York by EarUsers upload 'York by Ear' (a separate video) onto a portable music player with video payback facilities such as an iPod or mobile phone. They must then go to the start point of the walk with their player, pop in their headphones and press play! The video will lead them around a route from York Museum Gardens to York Minster Gardens whilst immersing them in a composed soundscape which relates to the journey and the environment it takes them through. As the sound changes so does the users' perception of their environment: it can prove both a surreal and inspiring experience. The soundscape follows the structure of the walk, with dividing points such as gates and walls being marked with new sections. Sounds have been recorded exclusively around York, from the Minster bells to the sound of busy York streets. Local musicians from the city were used for all of the instrumental and vocal sounds. The work acts like an art installation, only with the City of York itself as the visual element, and the sound being a musical response to this.
