Taiwan Soundscape

Do you like the chime of the bell in the (Taiwanese) campus? Dan-Dan-Dan-Dan~~ Dan-Dan-Dan-Dan~~
As the time is changing, some school's 'taste' of the bell chime have changed, too!
Apart from changing the bell chime to music, there are schools inviting famous people (the mayor and entertainers) to voice the time (e.g. Classmate, where are you? Return to your seat soon to enjoy the delicious lunch!). It has been quite interesting!
However, there are schools considering the bell chime or music noisy. They thus let teachers decide the time for individual classes. Without such a chime, the campus does become quieter.
Nevertheless, once the traditional bell chime is replaced, our memories of the school days would not be the same. We can no longer receive some comfort from the chimes of the bells. Sometimes, I feel that the chime of the bell is the only 'person' that remembers my time during the school days!
To judge the chime of the bell is noisy or interesting depends on our individual taste. But what we can forsee now is that if we lost it, it would be too late to miss it. For the sounds that reflect the value of Taiwanese culture should be considered as a cultural property of Taiwan and being kept properly!

The enclosed photo is a hand-hold bell taken in a primary school in London. It is popularly used in the schools of Britain.

There is a national activity Noise Action Week in the UK. It is co-ordinated by NSCA (National Society for Clear Air and Environmental Protection; a society, not a governmental unit). Through this activity, they join local groups and organisations to let the public and the media to understand the noise problem in the environemnt of communities, schools, working places, leisure and so on. If there is such an opportunity, Taiwan should have a go, too! ^_^

A group of Taiwanese who share the interest of natrual recording has registered with Yahoo! Club.
Their 'Cool Links' and 'Database' have many good stuff for you to listen and see. Don't miss it!

From 1 March, some Taiwanese noise regulations are modified. Between11pm and 6am, the complained noises of karakok, building construction, public annoucement from parades and neighbour's flat reburshment will be fined between NT$3,000 and NT$30,000, no volume measurement is required. Also, for building site noise during the day-time, the distance of measuring the volume has be reduced from 15 meters to 1 meter, from 8 mintues to 2 mintues. For more information, please visit here and there. For noise regulations in detail, please visit the Environmental Protection Administration.

The newly built High Speed Rail is something that makes Taiwanese proud! However, since it started to operate, people living along the route have been complaining the once-an-hour noise it produces. The company claims that the noise level that they've measured is 84dB, which is under the limit of the environmental bureau's regulation. However, this statement does not convince the local residents. Nevertheless, the company has promised to built a wall (for the Toa-Fen section) to reduce the noise level. It is expected to be completed in 6-month time. For more information (in Chinese), please visit here and there.

Macaulay Library's website was mentioned once in Taiwan Soundscape website. Nevertheless, there is a page that is worthy of pointing out particularly. On the left side of the page, there is a recording of a harp seal. The sound is really unexpected!

The headquater of anti-Presedent-Chen has prepared 32 subwoofers and placed them in front of the president office for protest. After the test, the effect seems to be very impressive. It would be interesting to experience it in person. However, in order to hear more great sounds in the future, it is better to cherish ears and avoid going there. ^_^

Asking your bad neighbour to be responsible to his noise is not easy. Nevertheless, Mr Lin has made it!

Ollie Hall and Justin Hardison's My Fun are both blogs that presents experiences with sound and photos. The blogs are very accessible. Perhaps you can keep your diary in this way, too!
In Ollie blog, although he says that sounds were recorded in binaural. However, please listen carefully, they seem to be in mono! ^_^

More and more residents living in Taipei are not happy with the noisy
environment. Can people do nothing but take it? Of course not! You can
call the Department of Environmental Protection to complain about it.
The hotline is: 02-27206301.
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