Extraordinary sounds…

Georgia, Starling Arts’ current placement student, reflects on using sound in the everyday to vary sensory experiences.

Picture above: Georgia. Photo by Eleonora Collini

Since starting an online placement with Starling Arts in January 2021, during the UK’s third National Covid-19 Lockdown, I have been reflecting on how co-directors Anna and Emily use singing to promote health benefits, to build and maintain community, and to bring joy into the every day when the pandemic permeates every aspect of our lives.

Yet for me, the most fascinating aspect of Starling Arts is the ability their workshops have to transform our day-to-day settings. The sessions temporarily and affectively take me away from my immediate surroundings, even though I have travelled no further than my living room. For me, this is closely linked to Starling Arts’ use of sound; although we are unable to be in a room surrounded by other voices and immersed in harmony, the process of making your own sound in a focused way is a sensorial experience.

The pandemic has made our physical world get smaller by the day, and our sensory experiences have become less varied. From cooking every meal in your repertoire to repeating your daily lunchtime walk, or binge-watching your chosen sitcom, it has become increasingly harder to differentiate between days of the week.

So how can we use sound in a purposeful way to vary our everyday experiences?

I have reflected on some ways that Starling Arts have influenced my work as an Autism Support worker in the community (both in-person and online). The individuals I support have specific sensory needs, yet like anyone at the moment, they miss their favourite people, places and experiences. In our sessions, I have not been able to recreate an entire live experience - like going to the theatre, or to a football match - but I have noticed that there are benefits to using sound to create moments, however little, that boost us.

Although my own practice comes from predominantly Special Education Needs (SEN) and Applied Theatre settings, I believe these ways of thinking about sound and auditory experience can benefit us all in some way. There won’t be a “one size fits all”. There are bound to be multiple interpretations around which sounds individuals enjoy; for instance, one person’s Mozart could be another person’s Slipknot! 

It may already be that you know your own preferences to sound, maybe there are pitches or rhythms that appeal to you, but it could also be good practice to discover these and use them purposefully if you weren’t already, as some of these ideas lend themselves to mindfulness. 

1. Sound to bring comfort.

Of course, it isn’t difficult to imagine that your favourite album or band may bring you a sense of security and their familiarity may soothe a kind of audible craving for you. For a more focused listening experience, it may be helpful to put away other distractions, especially while we are bombarded by information on screens in both our work and spare time.

Maybe resist shuffling the album and listen to the tracks in their listed order, or listen through an alternative medium to your usual preference, whether it be through headphones, on CD, cassette, or vinyl.

I’ve also found we can use sound to bring us comfort when communicating with loved ones that we miss. Sometimes a text message isn’t enough, and a phone call feels overwhelming. So to hear a loved one’s familiar voice via voice note telling a funny anecdote or wishing you a good day can really brighten it, and it’s so quick and easy to return the favour.

2. Using sound as a transition.

Struggling to relax after working from home? Need something to accompany your daily permitted exercise? Or need something to motivate you to get started in the first place?

It’s probably easiest to grab music for this, and it’s an amazing way to re-associate with a sound you love or discover something completely new. In my work in SEN environments, music is indispensable, and helps young people with complex needs transition from one activity to another, get through something unpleasant, or build tension and excitement for a game.

This could actively help us too as we can practice associating certain sounds with certain activities (even the ones we don’t want to do). It’s also really helpful to update these every now and again, as it’s possible we all get bored of certain sounds! But in the future, if you hear a song unexpectedly, your body’s muscle memory will take you straight back to that original moment and this can be an enjoyable, unexpected or nostalgic experience.

3. Sound and Storytelling.

Lockdown may have us feeling less creative and, for lots of people, getting access to the arts or creating something in these times can feel like a pretty big ask. Yet, using our imaginations can be awakened in a low impact way that still has some transformative effect.

In one of my sessions with a young person, we used story-cubes to make up a story and then spent some time researching sound to match the main events of the story to create an atmosphere. In our re-telling, using sound effects, music and some cleverly placed silences, we curated a short performance that the young person enjoys and in sessions since, wishes to return to and re-live. Which of course we do, with just as much gusto as the first time and now added actions!

In our everyday lives, this could be listening to a radio play, or adding a layer of sound to another creative activity (maybe cooking or reading) as a helpful expressive device. After all, is there anything more therapeutic than listening to your favourite musical from start to finish, singing ALL the parts, living the drama and having dinner ready at the end of it? I think not.

Curating playlists is another focused activity that sees you spending time deliberating over whether a song belongs in there or not… or do you need a whole new playlist?

Gone are the days of cassette mixtapes, but a real personal touch can be added to show affection for your loved ones if you curate songs that remind you of them or that you think they’ll love. For yourself, you could collect songs that make you think of other people. This doesn’t have to be an extensive process. Listening to 10 songs someone has picked out for you is a surprising audible gift that will likely brighten their day.

4. Join a choir.

This HAD to be in here! (Starling Arts – represent!)

Dedicating an evening a week to yourself, either online (or in-person if that’s currently available to you) to learn, experiment and have fun with sound is like pressing a reset button on yourself that erases the mundane and trivial, and replaces it with delight and hope!

But really, it doesn’t have to be a choir: singing is the most important thing. If you have some space to yourself, get on YouTube, search your favourite songs as karaoke versions and bask in your virtuoso glory!

5. Appreciate the silences.

Make time for quiet if you need it. We are receiving so much information all of the time, and this can be a considerable stressor. In my work with young people with autism, and online over Zoom, it can be really valuable to get comfortable with silence. We don’t always need extra input and sometimes listening to what you really need can only be done when other distractions are removed.

Although initially uncomfortable, it’s okay not to have anything to say.

Of course, not all of these suggestions will appeal to everyone, and personal preferences and levels of access will vary. 

Sound is an unbelievable resource that we often take for granted, and yet it has a place in varying our everyday experiences until we can be in rooms together again, immersed in real-time celebratory sounds. 

Georgia