The Frequency 2156 website is pretty cool overall. It tells a story through different areas of the world where people put in audio after what seems like the apocalypse. I think they did a good job because when you listen to different audios you get an image in your head of where that person is and what they might be going through. One thing I would change about the website is the uploading part…it takes an awful long time. My clip was only ten seconds but it never uploaded. I put my location in Fredericksburg, VA at UMW because it wouldn’t let me choose my own location and that location existed, from I believe another classmate. I added my clip to SoundCloud, which is posted below.

The making of this post and audio:

For this audio I did, I added white noise, then I added effects to my voice in Audacity. I used the distortion and phaser, these two made my voice sound a little bit different which I liked. I really wanted it to sound like I needed help and was in desperate need of finding out that someone else was alive in this frequency and could respond to me.

AudioAssignments AudioAssignments2178

My Frequency 2156 Submission

I decided to emulate a military emergency broadcast for our Frequency 2156 world’s radioactive state:

Behind the Scenes

I wrote up a script to read and recorded my audio using an external USB microphone into Audacity.

From there, I modulated my voice to sound radio-like by following this unprofessional, but helpful YouTube tutorial. Note that the “FFT Filter” effect is now “Equalization” within Audacity.

From there, I added some layers of TV static, radio static, and radio tuning samples that I found on YouTube and extracted using the free “4K Video Downloader” software. You can also extract audio using this, not only video.

The radio tuning merges into the radio static to give you a sense you have just landed on a semi-clear channel. The TV static is constant throughout the broadcast to mask general frequencies and make everything sound more muddled.

I added my message to the radio on Frequency 2156 (after some interference prevented me from doing so for a long while):

The website could have enthralled me for HOURS (and it did for at least one). It is so interesting how everything is tied together under one “radio” and that anyone can add to it. The filter placed over all the additions moreso unifies all of the pieces. The anonymity of audio but also the humanness it creates makes for a powerful medium. I frequently got enveloped in other broadcasts that I had to remind myself I’m not in the apocalypse currently (though sometimes I have my doubts).

I wanted to take a different route than I normally do and try to make something inhuman (or, at least, inhuman sounding). I recorded my own audio with my phone and bunkering down in my closet to reduce background noise. Under that, I tried to put sounds of waves crashing on the beach, but when I uploaded my message it got mostly drowned out, though you can still hear it if you’re listening for it. Along with that, I put even quieter sound effects, but the only one you can partially hear is a soft ringing noise above everything.

**There is NOT any form of ENCODED message in my addition to the radio. The findings of Scout Bot 4531 were DIRECT with NO ALTERNATE MESSAGE. **

I spent a good amount of time exploring Frequency 2156. My opinion on the site is that it’s freaking amazing. I was instantly intrigued by all the radio dispatches and spent time listening to some. The entire site as a whole is a digital story made up of smaller digital stories. There was no one dispatch that was the same as another, however, the apocalyptic theme of the site was maintained within each dispatch. The chose of audio as the medium of this site was a good idea in my opinion. The audio drew me in and kept my attention. I really enjoyed listening to each dispatch and comparing the different voices and sounds I heard. I felt like I truly was listening to a real life dispatch and that was so cool! If the stories where told using only text, rather than audio, I don’t think the stories told would have resonated with me as well as they did. I would not change a thing about Frequency 2156. I think the site operates phenomenally, and the crowd-sourced audio works so well when telling a apocalyptic story. My favorite thing about the site is that  users can contribute their own digital stories. It made me feel apart of the story and not just a listener.

Here is the link to my radio dispatch. I created this dispatch by recording an audio recording on Quicktime Player and then transferring the recording onto the Frequency 2156 website. I then played around with the different sound effects until I felt happy with the final product. In my dispatch, I am stranded in what seems to be a furniture warehouse…exact location is unknown. My friend Derek is gone and I’m now left to try to survive on my own. I’m stuck in this building because I am too afraid to venture back outside. I’m so hungry and have minimal strength…I need someone to please SEND HELP!!!

I found Frequency 2156 interesting and very difficult. Audio is a nice choice since in the case of the apocalypse, I don’t think many of us would have the time or ability to watch TV. We’ll either be hiding or running.

The use of audio also allows the listeners to imagine the apocalypse. You might know that “they” are coming, but who are they? Zombies, aliens, maybe vampires? It is up to the listener to decide, and chances are, they’re going to pick the one that frightens them most and seems more realistic.

I think the crowd-sourced audio works well for those who are actually making relevant posts. A few of the ones I initially clicked on were not relevant to the apocalypse at all (like talking about memes), so I was pulled away from the scene I had imagined in my mind.The only thing I would change about this website is how you decide your location, and I’ll talk about that in a moment.

You can find my post here. I could not for the life of me figure out how to set my location, so the first two times I uploaded (yes, I have three posts floating around somewhere) I was unable to find my post. I expected the website to give me the URL, but instead, it sent me back to the home page as soon as my post uploaded. After about twenty minutes, I discovered I can just click someone else’s location, so I joined Bradfurd in a small cabin (even though my audio says that I am underground). Maybe it is an underground cabin. That will be up to the listeners to decide! Also, when you view my post, please make sure you listen to the one by Sam_ara106. Although, Bradfurd’s post is pretty good.

To create my audio clip, I went on Audacity and used a few sounds from Free Sound. I had to rewatch a few parts of the tutorial to remind me how to change start times and lower the volume of certain clips, but I enjoyed the process. It reminded me a lot of Movie Maker, only for audio instead. I’m unsure how “good” my post is and I am by no means an actor, but writing out a script and then finding audio clips to go along with it was enjoyable!

Hello everybody! This week I explored Frequency 2156. Frequency 2156 is a community based Internet radio from the post-apocalyptic future. Essentially, you can go around the world and listen to radio messages that people have published.

Thinking critically about Frequency 2156, I believe that the creators chose audio for their medium as it is simple. Audio is a simple medium to convey messages, stories or feelings. I also think that we associate audio/radio with the past and the idea of lower tech. This lends to the post-apocalyptic narrative the creators are facilitating. As I referred to in my last post, radio also harkens back to ancient storytelling. There is something about plain audio that pulls us back to times around the campfire. Also, in terms of server space, audio would also be a smaller file size compared to a video. So they were probably thinking about that as well.

Furthermore, I really like the crowd-sourced radio feel to tell the post-apocalyptic story. I really like it because every message is unique as we all bring different ideas to the genre. I think that these different perspectives also add to the story because it would reflect what really happens in the apocalypse. I mean the world is so large that we would all *have to have* different post-apocalyptic experiences. Thus, I think that the crowd-sourced audio works very well in terms of telling the story.

If I had created the story, I would have given users options to insert images or videos. Obviously, it is currently audio week. However, I think that giving users the option to add image or video would have elevated the story. I also think a visual stimuli would really help immerse the viewer into the post-apocalyptic world.

I had the opportunity to complete the “Frequency 2156, Can You Hear Me?” assignment. Below is my result.

Hello?

I know someone is out there.

I heard the radio click today.

Were you trying to send a code?

I heard you doing some clicking, but I was outside so I didn’t catch all of it.

I mean, you’ve got to be close, right?

We can work together.

I promise, I’m not scary.

I mean unless you wake me up without coffee.

Hello?

Oh god I’ll do whatever you say.

I promise. I promise…

Behind the Process

To start this assignment, I wrote down a quick script. The premise of my story is that a loner is in the woods. They were working outside on something and heard their radio click. They assume that someone is trying to make contact with them. So later that night, after a waiting awhile for the other person to try and make contact again, the main character releases a radio message. While they are on their radio, a person comes and interrupts them. Let’s just say, the main character is no longer with us.

I would have to say that the most difficult part of this assignment was trying to incorporate a story into my radio message. I wanted it to feel like a normal radio message in the beginning, but somewhat tense and jolting in the end. I really struggled with trying to achieve this feel without using visuals. Thus, when I wanted there to be almost like dead air after the scream I had to really think about how to do this with audio. This is why I finally chose to have the forest, fire and wind sounds continue on even though there was no dialogue. These continued sounds really helped conclude the story and give the listener a palate cleanser from the scream. Because I really thought about creating a story thorough audio, I think that it is something I did well.

source

After nailing down the script, I went into Audacity and recorded me speaking it. I found recording myself quite easy as I knew how I wanted my script to sound. I then went online and found the various sounds I needed including TV static, forest noises, a scream, fire crackling and a wind breeze. An interesting noise I decided to add was the Shepard Tone. The Shepard Tone is an interesting little sound that adds stress and tension to an audio clip. Vox made a really interesting video about it that you can watch here. In Audacity, I adjusted the volume and reverb. I also add some fade in/out to make the audio flow. Something I learned was how to layer the sounds so that the listener would be able to imagine the environment of the story. Using this layering effect really gave the listener a lot of sound to analyze and absorb.

Something I want to improve was my use of audio effects. I tried to make my speaking audio a little muffled, but could not really find the effects to get the sound I wanted. If I could go back, I would try out more effects and play around with those that got close to what I wanted.

All in all, I liked this assignment as I was able to do storytelling through audio. I also found it fun to find sound clips to incorporate into my radio message. If I had a choice, I would do this again. Being me, I would probably make an accompanying video that is a little Blair Witch project-y if I did it again.

Well, that is it for now. I’ll catch you on the flipside.

source