Listening to my Listening is the ficto-critical complement to chapter 1 of the theory analysis. It focuses on the background context of the Languages of Listening research in terms of its origins in my practice, and touches on certain research preoccupations I have with the concepts of inner voice, thought to language, and sensory consciousness. This module is presented as a ficto-critical essay comprising three thematic streams: 

Endophasy (the medical term for inner speech or voiceless internal talk) comprises four poetic texts that attempt to document the process and quality of the generative relationship I experience between sound and text. 

Practice Notes are four reflections on the trajectory of my artistic practice, from past to present, probing the effect that language has on my sound making practice and how sound inspires my writing. They draw on entries made in my Practice Journal (see theory analysis: chapter 4), which I undertook as part of my research design. These include audiovisual samples of the works under discussion. 

Frameworks presents researched musings around ideas of verbal thought, ideasthesia and consciousness. These Framework texts briefly explore ideas within psychology and neuroscience that form a background context to my overall fascination with the intertwined relationship of language to listening. (1) The neuroscience aspect is not pursued in depth within the Languages of Listening project, as it diverges too far from the focus on mediated ficto-criticism as an approach to sound studies, however, it is an area I am interested in exploring in future research projects.

In this way, Listening to My Listening is meant to serve as a tasting menu of ideas that prefigure or prime the Languages of Listening research. There are four “courses” or layers and the pieces within each may be sampled in any order. Options for what to read next are offered at the end of each piece. That said, reading all of one strand (e.g. Practice Notes), followed by another, or even randomly, will still yield interesting connections and resonances. However for those who prefer a linear experience there is a Linear Path page that shows an ordered index. Bookending this module is the coda, “A Listening Consciousness”, which brings together the strands and sets the overall conceptual framework for understanding my definitions of art, sound and listening. These are further expanded in chapter 1 of the theory analysis. In terms of the two introductions (the theory chapter and this ficto-critical module), they may be read in the sequence you desire.

So now I encourage you to return to the top to peruse the navigation map and decide where to start your journey through Listening to my Listening.

(1) The neuroscience aspect is not pursued in depth within the Languages of Listening project, as it diverges too far from the focus on mediated ficto-criticism as an approach to sound studies, however, it is an area I am interested in exploring in future research projects.