The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment And The Tuning Of The World (26 page)

I.  N
ATURAL
S
OUNDS

A. SOUNDS OF CREATION

B. SOUNDS OF APOCALYPSE

C. SOUNDS OF WATER

1.  Oceans, Seas and Lakes

2.  Rivers and Brooks

3.  Rain

4.  Ice and Snow

5.  Steam

6.  Fountains. Etc.

D. SOUNDS OF AIR

1.  Wind

2.  Storms and Hurricanes

3.  Breezes

4.  Thunder and Lightning. Etc.

E. SOUNDS OF EARTH

1.  Earthquakes

2.  Landslides and Avalanches

3.  Mines

4.  Caves and Tunnels

5.  Rocks and Stones

6.  Other Subterranean Vibrations

7.  Trees

8.  Other Vegetation

F. SOUNDS OF FIRE

1.  Large Conflagrations

2.  Volcanoes

3.  Hearth and Camp Fires

4.  Matches and Lighters

5.  Candles

6.  Gas Lamps

7.  Oil Lamps

8.  Torches

9.  Festival or Ritual Fires

G. SOUNDS OF BIRDS

1.  Sparrow

2.  Pigeon

3.  Killdeer

4.  Hen

5.  Owl

6.  Lark. Etc.

H. SOUNDS OF ANIMALS

1.  Horses

2.  Cattle

3.  Sheep

4.  Dogs

5.  Cats

6.  Wolves

7.  Gophers. Etc.

I. SOUNDS OF INSECTS

1.  Flies

2.  Mosquitoes

3.  Bees

4.  Crickets

5.  Cicadas. Etc.

J. SOUNDS OF FISH AND SEA CREATURES

1.  Whales

2.  Porpoises

3.  Turtles. Etc.

K. SOUNDS OF SEASONS

1.  Sprin

2.  Summer

3.  Fall

4.  Winter

II.  H
UMAN
S
OUNDS

A. SOUNDS OF THE VOICE

1.  Speaking

2.  Calling

3.  Whispering

4.  Crying

5.  Screaming

6.  Singing

7.  Humming

8.  Laughing

9.  Coughing

10.  Grunting

11.  Groaning. Etc.

B. SOUNDS OF THE BODY

1.  Heartbeat

2.  Breathing

3.  Footsteps

4.  Hands (Clapping, Scratching, etc.)

5.  Eating

6.  Drinking

7.  Evacuating

8.  Lovemaking

9.  Nervous System

10.  Dream Sounds. Etc.

C. SOUNDS OF CLOTHING

1.  Clothing

2.  Pipe

3.  Jewelry. Etc.

III.  S
OUNDS AND
S
OCIETY

A. GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS OF RURAL SOUNDSCAPES

1.  Britain and Europe

2.  North America

3.  Latin and South America

4.  Middle East

5.  Africa

6.  Central Asia

7.  Far East

B. TOWN SOUNDSCAPES

1.  Britain and Europe. Etc.

C. CITY SOUNDSCAPES

1.  Britain and Europe. Etc.

D. MARITIME SOUNDSCAPES

1.  Ships

2.  Boats

3.  Ports

4.  Shoreline. Etc.

E. DOMESTIC SOUNDSCAPES

1.  Kitchen

2.  Living Room and Hearth

3.  Dining Room

4.  Bedroom

5.  Toilets

6.  Doors

7.  Windows and Shutters. Etc.

F. SOUNDS OF TRADES, PROFESSIONS AND LIVELIHOODS

1.  Blacksmith

2.  Miller

3.  Carpenter

4.  Tinsmith. Etc.

G. SOUNDS OF FACTORIES AND OFFICES

1.  Shipyard

2.  Sawmill

3.  Bank

4.  Newspaper

H. SOUNDS OF ENTERTAINMENTS

1.  Sports Events

2.  Radio and Television

3.  Theater

4.  Opera. Etc.

I. MUSIC

1.  Musical Instruments

2.  Street Music

3.  House Music

4.  Bands and Orchestras. Etc.

J. CEREMONIES AND FESTIVALS

1.  Music

2.  Fireworks

3.  Parades. Etc.

K. PARKS AND GARDENS

1.  Fountains

2.  Concerts

3.  Birds. Etc.

L. RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS

1.  Ancient Greek

2.  Byzantine

3.  Roman Catholic

4.  Tibetan. Etc.

IV.  M
ECHANICAL
S
OUNDS

A. MACHINES (GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS)

B. INDUSTRIAL AND FACTORY EQUIPMENT (GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS)

C. TRANSPORTATION MACHINES (GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS)

D. WARFARE MACHINES (GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS)

E. TRAINS AND TROLLEYS

1.  Steam Locomotives

2.  Electric Locomotives

3.  Diesel Locomotives

4.  Shunting and Yard Sounds

5.  Coach Sounds

6.  Street Cars. Etc.

F. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

1.  Automobiles

2.  Trucks

3.  Motorcycles. Etc.

G. AIRCRAFT

1.  Propeller Aircraft

2.  Helicopters

3.  Jets

4.  Rockets. Etc.

H. CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION EQUIPMENT

1.  Compressors

2.  Jackhammers

3.  Drills

4.  Bulldozers

5.  Pile Drivers. Etc.

I. MECHANICAL TOOLS

1.  Saws

2.  Planes

3.  Sanders. Etc.

J. VENTILATORS AND AIR-CONDITIONERS

K. INSTRUMENTS OF WAR AND DESTRUCTION

L. FARM MACHINERY

1.  Threshing Machines

2.  Binders

3.  Tractors

4.  Combines. Etc.

V.  Q
UIET AND
S
ILENCE

VI.  S
OUNDS AS
I
NDICATORS

A. BELLS AND GONGS

1.  Church

2.  Clock

3.  Animal. Etc.

B. HORNS AND WHISTLES

1.  Traffic

2.  Boats

3.  Trains

4.  Factory. Etc.

C. SOUNDS OF TIME

1.  Clocks

2.  Watches

3.  Curfew

4.  Watchmen. Etc.

D. TELEPHONES

E. (OTHER) WARNING SYSTEMS

F. (OTHER) SIGNALS OF PLEASURE

G. INDICATORS OF FUTURE OCCURRENCES

Other categories in this system include Mythological Sounds, the Sounds of Utopias and the Psychogenic Sounds of Dreams and Hallucinations. We also have categories for the last sounds heard before sleep, the first sounds heard on waking and acoustic experiences that connect with the other senses (synaesthesia). The final section of the catalogue indicates whether the reporter showed a particular attitude to the sound(s) described. Was it considered as a signal, as noise, as painful, pleasurable, etc.?

As sounds may function in a variety of contexts, all descriptive cards, indexed in this system, are cross-referenced generously. Thus any given sound may appear in several places, allowing us the opportunity to regard it from several angles or to compare it with others of a similar set.

Playing with this index is a splendid listening exercise. Let me pull out a few cards dealing with the sounds of footsteps and you will hear what I mean. I have already mentioned how the felt boots of
Doctor Zhivago’s
Russian winter seemed to “screech angrily” in the snow. Compare this with