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Live in a noisy building? Endless construction in your neighborhood? Can't hear your friends in a restaurant? Soundproofist explores noise and soundproofing issues and consults with experts for solutions.

Soundproofist


    • Dec 17, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 32 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Soundproofist

    30 | Washington Heights & noise - with Lucina Chavez-Rosique

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2023 43:04


    Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan has a long and diverse history.  It could be described as an "East Side - West Side" story, because the neighborhood -- divided by Broadway -- is starkly different on each side.  Lucina Chavez-Rosique began measuring and documenting the decibel levels across the neighborhood. She's collecting noise data and resident stories to measure the  impact of noise on the community from a socioeconomic point of view. Her goal is to provide actionable recommendations to New York City leaders, based on a resident-created noise map. Listen here to learn about some of the unique noise issues in this community, the history of the neighborhood, and the challenges that lie ahead.

    29 | Combining AI and bioacoustics, with Topher White of Rainforest Connection

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2023 47:46


    Topher White uses technology to detect illegal logging in rainforests. You might have seen stories about how he repurposed old cellphones and powered them with solar panels to listen remotely in the forests. While collecting this audio data, he uses AI tools to identify the specific sounds of chainsaws and trucks to send alerts to local officials.His organization, Rainforest Connection, has been successful in reducing illegal logging in protected areas. Now he has a new project underway, called "Delta." This new tool is geared towards home users. They can deploy it in their backyards or on camping trips and other outdoor excursions. Delta can collect sounds and help users learn more about the local wildlife around them and even build stories about the animals over time.In this podcast, we'll discuss the evolution of the Rainforest Connection, their first innovative tool (known as "The Guardian"), and the details of their newest tool, Delta. This new product will become available through a Kickstarter campaign starting on June 20, 2023.

    28 | Gunfire noise - with citizens from Cranston, Rhode Island

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2023 50:14


    Imagine hearing loud gunfire in your home or school all day long. A community in Cranston, Rhode Island has struggled with this issue for the past few years, and they're protesting against it.  Their local police department practices at an outdoor shooting range across the street from a residential neighborhood and a high school. The target practice at that range has increased up to 12 hours per day. Longtime residents are pushing back and asking the department to relocate or to enclose the gun range. In this episode, we hear from two residents, a psychiatrist, and a neuropsychologist, who discuss the impact on their Cranston neighborhood and the effects of gunfire noise on humans.

    27 | Right Avenues noise-reporting app - with Jimin Park

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2022 22:53


    When New York City resident and urban planner Jimin Park found herself surrounded by urban noise, she decided to do something constructive about it. She created an app called "Right Avenues," which residents can use to file noise complaints to 311 and identify the type of noise and the location so that it can be tracked on a map and viewed by the public. Ultimately the app can be used to aggregate noise data for problem-solving, or choose a quieter place to live, or change policy. Learn more about the Right Avenues story in this episode.

    Ask Arline: Episode 2 - Community noise

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2022 19:54


    In this second episode of the "Ask Arline" series, New York City psychologist and noise expert Dr. Arline Bronzaft answers some questions about urban environmental noise.  We cover cars with exceptionally loud engines to people blasting loudspeakers late at night, and bars and clubs with outdoor noise that keeps people awake. Dr. Bronzaft shares some of the solutions that get used in New York, and which might be applicable to other cities as well. 

    Ask Arline: Episode 1 - Neighbor noise

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2022 24:46 Transcription Available


    New York City psychologist and noise expert Dr. Arline Bronzaft answers some questions about neighbor noise.  In the first episode of this mini-series from Soundproofist, Dr. Bronzaft answers common concerns about how to deal with neighbors who stomp their feet overhead, noise from romping children while you're trying to work from home, how to delicately approach neighbors with loud bedroom activities when you're trying to sleep, what to do if criminal activity is happening in your building with lots of people  coming and going, and neighbors with incessantly barking dogs. Listeners are encouraged to submit their own noise questions to Dr. Bronzaft for future episodes.

    26 | Ocean noise in the pandemic - with Artash Nath, student researcher

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2022 29:07 Transcription Available


    During the height of the COVID pandemic, human-generated ocean noise from freight shipping and recreational boating  nearly stopped. Because some locales measure oceanic noise with hydrophones, open-source data offered lots of useful raw data. Artash Nath, a student researcher, analyzed some of this data to demonstrate how ocean noise impacts marine mammals and by what measure the noise was reduced when human activity stopped. He shares these findings on his website, Monitor My Ocean.  We spoke with Artash about these insights in episode 26 of Soundproofist.

    25 | Noise in India - with Sumaira Abdulali

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2022 50:31 Transcription Available


    Residents of India's vibrant and populous cities experience loud noise that can damage their health. We spoke with  Sumaira Abdulali, a leader in environmental and noise issues in the state of Maharashtra. For over 20 years, she's advocated for residents of Mumbai and other cities and helped to implement policy change. As a result, her work has improved the quality of life for millions of people. In this podcast episode, we talk with Sumaira about how she began her work, the challenges along the way, and the successes.

    24 | Helicopter noise over New York - with Stop the Chop NY/NJ

    Play Episode Play 60 sec Highlight Listen Later Oct 23, 2021 58:45 Transcription Available


    Imagine if 160 helicopters flew over your home every day. That's what many residents of New York City experience. And the noise is disrupting their sleep, parks and recreation, and even pedestrian and bicyclist safety.  Soundproofist talked with representatives from Stop the Chop NY/NJ -- an organization that's working to legislate guidelines to manage a growing number of non-essential helicopter flights over the most densely populated metropolitan area in the U.S.  Join us in an informative conversation with Stop the Chop's Melissa Elstein, Andy Rosenthal, and Adrian Benepe. 

    23 | Noise mediation - with Roisin O'Shea and Shane Dempsey

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2021 49:39 Transcription Available


    Noise disputes often get resolved successfully through the services of a professional noise mediator.  But most people don't know what mediators do, nor how to find one.  In episode 23 of Soundproofist, we talk with two engaging and dynamic mediators from Arc Mediation in Waterford, Ireland: Roisin O'Shea and Shane Dempsey. They share tips on how they work together to solve neighbor noise disputes, one step at at time.

    22 | Planning urban soundscapes - with Dr. Kenya Williams

    Play Episode Play 44 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 30, 2021 57:32 Transcription Available


    Cities and communities have their own sound markers, as Dr. Kenya Williams points out. Dr. Williams is an urban planner, an acoustic ecologist, and an advisor to Quiet Parks International. He founded his company, "Hush Soundscape Planning & Design," in 2012. In  episode 22 of Soundproofist, Dr. Williams shares his journey from making mixtapes and producing music to becoming an urban planner and soundscape expert.  He shares his ideas on how to approach noise mediation in diverse communities so that noise ordinances aren't weaponized by one group against another. And he gives examples on how to put "sound first" in project planning.

    21 | Citizen science - with Jessie Oliver, tech design researcher

    Play Episode Play 53 sec Highlight Listen Later Jul 8, 2021 50:16 Transcription Available


    Jessie Oliver designs citizen science research projects so that participants feel engaged, make meaningful contributions, and have fun. In this interview, she describes some of the considerations for a citizen science project, and about a challenge she's working on in Australia: to collect data on the endangered Eastern bristlebird. If you're curious about getting involved in citizen science, or you want to know more the tools, organizations, and resources involved in these projects, don't miss this episode!

    20 | Historical noise activism - with Walter Alfredo Montano

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2021 39:13 Transcription Available


    Everything old is new again -- and that includes noise issues and activism. From the ancient Romans through the industrial revolution, people have tried to solve the issues of urban and workplace noise. In this episode, we talk with Peruvian-based researcher Walter Alfredo Montano about some of the interesting historical artifacts and anecdotes he's uncovered about noise and its impact on human health.

    19 | Soundscape artists and their work

    Play Episode Play 42 sec Highlight Listen Later Jan 10, 2021 42:27 Transcription Available


    How do professional soundscape artists capture their high-resolution field recordings? In this episode, Soundproofist talks with two audio professionals: Charles Previtire and Mélia Roger. We talk about their preferred microphones and recording gear and some memorable mistakes they've learned from along the way. Finally, we talk about how they share their work -- including sound libraries and film projects.

    18 | Leafblower noise - with Jamie Banks and David Sykes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2020 49:18 Transcription Available


    Tortured by leafblower noise? What can you do about it? Jamie Banks and David Sykes of Quiet Communities join us in this episode to describe how they help cities switch to quieter and cleaner lawn-maintenance equipment. They've been successful in creating training programs, sharing data, and persuading local governments to administer positive change. Learn more about their programs in this episode of Soundproofist. 

    17 | The London Street Noises project

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2020 38:38 Transcription Available


    A team of audio specialists at Goldsmiths, University of London joined Soundproofist to discuss their fascinating soundscape project. After digitizing some historic 1928 recordings of London street noises, they return to the exact same sites to record the street sounds again. They've made these newer recordings on the same day in September and at the same time of day as the original recordings, starting in 2008. What have they learned about the soundscape of London, then and now? Tune in to find out.

    16 | Acoustic cameras and noise (Seven Bel)

    Play Episode Play 46 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 23, 2020 12:55 Transcription Available


    Soundproofist likes to learn about technologies and tools that help to resolve noise issues. In this episode, Thomas Rittenschober of Seven Bel describes their new acoustic camera for professional acoustic and engineering applications. This tool creates visual images of noise and identifies its sources. Seven Bel is based in Austria.

    15 | Soundscapes and dementia (with Arezoo Talebzadeh)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2020 40:56 Transcription Available


    People with cognitive issues also have special needs for their sonic environment. Arezoo Talebzadeh is an architect who designs soundscapes for people with dementia or autism. In this episode of Soundproofist, she describes how personalized soundscapes can improve their quality of life.

    14 | DIY soundmaps - with Tae Hong Park

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2020 56:00 Transcription Available


    You don't need a large budget to measure and map sound. Dr. Tae Hong Park, a professor at NYU, founded the Citygram soundmap project and launched a new airplane-noise tracker project called "Get Noisy." In this interview, he shares details of how he built affordable microphones that can be attached to a window. They send data to your computer through a web browser. His concept is "use what you already have." Learn more about his work with noise, soundscapes, and music in this conversation with Phill and Cary of Soundproofist.

    13 | Building noise - with Nathan Sibon, acoustician

    Play Episode Play 37 sec Highlight Listen Later May 25, 2020 58:03 Transcription Available


    Do you live in a noisy building? Nathan Sibon is an acoustician who works on solving noise problems in wood-framed buildings. He defines some of those common problems and practical ways of coping with them.

    12 | Sound design & soundscapes - with Dan Dugan

    Play Episode Play 58 sec Highlight Listen Later May 9, 2020 44:09 Transcription Available


    Dan Dugan is a sound designer and inventor of the automatic microphone mixer, a key component in professional audio tools. He also records soundscapes in natural environments through his work with the Nature Sounds Society. In this episode, Dan discusses how he got involved in theatrical sound and professional audio, and his more recent work doing field recordings. He also makes some observations about the change in our soundscapes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    11 | Ocean noise - with Michael Stocker

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2020 40:42 Transcription Available


    How does human-generated noise impact the marine life in our oceans? We interview Michael Stocker, the founder and director of Ocean Conservation Research in California. He shares the history of his organization, how they measure ocean noise, how sea animals communicate, and how his organization works proactively to protect whales from needless trauma.

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    10 | Hospital noise - with Mai-Britt Beldam

    Play Episode Play 30 sec Highlight Listen Later Dec 20, 2019 45:42 Transcription Available


    Most people don't think about hospital noise until they become a patient in one. But jarring noises in medical facilities can disrupt sleep and impede recovery. Mai-Britt Beldam is a specialist in hospital acoustics for Ecophon in Sweden. In this episode, she discusses some common noise issues that impact patients and staff, suggestions for acoustical improvements, and how the results are measured. 

    09 | Noise politics (with Dr. Arline Bronzaft)

    Play Episode Play 32 sec Highlight Listen Later Nov 4, 2019 44:53 Transcription Available


    Dr. Arline Bronzaft is a pioneering researcher, psychologist, noise activist, and consultant. Her tireless work since the 1970s changed noise policy in New York City and beyond. In this interview, we review her accomplishments and challenges during multiple administrations. Her grandson, Matt Santoro, joins in. 

    08 | Noise in the UK - with John Stewart

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2019 30:00 Transcription Available


    What are the biggest noise issues in the UK right now? Soundproofist talks with longtime activist John Stewart about efforts to mitigate traffic noise, airport noise, and more. 

    07 | Tinnitus, hyperacusis, and noise - with audiologist and author Jan L. Mayes

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2019 37:54 Transcription Available


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    06 | Earplugs - with Ryan Parry of Eargasm Earplugs

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2019 29:32 Transcription Available


    05 | Soundwalks - capture urban soundscapes, with Dr. Antonella Radicchi

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2018 18:00 Transcription Available


    04 | Hush City - map urban quiet spaces, with Dr. Antonella Radicchi

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2018 22:30 Transcription Available


    03 | Crowdsourcing - with Greg Scott of SoundPrint

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2018 19:05 Transcription Available


    02 | Advocacy - with Dr. Erica Walker

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2018 34:05 Transcription Available


    01 | Restaurant noise - with Mitch Zlotnik of Audimute

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2018 29:56 Transcription Available


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