Sounds of Dayton

Do all cities sound the same? 

The “Sounds of Dayton” installation performs a series of inquiries into Dayton’s urban soundscape to understand the make-up of the city’s sonic ecology. Sound scholars, urban architects and composers alike have long been fascinated by the impact of sound on quality of life in urban centers, as particular cities sound particular ways. This research illuminates the impact sound and music have had in the city of Dayton, Ohio and sound’s role in its urbanization. 

Often, the combination of industry and road construction has contributed to environmental sound pollution in ways that parallel and even enforce urban racialized segregation. The study engages with populations in the city of Dayton who have been displaced by racial segregation, to determine what effect sound has had on these populations and whether race played a factor. Specifically, the project utilizes sound recordings, soundwalks, anonymized collection and analysis of demographic data, and interlocutor interviews with Dayton residents (musicians and non-musicians) of various locations around the city. The project integrates sound recordings, maps, and interlocutor interviews into a public-facing interactive exhibit where visitors from Dayton and beyond can engage with the collection to grasp a concept of Dayton’s unique sonic ecology.

Listen to the “Sounds of Dayton” with this collection hosted on SoundCloud.