For the bargain price of five pounds, our group has each bought a car radio transmitter and began experimenting with the possibilities of small range broadcast. I would assume these devices are designed for people who want to obtain more control over their vehicles’ sound system bringing the endless possibilities of digital music distribution into any car (technologically advanced, or not). I first tried the transmitter alone, playing Alice Coltrane to a 60cm radius of my living room 97.3FM, listening on the (terrible) radio we found on our street. The transmitter couldn’t be easier to use, with a few simple features this is perfect to experiment with.

This has got me thinking, I really could broadcast anything to the world, ANYTHING… Where is the line of reasonable material to broadcast? And as an artist is it acceptable for me to cross said line? Would it be morally wrong to broadcast someone’s conversation without them knowing? Are morals redundant now anyway? Due to the small broadcast range does that make it more acceptable, or less?  With devices such as the FM transmitter readily available to the public why are pirate radios not taking over our airwaves in the way they used to? If no ones listening what does that make it? I guess if your broadcasting to such a small range then maybe you can broadcast what you like?  I like the idea that no one is on the receiver’s end.

Practicing putting our work together: (Recording of practice session attached below)

The car radio transmitter became a focal point of this group project and to have a practice session figuring out the logistics of doing this was key in the success of the final piece. By exporting stems and considering the sonic elements we wanted to highlight we spent an afternoon filled with trial and error creating three tracks to be played on three transmitters out of two radios. Due to illness within the group we were unable to practice this all together and it also became difficult to feel fully prepared to complete the project as we were unsure what the missing piece might sound like and how it might interact with the sounds coming before and after it. 

The only real difference in the practice and final recording was the radios. Within the final recording the radio playing the music and ambience had lower speaker quality resulting in distortion, I found that because my track is compiled mostly of bird song and resonated bird song the high notes were boosted resulting in a different sound than I intended but with reasurence from the group we decided to submit that recording.