AJLC, listen for how the double doors shut out external sound in a sudden rush of silence. Walk into the atrium, and sit in one of the seats near the fountain. Sit here for five to ten minutes, listening to the unique sounds of the building. Pay special attention to sounds of the solar-powered fountain, which provides a way in which to “hear” the sunlight - the louder the fountain is, the stronger the sun is shining. Also listen for how the building creates a unique aural space, both acoustically and socially- footsteps in the building have a unique sound due to the size and shape of its “resonating chamber” (the atrium), and the way in which students converse with each other in this space is influenced by a sense of unwillingness to disturb the aural stillness of the room (you will likely notice that students speak unusually quietly while in the atrium).
12:40 - Exit the AJLC through the west doors, and then turn right and continue north along the west side of Harkness. Pay special attention to the sounds of the small orchard on the north side of the AJLC as you pass by. Cross College St., and continue north into Dascomb.
12:45 - When you reach Dascomb Dining Hall, enter through the south main doors and proceed into the dining hall itself. How do the sounds of these lunch students compare to those of the Harkness lunch sounds? These sounds, confined to the hall by walls, may seem more jumbled and condensed than those infiltrating Harkness Bowl. Exit the hall through the doors at the back (north) side of the building and continue into Wilder Bowl.
12:50 - From Dascomb, walk north into Wilder Bowl. Walk striaght north along the path that runs by Mudd Library. Listen to the people rushing to lunch or in and out of the library. If it’s warm enough, you may hear the sounds of students enjoying the weather on the grass intermingling with the natural sounds of Wilder Bowl, such as birds. Once you reach the front of Mudd, turn right and cut directly across Wilder Bowl. Once you reach the other side, turn right and walk along the path that goes behind Warner. Stop at the row of bushes on your right. There is often a dense collection of sparrows here, making for an exciting little cacophony. Turn back towards North Campus and make your way to Finney Chapel.
1:00 - At this point, you will have arrived to Finney Chapel in time to hear a sound mark of the Oberlin community. As the Finney Chapel bells are resonating make your way to the benches located between the chapel and the Cox building. Spend 10 minutes here, if possible. As you’re sitting, take a moment to recognize the bubbling of the fountain mixing with a multitude of sounds. First, focus in on the sound flowing out of Finney Chapel. Timed correctly, you should be hearing the sounds of orchestra rehearsal. This anthropologic sound is another highlight of the Oberlin College and Conservatory soundscape. After listening to the orchestra turn your attention to the way the fountain is blending with the natural organisms within the soundscape. When you are ready, walk east towards Professor St. Cross it and make your way into Tappan Square.
1:10 - Once you enter Tappan Square, sit down on the first bench you approach. Notice how the sounds of orchestra rehearsal have faded a bit, now complimented more heavily by what is a common keynote sound in most human-inhabited areas: cars driving around the parameter of the square. Further, shut your eyes and recognize the two primary methods of transport among students. Sit for a few minutes and listen for the distinctive whir of bicycles rolling past in contrast with the sounds of footsteps on the brick pathways as students navigate the square.
1:20 - Walk towards the center of Tappan. As you are standing here look down each pathway and notice what biophony you hear. If you see a squirrel burying a nut, can you hear it? What changes when you close your eyes? Notice the difference in the sounds of squirrels running along the grass and trees, mixed with cicadas and crickets. The difference between students walking on the grass versus the pavement should be perceptible, should you happen to spot some students taking alternate routes. Make your way back towards Harkness Bowl.
1:30 - Once you arrive at Harkness Bowl, notice the change in the density of sound as the meal has most likely finished and only a few students will remain outside the building. Can you hear birdsong and insect whirring more clearly now that the students are gone? Finally, return your attention to the constant commotion occurring around campus. The blend of a bicycles and cars zooming past, and footsteps resonating on pavement and grass as Oberlin continues to ebb and flow with sound, in a constant state of aural hubbub.
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