Designing a Geolocated Soundwalk Player Using DIY Electronics: An Underestimated Approach to Site-specific Sound Art and Research

This paper presents a geolocated soundwalk player developed for the artist collective Ars Nomadis (Rennes, France). Unlike most existing options, this player is not a smartphone application, but a dedicated DIY electronic device designed to be as simple and reliable as possible. It comes with an open-source web editor consisting of a map interface and an inspector to place and configure listening areas based on a set of parameters and conditions. This paper discusses both the technical aspects, including the reasons that led to the design of a dedicated player rather than the use of smartphones, and their observed consequences on musical and sound composition in public spaces after nearly a year of on-site experimentation. For art and research purposes, both the modularity of rapid prototyping techniques and the reliability required for geolocated audio works are needed. The results show that the two are possible through the use of such player, and suggest promising perspectives for site-specific sound creation. Additionally, informal user feedback indicates that the player’s design can positively affect the quality of the relation between sound and place.