This weeks readings were focused on the element of sound in terms of communication.

According to Theo van Leeuwen, perspective in sound is divided into three positions: figure, ground and field.

Figure can be identified as the dominant sound, that which the audience or listener is the most likely to respond to.

Ground refers to the presence of sounds that are in the listener’s social space and are less relevant to Figure, however, are generally only recognised once they are absent.

Field sounds are positioned in the listeners physical, but are predominantly disregarded by the listener.

My understanding of this theory is best conceptualised by imagining a scenario whereby all positions of sound perception would be present. For example, two people are talking at a cafe on a busy street. The prominent and Figure sound would be the conversation occurring between the two people at a social distance. The Ground sounds could be the constant chatter of other people in the cafe, the clinking of coffee mugs or perhaps the hissing of steam from a coffee machine. Examples of Field sounds would include the rumble of various vehicles passing outside, or the distant wailing of police sirens, the slamming of doors being open and shut, or even the roar of music from car radios.

I think this is an interesting way of perceiving sound because it accounts for the sounds in our physical space that we habitually would not notice unless we consciously and premeditatedly paid attention to them.

(Photo Credit: www.gretchenrubin.com)