Sound is much more complicated than originally thought. In fact, “Sound studies” itself is “an umbrella term for a range of multidisciplinary work” (Ceraso). Sound studies itself can be used across disciplines to identify key components, but it can also be used differently within disciplines, as well. For example, sound studies could be used in communication studies to look at podcasts and make observations on cultural, gendered, and racial habits (Ceraso). Sound studies provide an opportunity for larger discussions to occur on a variety of topics.

A subset of Sound Studies is Sound Mapping. Sound mapping allows us to interact with sounds in a specific environment. Sound mapping engages with the “geography, inhabitants, culture, and much more” of a specific location (Ceraso). “Archaeoacoustics refers to the study of sound in archaeological contexts” (Murphy et al.). Here, sound may be mixed with visualization in order to manipulate the physical environment to better reflect a past environment in order to get a more significant representation of the sound. This also helps to create a multi-sensory experience. Because there is both visual and sonar aspects to Archaeoacoustics, it is important when using Archaeoacoustics to get as much data as possible in as short a period.

As an academic, you have to take into consideration what might be “gained or lost by transferring sound from physical to digital environments” (Ceraso). Recording environments is a point in time representation, which needs to be considered when interpreting the data. You must also be weary of filling in holes when you experience gaps in your data. To inform your data with your own expectations can take away from the objectivity of your observations. It is important that you be aware that personal experiences may affect the way data is interpreted.

When dealing with sound, there are varieties of techniques that can be used to manipulate data and present data. When mining sound, you can classify, cluster, or visualize the data as suggested by Tanya E. Clement. You must also take into consideration “ [w]hose ears are we mimicking? What is audible, and to whom . . . what singal is meaningful, and to whom” (Tanya E. Clement). DH can be used to observe so many different aspects of sound. Unlike text analysis, sound most often than not needs to be observed in groups instead of singular. Sound has more meaning in clusters and in singular notes.

There are many tools and software available to use to produce independent sound projects. However, often these resources costs money and because of this fact, those who are most likely purchasing them are doing so because their work pays for the programs. Not everyone is going to put money towards a program that will not produce earnings in return. However, an advantage to using sound studies is that the author has more room to manipulate the data in order to get the desired outcome.