Bibliography addition

Just bought the following to start reading asap!

Title: Sounds and Vibrations (science essentials - physics)
Author: Gerard Cheshire
Publisher: Evans Brothers Ltd (5 May 2010)
ISBN-10: 0237541831
ISBN-13: 978-0237541835

Next step: find my Oxford Brookes staff swipe card and get access to the university library on the gipsy lane campus (much more accessible than the London Arts library for me) and investigate books in the following areas: music and feeling, music and the mind / psychology, sound psychology, sound and vibrations.

Also: register at the local Wantage library!

Another step: get a copy of the harvard referencing guide!

RNID & survey

Have phoned up PR & Campaigns office of RNID (now re-branded to 'Action on Hearing Loss') and got a very helpful response.
Chris White and Andy Glyde, leading the campaign "Don't lose the music" (hearing loss in young adults due to loud music) are my next contacts to email (include introduction, deadlines and sample questions)
chris.white@hearingloss.org.uk

SURVEY
Have just created my online survey that I will ask Tobias Schuh (DJ "Cold Blue"), Chris Bailey (Boyinthecorner records, Hed Kandi DJ) and Sam Barlow (DJ, Ministry of Sound DJ Academy) to help me circulate to as much of the clubbing community as possible. Hearing protection survey

RNID

More on the WHY (the *need*) Taken from the RNID website RNID - hearing loss & music

**There is currently no legislation directly protecting music lovers from the danger that loud music poses to their hearing. It is extremely important that you take responsibility for your own ears and always wear earplugs.**

There is some legislation that affects how loud music can be:

Control of Noise at Work regulations 2005 - this makes it the responsibility of the employer to protect their staff’s hearing if they are exposed to loud noise, such as music in a bar.
Environmental noise regulations
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

ARTEFACT (7th June submission)

Artefact journal notes (page1)

Artefact journal notes (page2)

21st June - Major Proforma

MA Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries

What, Why, How, If, & When- Proforma

2011

STUDENT NAME: Rachel Dunscombe

Date: 21 June 2011

Tutor: Liz Wright 

Introduction

This proforma is designed to help you to define your MA question, subject, motive, methodology and research strategy. Make sure that you answer all the questions and think about the relationship between them.

What

What is your subject area?

Long term hearing damage in young adults who attend night clubs / go clubbing, and other loud music events for a long duration. How a preventative product such as sound protection earplugs, can be a more enjoyable and udltimately attractive accessory for young clubbers.             

What is your question? (Please define a clear and succinct question that clarifies the specific area of your interest)

How can an earplug aimed at young adults attending loud music events (designed to protect from long term hearing damage / acoustic trauma) become a more appealing accessory? And not reduce the live experience of loud music resulting in reduced use?

WHY

Why do you wish to pursue this question? (Please define both your personal and professional agendas):

Personal motives

Electronic music is my absolute passion, discovering all night clubbing as a part of my “unpacking” has also given me an insight in to the clubbing industry. I have suffered the effects of serious ringing and deafness in my ears after an 8 hour set at Air nightclub in Birmingham (Godskitchen) to see Above and Beyond. It took almost a week for my hearing to get back to normal. I have since bought Alpine earplugs after a recommendation from a professional DJ who is also a personal friend, but found the plugs to reduce the bass / the experience of the music and overall enjoyment. So I stopped using them afterwards and suffered the hearing damage after-effects again. When I have asked, other clubbers have said the same to me about their opinion of using plugs, and it seems to be a reoccurring problem for the more ‘hardcore’ clubbing community. 

 Professional reasons

Interested in a “making” project, something physical and expanding my scope.

This project is completely out of my comfort zone of computers and graphic design. This project is also in my extremely uncomfortable zone when it comes to socially engaging with the public / clubbing community and industry professionals. The idea for my project is not in my area of expertise and is also a subject area that I am relatively new to.   

HOW

Explain how you intend to research your question against the following headings:

What are the sources of the research that you have done to develop/clarify your question?

Interview from Markus Schulz (DJ) at Ministry of Sound 20:20 exhibition: his most significant memory of performing at Ministry being when he could ‘feel the music through him’ when he performed.

Online research in to bone conduction and bone conduction products

Facts and figures from RNID about hearing loss / damage in young people attending night clubs and festivals

Word of mouth from clubbers about earplugs ruining their experience of the music, reduce of bass intensity, identifying a need to develop this product further to make it more attractive to use.

Type of artefact

Immediately: utilising the recently purchased ‘EX2 bodysonic vibration headphones’ made by “iFeelu” and combining with a type of material that reacts strongly to vibration, create a testing device to gain public feedback on their reactions to *feeling* music. Play some music to them on an external device, while also placing something in their hand (e.g. ball of vibrating material containing the bodysonic headphones and mini mp3 player) that is vibrating that same piece of music.

Ultimately: a concept protective earplug for clubbers, constructed using a reactive material that vibrates to intense levels of sound, creating a bone conduction effect earplug, in order for the user to ‘feel’ music.

Who will produce the artefact?

Protective earplug manufacturer / company who express an interest after I communicate my idea with a presentation pack? Or a sound company?

Ideas to contact:

Bose

Alpine (manufacturers one of the leading protection earplugs for DJs and music professionals)

Ultimate Hearing Protection Systems

Westone (in ear experts)

Who do you intend to get feedback from?
Clubbing community

General public (via mini exhibition I plan to rent a space and hold at Wantage museum and provide feedback cards for the public to comment and submit, prize draw to encourage participation)

RNID (to check)

Earplug manufacturer (to check)

Thomas Gunston (Consultant on noise and vibration exposure control)

Club staff: (Ministry of Sound, Revolution ‘Revs’ in Reading, Shush in Wantage)

Professional DJs: Chris Bailey, Sam Barlow, Tobias Schuh

Have you checked that they are prepared to co-operate?

All named contacts have confirmed their interest in co-operating.

Are you using any theoretical methods to analyze or inform your research?

If yes, which methods?

NA, afraid I don’t understand exactly how to apply the question.

I am discussing a visit to Thomas Gunston (BSc, PhD, MIoA) who is a consultant on noise and vibration (industry and military) and a member of the UK governing body Institute of Acoustics, to assist me in professionally testing the theory of my idea further. If this applies?

IF

What are the implications of my pursuit of this subject and question? (in other words, where will this mastery place me at the end of the Course?)

Communicate an idea for a product that could help protect against premature and long term hearing loss for tens of thousands of clubbers across the globe, while also maintaining their enjoyment of loud music and creating a new physical experience to clubbing. 

Gaining some experience in product design as well as confidence in pursuing my own idea, a completely new scope for my design skills. 

Developing my expertise in the sound / electronic music / clubbing industry.

Making and utilising some of the professional contacts made, to pursue possible future design career opportunities in the electronic music or sound industry.

"TANGIBLE" TIMELINE

A1 wall timeline for summer period

STATISTICS: Hearing loss due to loud music

Dr David Cotlar - Pediatrics

What a fantastic study for my project! Fantastic facts and figures. 
Dr David Cotlar

Pursue this study published by the RNID?

--------------------------------------------------------

March 22, 2011

A study published across the Atlantic by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People also brought to attention what is described as an alarming rise in deafness among the young due to the popularity of very loud music. This report focused on loud music exposure in concerts and at clubs, as well as with personal stereos, pointing out that (in England) workers are required by law to be offered ear protection if exposed to noise about 85 decibels, whereas concert volume levels may be amplified to above 120 db, which is 1000% (remember logarithms?) louder than 85. Note was made of one American concert which registered music played at 150 db - which is twice as loud as the 140 db of jet take-off levels. Nightclub music levels were in the 95 - 110 db. range, but as this exposure was for hours (even with "all nighters") the danger is enhanced by duration. 


One British study found up to 73% of rock concert attendees reported hearing loss of tinnitus or both, and the figure for “clubbers” was 66%.  Obviously, these numbers are difficult to interpret and, in reality, statistically reliable numbers for well-controlled studies would have to take numerous variables into account.

But does anyone really need precise numbers to recognize what an enormous—actually tragic– problem it is for adolescents and young adults to begin to experience irreversible hearing loss so early, with all its academic, social, professional, and even psychological implications and consequences?  And the damage extends beyond the loss of hearing.  Tinnitus, persistent ringing or other disturbing sounds in ear or head, is also a distinct and additional risk of music at high volumes,  sometimes temporary and sometimes permanent.  Older people who experience tinnitus will often emphatically complain about the extreme levels of disturbance to general well-being that accompanies the condition, and the difficulty in finding any way of treating it.

Counseling  adolescents (and now even older children) on these risks has for a long time been part of anticipatory guidance in maintenance health care in pediatric offices, and the limited success is having our advice heeded is simply another component of the perception of invincibility that many young people have.  Nonetheless, the bolstered recent findings of the increase in this serious, yet preventable health risk simply underscores the how vital it is  that physicians, parents, and others in appropriate positions, at least earnestly and competently try to make the advice  convincing enough.

Source:  Bloomberg article by Nicole Ostrow based on Journal of the American Medical Association

Royal National Institute for Deal People, article by medical correspondent Jan Murray

EXTERNAL FEEDBACK (sources to contact)

Industry contact to pursue / ask for feedback / arrange a meeting? (based in Kent)
Ultimate Hearing Protection Systems

Also: contact RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf) for any 2011 statistics of clubbers / festival goers suffering hearing damage / long term acoustic trauma from loud music events?
Refer to Donna Tipping (RNID) survey in 2008
(2711 festival goers, 84% experienced dullness of hearing and ringing in ears after listening to loud music, the first signs of hearing damage.)
RNID

RNID PR:

Name: Rebecca Griffin
Position: Head of PR & Campaigns
Number: 0207 296 8142
Email: rebecca.griffin@hearingloss.org.uk 

EXHIBITION - PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Thrown this together for giving the 'Project Management' presentation tonight.
"Intentions for the Exhibition"

TIMELINE (for 7th June e-hand in)

A very sucessful timeline planning meeting tonight, ripping up paper with my key objectives.
(many thanks to Dazz for helping with this)
Next stage: making an A1 timeline/planner for the bedroom wall! 

1-1 Tutorial beginning on 16^th June and repeating every fortnight

Journal Review beginning (in theory) on 23^rd June and repeating every Fortnight

(TIMELINE)

1 – Research and gain hard facts and figures regarding hearing loss in clubs

2 – Create presentation pack for collaborators and feedback sources

3 – Design name and branding for project

4 – 23^rd JUNE - Appointment with materials and produce

5 – Make wall plan of objectives and timeline

6 – Survey general public regarding aims and objectives of project

 (earplug review)

7 – Design and create new artefact

8 – Interview general public possibly club reading (revs)

9 – 16^th – 22^nd JULY – Time allocated to preparing for job interview

10 – Make contact with relevant sound industry companies

11 – Further iteration of artefact and rebuild if needed

12 – Re-evaluate and review

13 – Investigate and hold small exhibition for public feedback from artefact

14 – Budget time for planning and meeting

Re: mini exhibition with F/T students

15 – Have created artefact and gained feedback via external review

QUESTION FOR THE SUMMER!

"How can an earplug aimed at the general public attending loud music events (designed to protect from long term hearing damage and acoustic trauma) become a more appealing accessory, which will not reduce the live experience of music and discourage use?"

The journey today:

(my notes that I had to refine in order to find my question)

Feeling sound using bone conduction.

The idea?

In ear plugs constructed with a material that reacts to sound with vibration, creating the concept of bone conduction in-ear plugs? For the club goer to experience the music by feeling throughout the body. Reduce the dislike/unpopularity of earplugs (designed to reduce damage to long term hearing).

Regular comments from club goers trying in-ear plugs and then disliking and not using due to not being able to experience the music fully, dulling the sound. Can an in-ear plug that vibrates to sound (bone conduction) instead create an intense feeling of the music within the body, and therefore an intense and positive and unique experience of music, which will ultimately encourage the use of earplugs? Resulting in the reduction of long term hearing damage and ‘acoustic trauma’?

A FEW STATISTICS: (contact RNID, ask for Donna Tipping? Quote previous statistics and ask for any new statistics or information / surveys in 2011?)

* In a survey of 2,711 festival-goers in 2008, 84% said they experienced dullness of hearing or ringing in the ears after listening to loud music.
“These are the first signs of hearing damage,” says Donna Tipping of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), which commissioned the study. Volumes of 137 decibels have been recorded near the music stages at some music festivals, according to the RNID. “At 140 decibels, it is the same as a jet plane taking off at close range, your ears start hurting,"
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Festivalhealth/Pages/Protectyourears.aspx

Acoustic trauma

Another common cause of hearing loss is damage to the ear from loud noises. This is known as acoustic trauma, and it can occur when part of the delicate inner structure of the ear becomes damaged. After prolonged exposure to loud noises, the cells inside the spiral part of the cochlea become inflamed.

The loudness of the noise and the length of time that you are exposed to it are important factors in acoustic trauma. If you are exposed to loud noises over a long period of time, you are more likely to develop acoustic trauma. People who are at risk from acoustic trauma include:

those who work with noisy equipment, such as pneumatic drills or compressed-air hammers

those who work in environments where there is loud music, such as nightclub staff

those who listen to music at a high volume through headphones

·       

http://nhslocal.nhs.uk/my-health/conditions/h/hearing-impairment/causes

REFINING FURTHER TO FIND THE QUESTION:

To create a concept earplug using sound reactive material. Reducing the damaging bass levels of music at loud music events that can cause long term hearing loss and acoustic trauma, while providing an intense physical and psychological experience of feeling the music by the earplugs reacting to sound by vibration.

REFINING FURTHER

I'm investigating a concept of sound protection ear-plugs for loud music events / clubs etc that are constructed using a new sound reactive material (meeting in London with Materials and Produce at CSM in a couple of weeks) that reacts to sound by vibration. Ultimately meaning the club goer can 'feel' sound through the effects of bone conduction, which is a very potent physical and psychological experience based on feedback so far. This will ultimately encourage people to use earplugs more, as they will gain an intense new experience of listening to loud music, the experience substituting for some of the loss of bass which is a side effect of using earplugs, and this will also result in less people suffering long term hearing damage and acoustic trauma from clubbing etc. 

MUSIC: Cold Blue Moments

Tobi's podcast, can't stop listening to this - the mix of tracks is really helping to inspire me this week. I even managed to visualise a new artefact idea as I was listening to the last two tracks. I asked Tobi to point me in the direction of the playlist so I could discover their identity and of course turns out to be by some of my favourite artists. I'm glad my music taste is consistent :-)

Daniel Kandi, piece of me (alternative beach mix)
Nitrous Oxide, come in to my world

Cold Blue Moments - May 2011

E-HAND IN

date		6 June 2011 00:46
subject		Submission this week
mailed-by		gmail.com

Hi Liz,

I'm just writing to let you know that I will probably have to submit
my project / summer research timeline etc to you at the end of this
week instead of on tuesday.
Unfortunately due to several hits of very bad news at once. A very
close family member has died unexpectedly - it's the funeral tomorrow
which I am honestly terrified of as I've never lost a close family
member before.... also due to redundancies at work, I am also suddenly panicing with applications and job hunting so I don't lose my flat that I have just purchased at the end
of last year. So I feel awful for it as I have never missed a deadline
before in any situation and I hate having to on this occasion, but I
also know that if I submitted something to you on tuesday this week,
especially after what tomorrow will do to me... it would be incomplete
or inaccurate because I would have force rushed it or not had my mind
on it as my mind is honestly a mess at the moment with everything
suddenly going on and hitting me hard...

I will keep in touch, and let you know as soon as I have further
progress with my submission.
Many thanks, and speak to you soon.

Rach.

-------------------------------------------

Dear Rachel,

many thanks for your message, I am sorry to hear your
news and fully understand please keep me informed.

Very best wishes,

Elizabeth

CSM

PRESS: VIVID Sydney

'City of dreams' evolving after dark
VIVID Sydney, press release

The Sydney Customs House building is transformed with a 3D digital projection
 by Australian company "The Electric Canvas" during the festival's media preview.

RESEARCH: external review contacts

Felt inspired to try approaching renown Anjunabeats artist 'Cold Blue' (tobias schuh) to see if he was interested in providing external review / feedback for my project idea.

If he shows any interest, I may well try approaching other artists for feedback.
Cold Blue (Tobi's) official website 

IDEA: letter / project pack to Anjunabeats office in london?

IDEA: contact Markus Schulz (DJ and producer) via facebook, for providing any external review on project? As ultimately, it was his comments that inspired my new project focus, in interview at the 20:20 exhibition, about how 'feeling the music through him was his most significant experience of performing at Ministry of Sound'. Explaining this to him may inspire his interest.
Markus' official website

Captured the moment.
Comments from Markus that were the key turning point in finding my focus.
Ministry of Sound, 20:20 Exhibition

(Facebook conversation with 'Cold Blue' from this morning)

Rachel Dunscombe: Creative people? My designer curiosity has suddenly perked up! looking forward to see what tomorrow is about, hope things are well with you tobi :-)

Cold Blue: hope you're well too Rachel! nice to see you here! :) we'll definitely have something for the designers as well, I think :)

Rachel Dunscombe: Life is giving me a bit of a bashing at the moment unfortunately :-( but it's always nice to pop on here and see how you're doing :-) Actually, this 'creative' music topic has actually inspired me to ask you something. I am in my final year of my MA in design at London Arts (central saint martins) and my project is all about 'feeling sound' specifically aimed at electronic music. I have a few industry contacts who have offered their assistance / feedback etc, including some lovely people at Ministry of Sound in london. I was wondering if you might be interested in my project as you are a professional in the industry I am aiming this project at. So I don't fill up your wall any more, drop me an email if you think you might have any spare time and I will fire over the details, any comments from you will be greatly appreciated :-) rdunscombe1@csm.arts.ac.uk