Cultural Soundmarks: The Invisible Landmarks That Define a Nation

Imagine you are standing in middle of a random town and your eyes are closed, you want to figured out where you are, how to find out where is this city? you cant see the buildings to find out where is this based on famous landmarks or city's architecture, or figured it out by poeple's dressing to know if they are wearing arabic white clothes or Finish warm jackets, so you move into your third power, The Listening Power. you can hear the sound of ocean waves and also Bagpipes roaring all over the city, now you totally know you are in Scotland! this is called "Cultural Soundmark" that we will discuss to know what is means and what are the famous soundmarks of countries sound like. stay tuned.

What Exactly is a Soundmark?

The term "soundmark" is defined first time by a Canadian composer called R. Murray Schafer. This word comes from the word "Landmark" that refers to some buildings or monuments of a famous place in geography of a certain part of a world that people know that place by that like Eiffel Tower that people know Paris with that and when you say Paris, the first thig that comes to our mind is That. So the Soundmark is eferring to a community sound which is unique or possesses qualities which make it specially regarded or noticed by the people in that community. Sometimes you know a city based on natural sounds of it like ocean waves sound of a coastal city but the term soundmark isn't for that, because the soundmark is based on a social construct and cultural things. Its a sound that has come from inside that special place's society and culture or situation. It can be affected by the geographical condition of a place too but not %100 depends on that. Like a city full of coal mines often have lots of factories inside it that use the coal as fuel so the city's soundmark is sound of factories but sometimes that city can have a very famous church with iconic bell sound that people all around the world recognize the city by that church not the loud sound of factories that have surrounded the city. In a word, soundmark is the Identity of a geographical place.

Religious traditions: The most Easy way to find out

Religious buildings and traditions are the best way and also the easiest way to find out where you are so its the most Powerful soundmarks, from church bells to Indian temples to call to pray by mosques. In Europe in most of the cities their most iconic Landmark is their churchs that mostly their streets ends to the central square that City Church is in middle of it so its Bell is most iconic soundmark of that city like Notre Dam Church Bell's sound is soundmark of Paris or Adhan sound in Mecca is iconic soundmark of this city. but these cities have lots of other places and sounds too but why just this churchs and mosques? the reason is that the thing that all these cities have and the similarity of all cities in Europe or Middle East is their Churchs and Mosques. Doesn't matter you are in Big city like London or in small village in Netherland, similarity between them is their Church Bell sound. This sound make the residents feel like their in home, in a place they have grew up and the sound is familiar so it's totally the definition of Soundmark.

LET'S GO WITH EXAMPLES: WHAT ARE COUNTRIES SOUNDMARKS?

Each country has its unique soundmark, each city, each town. But overall of them shapes the country's soundmark. It depends on many things and it varies from geographical conditions to cultural entities or even neighboring status. Its combined between all aspects of daily life of its inhabitants that native people know there by that and it reminds them that this place is the home. Also tourists that have visited that place, once they hear that soundmark it reminds them memories of their trip to that place. So its based on All aspects of a place. We will know dive into geography to see what countries soundmarks.

1. New York: Traffic, Chaos and Subway!

We know New York as The Capital of the World. Its Stock Exchange is worth more than many countries GDP in total, Its biggest City in The US and its also famous for BroadWay Street's Theaters too! Daily life of an average New York citizen begin with siren of a NYPD to its subway anchor sounds or its streets traffic jam noise and finally a entertain in BroadWay theaters. So its Soundmark is combined of Traffic sound, Chaos in Stock Exchange and calm theater in BroadWay.

Rio: City full of Joy, dance, music and football

I can say it myself that i consider the Rio as one of the most LIVE cities on earth that life is almost never stops in 24/7! from day to night, its beach is almost full of people, its streets are full of ambience and cafes and restaurants are always full of people. We can't fine a City on earth that has that many famous soundmarks on earth more than Rio. From its famous parade to Traditional musics to Football Stadium's vibes, all shape not just a great city to live, but a full definition of soundmarks.

Seul: Kpop, squidgame and factories

Everyone that have traveled to Seul remembers the Kpop musics sound comes from every corner, every cafe, every club. We can complete and recognize the Seul's soundmark with Kpop and move onto next city but we cant forget the one of the most famouse Korean Series "Squid Game" and how people know and remember the Seul with soundtracks of these Series. But also Seul is full of Factories that people lived and grew up there remember the city with noise of factories from morning to afternoon that took all over the City's ambience.

Conclusion

Next time you are traveling, or even just walking through your own neighborhood, try an experiment. Put your phone away, close your eyes, and just listen. What is the sound that defines your current location? Is it a sound that has existed for centuries, or something brand new? record it, save it in some place so its one of memories you can carry on as your home town sounds like in that time.