README.md

Project 1: Soundscape Narrative

Your task in this unit is to arrange layers of sound to convey a sense of place and story. In assigning this, I have two main goals for you: (1) to learn how to capture sound and edit it using digital tools, and (2) to explore the affordances of sound as a medium, with particular attention to its ability to communicate immersive environment and narrative pacing and change. The genre of the narrative you convey is open: it could be documentary, fictional, even science-fictional. (The title you choose will help steer listeners' expectations, and thus their perceptions.)

As you start planning your composition, consider: in what place (physical, virtual, or imaginary) could you anchor your soundscape? What kinds of stories happen there, and which of them could you reasonably tell within a few minutes? How can you represent that environment sonically? What sounds are relatively stable, or sustained, and what is incidental? What structures or sequences could help a listening audience follow?

You don't need answers to all of these questions before getting started, but asking them early and returning to them often could help you get a sense of the soundscape you want to make.

Generative constraints

(as determined together on Thursday, 2020-01-23)

Baseline Criteria

For a minimum grade of B, all projects for this unit must…

• Play for 2-4 minutes
• Contain at least one sound originally recorded by you
• Contain at least one sound not recorded by you, but which you have permission (e.g. CC license, fair use, etc) to use
• Have three layers (tracks) of sound overlapping at least once in the file
• Have something change from the beginning to the end of the piece
• Meet deadlines and requirements from the chart below (see: citation, reflection, project title in README)
• Export a playable ("rendered") .mp3 file

Aspirational Inspirations

To target (but not guarantee) a grade above a B, the best projects for this unit may…

• Use relative volume and other effects to signal distance
• Use left/right pan to create a sense of (locations in) space
• Use clear speech, if speech is used
• Have a clear organizational scheme you can articulate
  • e.g. Transition seamlessly from clip to clip
  • e.g. Use sharp cuts to delineate scenes
• Show evidence that audience interpretation matches what you intended
• Show off how many sounds you can overlap without losing focus
• Have an emotional or intellectual intention that you can articulate
• Use Audacity effects that are new to you

Deadlines and products

At each stage, unless otherwise specified, upload (push) your materials to your own copy of this assignment repository. I recommend that you save often, using meaningful commit messages; for best results, please keep your filenames clear, lowercase, and space-free (use hyphens or underscores).

date	what's due	expected files
Tues Jan 21	Soundscape Proposal	Thinking in writing about what you'd like to do for this assignment, posted to the appropriate Issue Queue. This post should include: some basic premise of your narrative; some sense of setting; and a link to your repository, which is the fork of this assignment. In addition, please add a new file to your repo called ASSETS.md, containing a prospective assets chart as per Writer/Designer p. 149. Not sure where to start? Try one of the "parachute prompts" below.
Thurs Jan 23	Soundscape Preview	An early snapshot of your progress, to get the gears turning. Turn in: A layered Audacity project file (.aup), showing the arrangement of your sounds so far (need not be a complete soundscape or narrative yet). A static screenshot (.png or .jpg) of your Audacity file in progress (for comparison later to subsequent drafts). The _data folder associated with your Audacity file, which should contain at least two recorded sounds. A plain text (.txt) or markdown (.md) file, explaining in at least 300 words what you're showing us in this preview. Feel free also to ask questions or lay out next steps for yourself! An updated ASSETS.md, now with the files you actually recorded or otherwise obtained. Add source documentation for any outside sources – and your permission to use them (e.g. licenses, fair use; see Writer/Designer p. 160-165).
Tues Jan 28	Soundscape Draft	A solid attempt at a complete soundscape narrative, ideally at the target length. Turn in: A layered Audacity project file (.aup), showing the arrangement of your sounds so far The _data folder associated with your Audacity file, containing your audio snippets. At least one more static screenshot (.png or .jpg) of your Audacity file in progress. When to screenshot? Moments that seem worth remembering as you go: where did you level up, or realize something, or get stuck? An updated README.md file, introducing the soundscape narrative to a new audience. An updated ASSETS.md file, including documentation of any outside sources – and your permission to use them (e.g. licenses, fair use); see Writer/Designer p. 160-165.
Sun Feb 2	Soundscape Final Draft	Include the same five components as in the earlier draft, but updated.
Tues Feb 4	Soundscape Reflection	Give a sense of the work you put into your soundscape and whether it accomplishes what you wanted it to. Turn in: at least 500 words describing the work you did at least two screenshots showing your work in progress at least one photograph of a notecard with feedback that you responded to in revising (and please say how) your own assessment of how you met the baseline criteria for the class, as well as aspirational criteria as appropriate Post your reflections to the course site's Issue queue, to make it easier to embed images. (If you want to then copy the source code into a file in your own repo called reflections.md, I won't stop you!)

Setup

1. Fork this repository to create a new version you can control.
2. This will give you an online copy, but for editing purposes you'll definitely want a local copy on your computer. Follow the cloning instructions for your operating system, making sure to put the cloned folder in a place on your computer where you can easily find it.
3. Optional: Because some sound files can take up a lot of space, you may want to use Git Large File Storage, an add-on service that lets you designate certain file extensions as worth tracking and storing off-site, rather than directly in your repository.
   • If you want to do this, it's pretty easy! You'll just need to install the LFS service at the command line to make it work.
   • Simply go to https://git-lfs.github.com, download, and follow the two steps on the screen!
   • Once it's set up at the command line, git-lfs will also work through GitHub Desktop.

Parachute Prompts

As it says above, the genre, subject, and setting for this project are up to you. But if you're stuck for where to start, try one of these options:

• Day in the Life of... Over the course of a few days, record 40 or more 5-second snippets of sound that tell us where you are and what you're doing. (The challenge will be to make at least some of these sounds different from everyone else's: parts of a particular soundscape, not a generic one.) Overlay a soundtrack that shows your energy – or the energy you'd like to have; fiction is fair game, after all – at various times of day. Human voices, including yours, are welcome!
• Interview for a Podcast You know that one friend or family member who's always telling great stories? Ask them for a new one, or to re-tell one of your favorites, and this time, get it on "tape." Record more than you'll need, then go to the editing room to recreate the story in sound: boil it down to highlights, introduce your speaker and yourself, then add a background track and incidentals to round out the sonic atmosphere.