Responses to third questionnaire (3Q) – testing the process of triangulation

This was a shorter session two weeks later and the teacher made sure that the disruptive students were not sat together. Unfortunately 3 of the students (R11LG, R13LG and R14LG) present in the first session could not attend meaning 20 students took part in this session, this was a logistical issue that also arose with the group at Trinity (see 3.2). However all data has been included from each session, as it can still help to indicate the effectiveness of each workshop.

Some participants showed real interest in the session and a majority wanted to listen to more pieces at the end. In discussions about the piece comments were made such as ‘it was definitely more interesting as it felt much more realistic, as if you were there.’ This shows further evidence of the sense of place, which is an important feature of heightened listening and soundscape works. It also demonstrated that, for some of the listeners at least, the process of triangulation had worked effectively. Some of ‘Cricket Voice’ by Hildegard

Westerkamp was played at the end of the session; this was received quite

positively with a number of questions about how the sounds were created for the piece. Two of the pupils then asked for recommendations of other sound based music and composers to listen to. When discussing the listening exercises the majority of participants said that they helped to notice sounds in the background as well as in the foreground.

During reworking in order to increase interest in the opening section, which had been identified as one of the least interesting parts, some water sounds were added that had been recorded using a hydrophone. This was to evoke a feeling of being in the pond with the wildlife around the listener. The end section, which had been the other most common least interesting part, was shortened and the levels adjusted to try to create a more convincing soundscape. Sounds similar to heartbeats were further developed and used to mark the transition between the sections that represented night and day more clearly (these can be heard on the binaural version on the disc, although they are still included in the final version they are masked slightly by changes made – see 3.4.3).

Q13Q - What differences did you notice from last time you heard the composition?

10 (50%) of students made reference to the water sounds, 6 listeners said there were more sounds, 1 said they did not notice any differences. 8 thought it was louder, even though the volume had not changed. 2 commented that

heartbeats marked the changes between sections. Some of the respondents included sounds that had been mentioned in the previous session such as helicopters, planes, frogs, crickets and birds. The only new sounds (other than water) that had not been mentioned before were: a rooster, leaves rustling, footsteps and pebbles. R15LG commented that:

It was more realistic and it felt like you were there.

Q23Q - Did you find it (please circle) – A (More interesting) -5

B (Slightly more interesting) -8 C (No difference) -3

D (Less interesting) -4

13 (65%) in total answered A or B. R8LG commented on it seeming more realistic (comment 2/3.1.3). For 2 students repeated listening actually made it less interesting, such as R17LG (comment 3/3.1.3). Both of these had given very

negative answers in the first session.

R16LG who had been undecided in the first session and said the beginning was boring answered B and made a cinematic reference (comment 4/3.1.3). This suggests that triangulation had helped to improve this listener’s appreciation, as the beginning had been altered.

Q33Q - Do you think the listening exercises in each session have helped you to listen more closely to the sounds?

12 answered yes the listening exercises helped (60%), while 8 said no. All but 1 of those who answered D to Q2 answered negatively to this. However, R2LG the other who answered D on Q2 felt the listening exercises helped to notice more sounds (comment 5/3.1.3).

All of those who answered positively described greater aural awareness, for example by being able to hear sounds that are less noticeable, such as R23LG:

Yes, I think it helped me notice the background sounds so I had a better idea of what was going on. I had a better picture in my head.

One of the principal aims of the HL project was to enable the participants to develop a deeper awareness of the sounds around them and form mental pictures through listening. Many of the positive responses to Q3 demonstrate the

effectiveness of short simple listening exercises in achieving this, suggesting that given more time to practice the benefits could be quite significant. As R2LG explains, it was commonly noted with each group how closing their eyes helped concentration, demonstrating how something this simple aided their ability to listen by removing the distraction of the visual. R23LG’s apparent visualization through listening is a vital component of heightened listening, as it allows a mental picture of an environment to form creating a sense of place.

Q43Q - Now you have completed the workshops and done the listening exercises, would you like to listen to some sound based music again in the future?

12 (60%) answered yes they would like to listen to sound-based music in the future, while 7 answered no and 1 was undecided. 3 listeners commented on how it helped to make one more aurally aware. 6 of the negative answers made reference to sound based music not having elements contained in conventional music similar to those described in 3.1.1 in answer to Q61Q.

The percentage answering positively here is down from the first session but is still in the majority. However, the negative respondents on the whole have not had their opinions changed. The teacher commented that students engage more when active participation is involved and that they will listen far more attentively to their own work or each other’s, than the examples she plays to them. Further participation might have been facilitated through a soundwalk where students could make their own recordings, unfortunately this would have required extra time that was not available. Such an approach has been used as part of other research into E/A music education at De Montfort University with encouraging results (Therapontos, 2011).