Canadian Acoustics

The sounds are not alone if we care about their meaning: sensory organ and socio-bio-ecosystemic music

2024-06-06T12:21:52-07:00

A marginal instrument such as the orgue sensoriel (OS), created for disabled people, invites us to interrogate the meaning of musical practices by situating them in their respective contexts of production and reproduction, determined in their material, imaginary and symbolic reality. The eco-logical perspective is chosen for its analytical and descriptive virtues, rather than for its normative implications. In presenting the life and origins of the OS, three concepts exogenous to the field of music are introduced: ecological niche, microbiome and musiculture. As metaphors – figuratively, heuristically and pedagogically rich
– they enable the placement of the sounds of OS, and their meaning, in the socio-bio-ecosystems of each (set of) situation(s).
Analysts, artists and educators can work creatively and sensitively on those three dimensions to restore complexity and variability to the meaning of musical practices, and to orient new experiences

It’s done: Canadian Acoustics journal moved to electronic format!

2024-06-05T11:50:35-07:00

The Canadian Acoustics journal is shifting primarily to an online distribution following a decision made at the AGM in October 2023, although paper subscriptions will still be available as a premium option. This transition aligns with other academic journals, such as the Acoustical Society of America, which will completely cease printing its journal in 2025. All subscriptions are now electronic, with each issue sent via email in a responsive HTML format, and articles becoming freely accessible 12 months after their initial publication. This transition was facilitated by a plugin developed by Benjamin Pye, available on GitHub. The association appreciates the support of its members and invites them to share their feedback and questions regarding this change.

Listening walking, a sound walk, as an educational tool, and a gesture of sound creation

2024-06-02T15:17:40-07:00

The Pedagogy of Listening through soundwalk offers an immersive approach to education, integrating attentive listening as a main tool. This method, anchored in the history of sound art and sound ecology, aims to raise participants' awareness of their sound environment and to develop their critical and creative listening skills. Through concrete examples such as sensitive audio tours and projects around water or the forest, this approach explores sound territories in a contextualized way. Tools such as the digital recorder and interactive maps enrich the experience, while action research promotes interdisciplinarity and social innovation. Despite the challenges related to the coordination of actors and resources, this approach promises to adapt to new territories explored thanks to technological advances and a return to authentic sensory connection. In conclusion, the pedagogy of listening offers stimulating perspectives for rethinking our relationship with soundscapes and promoting better living together in a constantly evolving world.

Is it possible to educate about societal issues through the sound arts?

2024-05-26T13:36:25-07:00

Tri-axial Ground-borne Vibration Measurements During Rail Pass-bys.

2024-05-08T20:41:33-07:00

Ground-borne vibrations from rail pass-bys, transmitted from train wheels rolling on the rails, have the potential to cause various adverse effects at nearby receptors such as annoyance and re-radiated noise. To assess the impact of rail pass-bys, surface-level vibration can be characterized in three components: one vertical and two horizontal directions. Prior experience, best-practice guidelines from the Federal Transit Administration Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment Manual, and theory of propagation of Rayleigh surface waves indicate that the vertical component dominates the horizontal components, such that vibrations from rail pass-bys can be adequately characterized by the vertical component only.

This purpose of this study is to assess the sufficiency of characterizing the impact of ground-borne vibrations caused by rail pass-bys based solely in the vertical direction. Tri-axial vibration measurements were conducted for passenger trains in Ontario, Canada, using a multi-channel signal analyzer for simultaneous measurement of multiple-axis vibration levels. The measured levels were then examined across the three components.