South Bank Soundwalk
RiR # 103, Season 14, Episode 11, Nov. 16, 2026
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Walking and listening in South London
The Thames River divides London into North and South sections. South London, or The South Bank, is an interesting urban area of one of the greatest cities in the world. For the next hour we'll be walking from Millennium Bridge to Hungerford Bridge, listening for interesting sounds. We're going on a soundwalk, a contemplative walk through a sound environment. This is one way to explore soundscapes. Welcome to "South Bank Soundwalk."
Resources
Crouch, Chad. A Brief History
of Soundwalks. Soundwalk. Feb. 24, 2004.
Westerkamp, Hildegard. NADA Soundwalk. Hildegard Westerkamp Inside the Soundscape.
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Background
South London is a large urban environment. We can expect to hear many sounds. Traffic, people, sirens. More traffic. Expected sounds. But careful listening may bring out unexpected sounds. Listen carefully, thoughtfully, staying aware of what you are hearing.
At the end of our soundwalk, ask yourself ...
"What did I hear?
Familiar sounds?
Was I able to hear a familiar sound in a new way?
Did I hear an unexpected sound? Perhaps a sound of nature. Unexpected here in the city?
Did any memories return to me by listening to these sounds?
What did these memories make me think about in relation to the sounds I heard?
What story might I from my listening experience?"
Production
Contents
Field recordings made by John Barber while walking along the South Bank of the Thames River, in London, England, from Millennium Bridge to Hungerford Bridge.
Credits
Produced by John Barber from his original field recordings.
Significance
"South Bank Soundwalk" is part of our RiR Workshop series. The first was Dawn Birds, Light Traffic, Melodic Machines, a collage of three soundscapes recorded in Dubai, UAE, Vancouver, US, and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
The second was In Progress a collage of mechanical sounds from numerous soundscapes, each heard as life and projects in the process of always becoming.
Where "Dawn Birds, Light Traffic, Melodic Machines" introduces soundscapes and "In Progress" introduces a focused variety of soundscape, "South Bank Soundwalk" introduces soundwalks as a way of experiencing soundscapes.
Producer's Notes
A soundscape is the sounds that are heard in a particular acoustic environment/space by a person in that context.
Soundscapes are sometimes called sonic geographies, and may be experienced in situ via soundwalks, excursions in acoustic environments for the purpose of listening to the sounds of that environment's soundscape. Generally, one walks within a defined area experiencing the sounds to be heard there.
The idea of a soundwalk is to experience the sounds to be heard in a particular environment or place.
Walking can be quite meditative. Why not listen to this episode as you take your next walk?
— John F. Barber
Promotion
Press
Graphics
The background image is a detail from photographs taken October 2, 2016 of an outcropping of rock, dubbed “Gasconade,” by the microscopic imager aboard NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity while perched on “Spirit Mound” at the western edge of Mars' Endeavour Crater. The view here is about 2 inches wide. Image Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/USGS/Arizona State University Status: Public Domain.
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