This workshop will introduce participants to mobile field recording in an urban park setting. We will listen to and record the sounds of traffic, the recycling center, park visitors on foot/bicycle/ rollerblade/skateboard/ segway/stroller, aircraft, and watercraft. Non human-made sounds that may also be encountered include birds, the wind, insects, squirrels, rats, feral dogs, and water lapping against the riverbank. While the only certain sound will be that of automobile traffic, it is very likely that we will also encounter sounds we do not expect. We will discuss microphone polar patterns, stereo methods, recording, playback/delivery considerations, storage, best practices, editing, processing, geotagging, metadata, archiving, and equipment. Workshop participants will walk approximately 2 miles (from the starting point and back). There will be 8 spots available; headphones will be provided.

Sound Places is a part of Commotion, a project that brings together diverse art makers and communities to interact and explore the Grays Ferry, Point Breeze, and South of South Street neighborhoods of Philadelphia in unique and unexpected ways.