As sound artists, we may often assume the whole world feels sound the way we do, that feeling being one we emit within our sonic practices. And whilst the listener or consumer may be able to resonate and connect with that feeling, they may not truly understand whatever the message it is the composer is conveying. Audio papers become important in helping those not immersed within the world of sound to understand the meaning behind sound. Of course, those wanting to gain that understanding could read pre-written literature on topics of interest, so what is it that makes the audio paper so special? Of course, there’s a huge difference in format which makes it more accessible to some and many other practical factors, but what makes the audio paper truly special is its connection with its creator. For a successful audio paper, a sound artist must be aware of one’s voice and self as the performer of the audio paper.

I plan for my audio paper to be based around vinyl culture and abstract turntablism. As someone who is immersed within the world of dance music, it can be challenging to contextualise myself and my own practices within the world of sound art. Within the opening chapters of Richard Osbourne’s Vinyl: A History of the Analog Record, it is mentioned that the art of DJing (my sonic practice I use most) is an art of experimenting with the turntable in a way it was not initially manufactured to be used for. Scratching, pulling back and other small techniques DJ use wear out the records more than intended. This makes it appropriate to talk about vinyl culture in an audio paper within the realm of sound arts. This experimental nature of turntablism is challenged and taken to more extreme depths by artists such as Maria Cahvez, who breaks up records, layering them atop each other to create sound collage. 

Being immersed within the world of dance music, I would love to be able to interview vinyl collectors in my social sphere- people such as Bradley Zero, who runs Rhythm Section, where I work. This would allow the social and musical context of turntablism to be explored without simply rewording academic texts to understand the historical context. This would also allow my musicality away from the sound art realm to be presented within the audio paper. I would also like to explore my own record collection within the audio paper, which gives a brief insight into my upbringing and cultures that make up the sound artist I am today, giving the audio paper a sense of personality. 

Whilst the audio paper may seem like an attempt to keep my research safe, as it regards a practice I am heavily involved in, I feel as though I am taking it as an opportunity to open the mainstream listener of sound to the world of sound art. I honestly believe that a deep understanding of sound away from its musicality, and experimenting with any form of sound creation is what keeps our minds connected to the Earth and to God. Giving people this knowledge may just be what we need to heal as a human race and create a better world.