A Survey of Website Audio Soundtracks for MUSM 435

by Margo Kanthak

The following natural science website videos were collected to compare audio components. Each video is truly fascinating in itself and I highly recommend you visit at least a couple of the sites below purely for enjoyment (if not a little education about our planet and universe).

However good a video may be, when audio is included, I expect it to provide enhancement of or definition to the content. During this survey, the relative success of each of these selections in meeting my audio expectation ranges from the music being a mere backdrop (1) to providing an element essential for the total experience (5). I welcome others’ comments and suggestions about the creative and contributory aspects of the audio compositions you'll hear. How could we do better?

Towers in the Tempest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUG4-TEqPYc&feature=player_embedded
Originally from: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003400/a003413/index.html
Computer-generated model of a recent hurricane: The audio is innocuous New Age synthesizer rambling that is far more conducive to meditation than a tempestuous hurricane. What could have been dramatic sounds of wild winds were more like a summer evening breeze.
Rating: 1 / 5

Icebridge:
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/search/Person/PerkinsLori.html
(Video #10678 -- about halfway down the page)
An ongoing study of glacier movement: The lively country guitar instrumental suggests a hint of American explorer, certainly appropriate to this video. The music also signals a scene change at one point. Other than that, I did not find the music to be significant to the bulk of the video.
Rating: 2 / 5

Fermi Sees Antimatter-Hurling Thunderstorms: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=49435631
Recent study of the effect of lightning: The information NASA presents is truly fascination, but the non-descript music is only punched with percussion for the lightning strikes. No other audio enhancement of the video is offered.
Rating 2 / 5

The Early Earth and Plate Tectonics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDqskltCixA&feature=fvw
National Geographic five-minute video on a theory of Earth's land masses and tectonic plate: The professional-quality audio really makes a difference. Music changes frequently with the scenes and the sound effects definitely enhance the visual experience. One would expect such excellence of a television production, and it does not disappoint.
Rating: 4 / 5

One Second Before the Big Bang:
http://www.mandala-corporation.com/movie/bigbang.html (Quick Time)
or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FON1IA14vXU
Multi-faceted theories on the origin of the universe: Mandala Corp.’s first HDV short film was produced in 2009 as an experiment in fobots animation. Regrettably, no credits are given for the computer music composition. The superb audio component is as important to the enjoyment and comprehension of the material as the visual animation. BRAVO!
Rating: 5 / 5