JULY 21 • 2022 | 49

Detroiters/Michiganders and 
could give outsiders an authen-
tic glimpse of what it sounds 
like to be here. Some of the 
locations, like the Old Presque 
Isle Lighthouse Bell and the 
Marathon Refinery, are land-
mark highlights. Some, like roller 
skating the Dequindre Cut, focus 
more on an experience.
 

IS THERE ONE LOCATION 
THAT HOLDS MORE MEAN-
ING ABOVE THE OTHERS?
RG: Many of the locations are of 
personal significance to me and 
are the sonic representation of 
my lifetime of experiences here. 
I grew up spending every sum-
mer camping with my family on 
Lake Huron, so to capture and 
share the Kayak to Turnip Rock 
recording is a personal keepsake 
as well. 
The Rivera Court at the 
Detroit Institute of Arts is an 
absolute must-visit for anyone in 
or coming to the city of Detroit. 
It is distinctly known as a visual 
space adorned in the frescos of 
Mexican artist Diego Rivera, 
but it also has a very unique and 
soothing soundscape. There are 
different things that make each 
location meaningful and there-
fore are equally important for the 
whole journey. 
 

WHAT WAS THE CREATIVE 
AND RECORDING PROCESS 
LIKE?
RG: An interesting thing about 
field recording is that in many 
ways, it is a very passive process. 
The locations are the subjects, 
and they truly create the sounds; 
I am just a conduit with a record-
er. The recording process can 
be very personalized and varies 
amongst recordists. I am a firm 
believer in first takes and try not 
to overthink when it comes to 
recording. Sounds are in flux and 
are dependent on many factors 
out of my control, like weather, 

traffic patterns, amount of people 
in a public space, etc. You never 
know what you might capture 
and also never know what you 
might have missed. For me, this 
is the thrill of field recording. 
 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT 
TO YOU TO SHARE THE 
SOUNDS OF MICHIGAN 
WITH THE WORLD?
RG: Just like our population, 
we are a very sonically diverse 
region with city sounds, nature 
sounds, industrial landscapes 
and the largest group of freshwa-
ter lakes on Earth. It was crucial 
for me to capture the variety in 
our soundscapes to parallel the 
diversity of our inhabitants. 
 

YOU’RE VERY PASSIONATE 
ABOUT EXPERIMENTAL 
MUSIC. WHAT DRAWS YOU 
TO THIS TYPE OF SOUND?
RG: Sounds are always around 
us. Some are intentional and we 
categorize them as music, but 
what about the sounds of life? 
Really listening and taking it all 
in, creating without parameters 
and conventions is the basis of 
experimental music. To quote 
one of my biggest inspirations, 
John Cage, “Everything we do is 
music.
” 
 

IS THERE A CONNECTION 
BETWEEN YOUR JEWISH 
VALUES AND YOUR MUSIC?
RG: Music is a communal expe-
rience and a common language. 
In Jewish tradition, community 
is the core of our relationships. 
As Jews, we strive to create com-
munities that manifest justice, 
holiness and peace. My music 
and the process of making it is a 
constant reminder that our lives 
are a precious gift. 

Listen to Rebecca Goldberg’s Travel 

Journeys at https://storyplayer.pilots.

bbcconnectedstudio.co.uk/experience/

radiophonic-travelagency-detroit.

“SOUNDS ARE IN FLUX AND 
ARE DEPENDENT ON MANY 
FACTORS OUT OF MY CONTROL, 
LIKE WEATHER, TRAFFIC PATTERNS, 
AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN A PUBLIC 
SPACE, ETC. YOU NEVER KNOW 
WHAT YOU MIGHT CAPTURE 
AND ALSO NEVER KNOW WHAT 
YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED. 
FOR ME, THIS IS THE THRILL 

OF FIELD RECORDING.”

— REBECCA GOLDBERG

Old Presque Isle 
Lighthouse Bell

Detroit Zen Center, 
Hamtramck

