prompt 4.1 ~ inquiry

For the final prompt of the semester, we were tasked to think holistically about how we use research methods and methodologies in our design practice. The most open-ended prompt of the semester, we were given free rein to pick a space of inquiry. My initial idea is to focus on (collective) listening experiences. Inspired by my recent trip to New York and hearing about hifi and listening bars, for this prompt, I want to focus on what are the factors that contribute to an enhanced (collective) listening environment.

The reason why collective is in brackets is because I want to take a holistic communication perspective on this topic. In the Communication discipline, we think a lot about communication in relation to the number of people involved in an interaction. Intrapersonal is communication with yourself, interpersonal is a dyad and group communication is communication with more than 2 people. I am interested in comparing how one’s listening experience changes depending on the people around.

Prompt 4 primarily started off as prep for open studios. I went to the Vancouver Flea market for the first time with 1st year MFA, Claudia. She was going there primarily for her archival research and I thought it would also be a good opportunity to conduct some research of my own. Because I see so much value in the physical and visual experience that music once had, I thought this would be a great opportunity to look at older forms of media (records, CDs and cassettes) to see what kind of experience I would have.

Alongside finding a super cool Björk ‘Debut’ cassette, seeing this Diana Ross vinyl further cemented my opinion that to some extent, there was a greater richness in experience in older forms of music listening. Vinyls have large surface areas that afford increased use of touch and sight. Opening up the record, you are brought into an unknown world that begs you to listen to find out more.

This is a covered seating area in Mount Pleasant Park (my favorite park) and I had the idea of what if a musical object, like what Scrapbook is, was this seating area. Imagine music that was made which complimented or was inspired by this area but the only way you could access it is through an NFC tag or QR Code attached to the bench or one of the polls. The music would also be inextricably attached to the area because there would be some kind of radius that prevented people from listening outside the park. This idea interests me because it plays on a more physical, visual and experiential aspect of music but also promotes collective listening as well as makes music ‘harder’ to obtain.

Poetic observation— j’adore autumn colors

I made a bunch of ‘Scrapbooks’ to give out for Open Studios

Textured surprise

I saw open studios not only as a chance to connect with potential supervisors and share my work with the public but also as an opportunity to do background research for prompt 4. I use the term research loosely because I understand we need approval from REB to use human participants. However, in every conversation, I paid attention to the recurring themes and different perspectives people gave about my work. Two themes that came out were listeners wanting increased interactivity with the music they are listening to and dialogue that surrounded listening experiences and nostalgia for older forms of listening.

As I ponder more about music and our listening experiences, besides record stores, what are the modern-day equivalent spaces that promote music culture and provides a place for like-minded people to gather?