Soundwalk

The sounds of Union Square as I travel through my commute home are as vibrant and lively as the area it is surrounded in. It’s a busy train station with a whopping 8 trains passing through at any given time, which means that it can be noisy. Some keynotes, or background sounds that I noticed while walking through the Union Square station were people chatting on their phones, or a couple getting chummy on the 6 train platform. Other keynotes that I’ve heard is the buzz of people walking throughout the station and the energy that everyone gives off while they’re in a hurry to get where they have to be. Sound signals are also common things that I have heard while walking through the Union Square station. The biggest example of this would have to be the music that can be heard throughout the station no matter what spot you’re standing. There are performers all around, either on the L platform, where there is someone playing a saxophone or another group playing salsa music, starting a party on the platform. There is also performers near the 4,5,6 line playing instruments. Soundmarks are one of the most recognizable thing when walking through the train station. One example of this would be the announcement of the train approaching the station or the unexpected but also dreaded sound of a service change announcement in the system. One final soundmark that I have heard throughout the station would be the sounds of the trains entering and leaving the stations.