Sonic Landscapes: Navigating Theme Park Soundscapes through Eurorack Performance and Sonic Discourse
Location
Rosen Classroom 111
Start Date
20-6-2024 3:00 PM
About the Presenters
Scott Lukas is a former Six Flags AstroWorld theme park trainer, cultural anthropologist, theme park industry consultant, and author/editor of numerous texts, including Theme Park, The Immersive Worlds Handbook, A Reader in Themed & Immersive Spaces, and The Themed Space. He has taught music at the K-12 level and is a mainstream and experimental performer (under the name DJ Redacted). He was honored with the national AAA/McGraw-Hill Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching of Anthropology (American Anthropological Association, 2005), the statewide Hayward Award for Excellence in Education (California Community Colleges, 2003), and the International DIY Experimental Instrument Making Video (Bastl Eurorack, 2021).
Description
This interdisciplinary presentation delves into the intricate world of theme park soundscapes, exploring the symbiotic relationship between sound, music, and the immersive experience. Fusing a live Eurorack performance with design discourse, the session will focus on the multifaceted dimensions of sound in theme parks, investigating themes such as noise, film music residues, the dichotomy of absolute vs. program music, remixing, sound effects as ontological challenge, the idea of ambient sound in theme parks (v. museums and sound installations), and the principles of sonic design as they connect to brand identity and multi-sensory experiences in theme parks.
The Eurorack performance will serve as a dynamic sonic illustration, showcasing a sonic explanation of key points in the talk. Concurrently, the talk will delve into the theoretical underpinnings drawing from Michel Chion’s acoulogical treatise, John Cage’s work specific to understanding dynamics of intended versus unintended sound in theme park design spaces, and other works that focus on sound and culture, with specific attention to anthropological and ontological issues.
Recommended Citation
Lukas, Scott A., "Sonic Landscapes: Navigating Theme Park Soundscapes through Eurorack Performance and Sonic Discourse" (2024). Theme Park Music and Sound. 9.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/tpms/2024/thursday/9
Sonic Landscapes: Navigating Theme Park Soundscapes through Eurorack Performance and Sonic Discourse
Rosen Classroom 111
This interdisciplinary presentation delves into the intricate world of theme park soundscapes, exploring the symbiotic relationship between sound, music, and the immersive experience. Fusing a live Eurorack performance with design discourse, the session will focus on the multifaceted dimensions of sound in theme parks, investigating themes such as noise, film music residues, the dichotomy of absolute vs. program music, remixing, sound effects as ontological challenge, the idea of ambient sound in theme parks (v. museums and sound installations), and the principles of sonic design as they connect to brand identity and multi-sensory experiences in theme parks.
The Eurorack performance will serve as a dynamic sonic illustration, showcasing a sonic explanation of key points in the talk. Concurrently, the talk will delve into the theoretical underpinnings drawing from Michel Chion’s acoulogical treatise, John Cage’s work specific to understanding dynamics of intended versus unintended sound in theme park design spaces, and other works that focus on sound and culture, with specific attention to anthropological and ontological issues.