ABSTRACT
The Favourite Sounds Project project began in 1998 in London as a broadcast for the artist-run radio station Resonance FM. The central aim of the project is sonic discovery. Sonic impressions from one place will be remembered in the next. Sounds suddenly recalled from the past colour, or even drown out, those of the present. Such fluid perceptions and shifts in focus move naturally from overviews to local detail, through memory and back. The exception was in Manchester, where the Favourite Sounds Project was an arts contribution to the multidisciplinary, EPSRC supported, Positive Soundscapes Project, and more funding was available to collect responses. From an arts perspective the wealth of information generated has been wonderful. The individual replies are fascinating to read and attempts to record the sounds have been equally instructive. The local Manchester accent is appreciated and makes an obvious contribution to the city soundscape, as do street musicians, who perform in the central pedestrianised areas.
