This is the eighth of our ten-part Sound Series where I talk to writers and artists about their work in relation to sounds they have chosen.

In this episode I talk to David Long and Anna Smaill.

David chose a piece of music he wrote ‘Gasmasks’. This piece was written for a Douglas Wright show ‘Rapt’. You can see video here:

Anna chose the Second Movement of Brahms – Violin sonata N°1. You can listen here:

In these podcasts we often talk about a lot of music. I’ve set up a Spotify playlist that captures some of the songs we talk about:

Exercise:

Maybe you’d like to compose while you watch something.

Choose a 1 minute section of a film, TV show or Tik Tok. And compose as you watch it into your recorder.

Exercise Showcase

At the end of this series I’m going to make an episode showcasing the responses to these exercises. Maybe you would be willing to share your exercises for this showcase.

The deadline for submitting audio is Thursday 24 September.

There is a list of all the previous exercises here

You can leave your recordings or links to recordings in the comments below.

You can also email me them to me at: betterreadnz@gmail.com

If your sound files are big you can share a Google Drive link or use a service like WeTranfer

Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.

Better off Read is also available on PodBean where you can subscribe by clicking here

Or you can listen to it here

Made with the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

For the final episode of the Sound Series I’m hoping to put together a showcase of work created in response to the exercises I’ve been offering throughout the series.

I’d love to receive your work by Thursday 24 September

You can send your responses to me at:

betterreadnz@gmail.com

Or if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email me here.

If none of the exercises appeal, you could also send a recording of you reading a piece of your own work that you think is interesting in relation to sound.

Please see all the exercises below:

Sound Series 1 – James Woods and Nick Ascroft Exercise:

We talk quite a lot about rhyme in this discussion.

So, the exercise is simply this – turn on your recorder, say the line:

‘I listened to a band called Flipper’

And see how long you can go rhyming words with ‘Flipper’. Don’t forget about half-rhymes and don’t be afraid to change the end sound completely if it feels right. The idea is to try and keep composing for 2 minutes.

Sound Series 2 – Ruby Solly and Chris Tse Exercise:

This is an exercise where you compose in situ.

Take your recorder – it can be your phone – to a noisy place.

Turn your recorder on and respond to the sounds around you in spoken words.

It might take the form of a conversation with the noises in the environment you are in. Or the noises may form a backing track to your words.

Sound Series 3 – Cooki Aimee M and Eamonn Marra Exercise:

We talked a bit in this episode about sound that are ‘difficult’ or ‘uncomfortable’.

So, this exercise is about discomforting sounds and is pretty straight forward.

Find a sound that is hard to listen to.

Play it over headphones while you speak for 45 seconds into a recorder. It might work quite well if you have it loud enough so you can’t hear your voice.

The title of this work is the sound you listened to.

Sound Series 4 – Sinead Overbye and Charlotte Forrester Exercise:

What’s the most beautiful word in the world?

Maybe you’d like to take a minute or two to write down words, word combinations or sentences that you think are beautiful.

Then you might like to record these.

You may like to miss out the step of writing down and try composing beautiful sounds out loud and on the fly.

Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson Exercise:

This is a free styling exercise.

Play either Tokerau or Brannavan’s sound in headphones and record yourself composing along to it.

That simple. What happens when you have rain or ripping paper as a back beat?

Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman Exercise:

We talk a bit about writing about music in this episode.

So, take a song you like.

Now writer or speak for 3 minutes without using any words from the song – so, no lyrics and not the title.

Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland Exercise:

I love the idea of using something wrong.

How about trying to make a poem out of noises that are not words.

Maybe you could get together several objects that make noise – placing a cup, tapping something, unscrewing a lid.

Write your poem in sound.

Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long – Better off Read

In the Sound Series I’ll be talking to 18 writers, musicians and other artists about how sound features in their work. Today Anna Smaill and David Long talk to Pip Adam about two sound objects. To hear these sounds and for information about how to submit responses to exercises to our Showcase can be found on our website https://better-read.com

1. Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long 58:49
2. Sounds Series – The Exercises 06:22
3. Ep 79: Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland 01:07:45
4. Ep 78: Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman 01:04:41
5. Ep 77: Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson 01:14:45

This is the seventh of our ten-part Sound Series where I talk to writers and artists about their work in relation to sounds they have chosen.

In this episode I talk to Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland.

Kerry Ann chose a recording she made in Mexico.

Jackson provided this mystery sound.

In these podcasts we often talk about a lot of music. I’ve set up a Spotify playlist that captures some of the songs we talk about:

Exercise:

I love the idea of using something wrong.

How about trying to make a poem out of noises that are not words.

Maybe you could get together several objects that make noise – placing a cup, tapping something, unscrewing a lid.

Write your poem in sound.

Exercise Showcase

At the end of this series I’m going to make an episode showcasing the responses to these exercises. Maybe you would be willing to share your exercises for this showcase.

You can leave your recordings or links to recordings in the comments below.

You can also email me them to me at: betterreadnz@gmail.com

If your sound files are big you can share a Google Drive link or use a service like WeTranfer

Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.

Better off Read is also available on PodBean where you can subscribe by clicking here

Or you can listen to it here

Made with the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

This is the sixth of our ten-part Sound Series where I talk to writers and artists about their work in relation to sounds they have chosen.

In this episode I talk to Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman.

Carl chose this particular version of the song ‘Work’ by Lou Reed and John Cale.

Simon chose the song ‘Whisper’ by Schnell Fenster.

In these podcasts we often talk about a lot of music. I’ve set up a Spotify playlist that captures some of the songs we talk about:

Exercise:

We talk a bit about writing about music in this episode.

So, take a song you like.

Now writer or speak for 3 minutes without using any words from the song – so, no lyrics and not the title.

Exercise Showcase

At the end of this series I’m going to make an episode showcasing the responses to these exercises. Maybe you would be willing to share your exercises for this showcase.

You can leave your recordings or links to recordings in the comments below.

You can also email me them to me at: betterreadnz@gmail.com

If your sound files are big you can share a Google Drive link or use a service like WeTranfer

Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.

Better off Read is also available on PodBean where you can subscribe by clicking here

Or you can listen to it here:

Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long – Better off Read

In the Sound Series I’ll be talking to 18 writers, musicians and other artists about how sound features in their work. Today Anna Smaill and David Long talk to Pip Adam about two sound objects. To hear these sounds and for information about how to submit responses to exercises to our Showcase can be found on our website https://better-read.com

1. Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long 58:49
2. Sounds Series – The Exercises 06:22
3. Ep 79: Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland 01:07:45
4. Ep 78: Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman 01:04:41
5. Ep 77: Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson 01:14:45

Made with the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

This is the fifth of our ten-part Sound Series where I talk to writers and artists about their work in relation to sounds they have chosen.

In this episode I talk to Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson.

Brannavan chose the sound of rain on a roof and thought this was a good representation of what he was imagining.

Tokerau chose the sound of paper being ripped – here is his recording.

Exercise:

This is a free styling exercise.

Play either Tokerau or Brannavan’s sound in headphones and record yourself composing along to it.

That simple. What happens when you have rain or ripping paper as a back beat?

Exercise Showcase

At the end of this series I’m going to make an episode showcasing the responses to these exercises. Maybe you would be willing to share your exercises for this showcase.

You can leave your recordings or links to recordings in the comments below.

You can also email me them to me at: betterreadnz@gmail.com

If your sound files are big you can share a Google Drive link or use a service like WeTranfer

Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.

Better off Read is also available on PodBean where you can subscribe by clicking here

Or you can listen to it here:

Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long – Better off Read

In the Sound Series I’ll be talking to 18 writers, musicians and other artists about how sound features in their work. Today Anna Smaill and David Long talk to Pip Adam about two sound objects. To hear these sounds and for information about how to submit responses to exercises to our Showcase can be found on our website https://better-read.com

1. Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long 58:49
2. Sounds Series – The Exercises 06:22
3. Ep 79: Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland 01:07:45
4. Ep 78: Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman 01:04:41
5. Ep 77: Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson 01:14:45

Made with the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

This is the fourth of our ten-part Sound Series where I talk to writers and artists about their work in relation to sounds they have chosen.

In this episode I talk to Sinead Overbye and Charlotte Forrester.

Sinead chose the song ‘Give it To Me’ by Motte. A great way to meet this song is through this music video

Charlotte, also chose a song, ‘Seekers Who Are Lovers’ by the Cocteau Twins which you can listen to on Spotify and below

Exercise:

What’s the most beautiful word in the world?

Maybe you’d like to take a minute or two to write down words, word combinations or sentences that you think are beautiful.

Then you might like to record these.

You may like to miss out the step of writing down and try composing beautiful sounds out loud and on the fly.

Exercise Showcase

At the end of this series I’m going to make an episode showcasing the responses to these exercises. Maybe you would be willing to share your exercises for this showcase.

You can leave your recordings or links to recordings in the comments below.

You can also email me them to me at: betterreadnz@gmail.com

If your sound files are big you can share a Google Drive link or use a service like WeTranfer

Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.

Better off Read is also available on PodBean where you can subscribe by clicking here

Or you can listen to it here:

Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long – Better off Read

In the Sound Series I’ll be talking to 18 writers, musicians and other artists about how sound features in their work. Today Anna Smaill and David Long talk to Pip Adam about two sound objects. To hear these sounds and for information about how to submit responses to exercises to our Showcase can be found on our website https://better-read.com

1. Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long 58:49
2. Sounds Series – The Exercises 06:22
3. Ep 79: Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland 01:07:45
4. Ep 78: Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman 01:04:41
5. Ep 77: Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson 01:14:45

Made with the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

This is the third of our ten-part Sound Series where I talk to writers and artists about their work in relation to sounds they have chosen.

In this episode I talk to Cooki Aimee M and Eamonn Marra.

Cooki Aimee M chose this recording of water running from a bath which they recorded.

Eamonn chose the song ‘Clean’ by The Jelly Tips which was a solo project of Joseph Harper. Thanks heaps to Joseph Harper for letting us use his amazing song.

Exercise:

We talked a bit in this episode about sound that are ‘difficult’ or ‘uncomfortable’.

So, this exercise is about discomforting sounds and is pretty straight forward.

Find a sound that is hard to listen to.

Play it over headphones while you speak for 45 seconds into a recorder. It might work quite well if you have it loud enough so you can’t hear your voice.

The title of this work is the sound you listened to.

Exercise Showcase

At the end of this series I’m going to make an episode showcasing the responses to these exercises. Maybe you would be willing to share your exercises for this showcase.

You can leave your recordings or links to recordings in the comments below.

You can also email me them to me at: betterreadnz@gmail.com

If your sound files are big you can share a Google Drive link or use a service like WeTranfer

Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.

Better off Read is also available on PodBean where you can subscribe by clicking here

Or you can listen to it here:

Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long – Better off Read

In the Sound Series I’ll be talking to 18 writers, musicians and other artists about how sound features in their work. Today Anna Smaill and David Long talk to Pip Adam about two sound objects. To hear these sounds and for information about how to submit responses to exercises to our Showcase can be found on our website https://better-read.com

1. Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long 58:49
2. Sounds Series – The Exercises 06:22
3. Ep 79: Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland 01:07:45
4. Ep 78: Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman 01:04:41
5. Ep 77: Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson 01:14:45

Made with the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

This is the second of our ten-part Sound Series where I talk to writers and artists about their work in relation to sounds they have chosen.

In this episode I talk to Ruby Solly and Chris Tse.

Ruby chose ‘Koukou’ off her amazing album Pōneke which you can listen to and buy on Bandcamp (I totally reckon you should buy it!)

Chris chose the sound of washing rice, which he recorded and you can listen to below – or on the podcast.

Exercise:

This is an exercise where you compose in situ.

Take your recorder – it can be your phone – to a noisy place.

Turn your recorder on and respond to the sounds around you in spoken words.

It might take the form of a conversation with the noises in the environment you are in. Or the noises may form a backing track to your words.

Exercise Showcase

At the end of this series I’m going to make an episode showcasing the responses to these exercises. Maybe you would be willing to share your exercises for this showcase.

You can leave your recordings or links to recordings in the comments below.

You can also email me them to me at: betterreadnz@gmail.com

If your sound files are big you can share a Google Drive link or use a service like WeTranfer

Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.

Better off Read is also available on PodBean where you can subscribe by clicking here

Or you can listen to it here:

Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long – Better off Read

In the Sound Series I’ll be talking to 18 writers, musicians and other artists about how sound features in their work. Today Anna Smaill and David Long talk to Pip Adam about two sound objects. To hear these sounds and for information about how to submit responses to exercises to our Showcase can be found on our website https://better-read.com

1. Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long 58:49
2. Sounds Series – The Exercises 06:22
3. Ep 79: Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland 01:07:45
4. Ep 78: Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman 01:04:41
5. Ep 77: Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson 01:14:45

Made with the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

This is the first of our ten-part Sound Series where I talk to writers and artists about their work in relation to sounds they have chosen.

In this episode I talk to James Woods and Nick Ascroft.

James chose Neon Cross by Drunk with Power, which he wrote and recorded. You can listen to here on Spotify

Nick chose Dunedin Spleen by The Verlaines and you can listen and buy this song on Bandcamp

Exercise:

We talk quite a lot about rhyme in this discussion.

So, the exercise is simply this – turn on your recorder, say the line:

‘I listened to a band called Flipper’

And see how long you can go rhyming words with ‘Flipper’. Don’t forget about half-rhymes and don’t be afraid to change the end sound completely if it feels right. The idea is to try and keep composing for 2 minutes.

Better off Read is available on iTunes and Spotify and most podcasting apps.

Better off Read is also available on PodBean where you can subscribe by clicking here

Or you can listen to it here:

Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long – Better off Read

In the Sound Series I’ll be talking to 18 writers, musicians and other artists about how sound features in their work. Today Anna Smaill and David Long talk to Pip Adam about two sound objects. To hear these sounds and for information about how to submit responses to exercises to our Showcase can be found on our website https://better-read.com

1. Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long 58:49
2. Sounds Series – The Exercises 06:22
3. Ep 79: Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland 01:07:45
4. Ep 78: Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman 01:04:41
5. Ep 77: Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson 01:14:45

Made with the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

I’m extremely excited to announce the Better off Read – Sound Series!

This season of ten podcasts exploring the relationships between sound and literature will be available an episode a week from 28 July.

In the Sound Series I’ll be talking to 18 writers, musicians and other artists about how sound features in their work. These conversation will centre round a sound supplied by each of the guests. So far, these sounds include songs, noise and recordings of some household activities.

And you can be involved.

We’re ending this season with a showcase of work sent to us by people listening in. Each episode will end with an exercise designed to be responded to in sound. You can record your work on your phone and send it to us for our end of series showcase!

I’m very grateful to have received Arts Continuity Grant funding from Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa. This makes it possible for me to pay guests and a sound production mentor. It also means I’m able to pay myself which I’m also very grateful for. Thank you!

Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long – Better off Read

In the Sound Series I’ll be talking to 18 writers, musicians and other artists about how sound features in their work. Today Anna Smaill and David Long talk to Pip Adam about two sound objects. To hear these sounds and for information about how to submit responses to exercises to our Showcase can be found on our website https://better-read.com

1. Ep 80: Sound Series 8 – Anna Smaill and David Long 58:49
2. Sounds Series – The Exercises 06:22
3. Ep 79: Sound Series 7 – Kerry Ann Lee and Jackson Nieuwland 01:07:45
4. Ep 78: Sound Series 6 – Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman 01:04:41
5. Ep 77: Sound Series 5 – Brannavan Gnanalingam and Tokerau Wilson 01:14:45

With the support of Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa