Sound walk

For my sound walk experiment, I decided to take a walk along the FDR Drive walking path. It is a very popular spot for runners or to relax and take in the scenery. I visit there often, but this time, left my headphones at home.

I entered the walkway and was impressed by the array of sounds I heard without my usual playlist blocking them out. What stuck out to me the most was the sound of the water. The subtle but prevalent sound was very pleasurable to me, being so used to the constant loudness of the city. 

As I continued walking I came across more and more people. Some running in which I heard their feet rhythmically hitting the ground, some talking about their day, and some playing baseball on the field nearby. It was nice to hear the presence of people nearby and the unique sounds each of them came along with. 

The farther I went on the path, the harder it was to pinpoint the different sounds I was hearing. I began to really listen to the natural sounds I was now surrounded with. The wind whistling, trees swaying, leaves tumbling, and waves hitting the wall seemed to all mesh together, but at the same time had their own separate contribution to nature’s soundtrack.

Overall I am very glad I took part in this assignment. It was a nice break from rushing around the city with my loud headphones pulling me along. The sounds I heard made me feel more in touch with myself and what is actually going on around me. I walked back from the path with a clear head and excited to better observe my surroundings here in New York City.