Loud Numbers

Archive

Sonification Workshop in October (& more)

Hello friends,

We’re Duncan and Miriam, and together we’re Loud Numbers - a data sonification studio. You’re getting this email because you signed up for our newsletter, and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer.

In our last message, a month ago, we wrote: “We’ll be back in touch again in a few months with another update, unless something dramatic happens that we need to tell you about sooner.” Well, a couple of dramatic things have happened that we figured you’d prefer to know about sooner rather than later, so here’s another newsletter!


#57
July 4, 2022
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Sonification Without Coding

Hello!

Gosh, it’s been a while. The best part of a year in fact. So it’s probably a good idea to reintroduce ourselves. We’re Duncan and Miriam, and we’re the hosts of the Loud Numbers data sonification podcast.

You’re getting this email because you signed up to receive the Loud Numbers Development Log at some point in the past couple of years - which charted our progress towards releasing the podcast.

Now that podcast has been out for almost a year, we figured it was worth rebooting the newsletter to talk about sonification more broadly, and what we’re up to. We’re planning to send something out every other month or so but the exact cadence will likely vary a bit.

#56
June 2, 2022
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The End of Loud Numbers Season One

Hello friends. We’re Miriam and Duncan, and this is the last episode (for now) of the Loud Numbers Development Log. You’re getting this message because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe with the link in the footer.

It’s a wrap! Loud Numbers Season One is complete! We’ve created five fantastic sonifications - The Natural Lottery, , , , and . They’re all available to listen to right now wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for “Loud Numbers”.

#55
August 16, 2021
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Episode Five: The End of the Road

Hi there sonification fans. The hour is finally upon us. The last episode of Loud Numbers season one has been released. More on that below.

First though, the usual formalities. This is the Loud Numbers Development Log - a newsletter where we talk about how we’ve put together the world’s first podcast turning data into music. You’re getting it because you signed up at , and you can unsubscribe any time with the link in the footer.

#54
August 2, 2021
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Episode Four: A Symphony of Bureaucracy

Hello sonification crew. How have you been? We’re Miriam and Duncan, and this is the Loud Numbers Development Log - a newsletter where we talk about how we’ve put together the world’s first podcast turning data into music. You’re getting it because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe any time with the link in the footer.


#53
July 19, 2021
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Episode Three: Boom & Bust

Hello sonification friends! We’re Miriam and Duncan, and this is the Loud Numbers development log - a newsletter where we talk about how we’ve put together the world’s first podcast turning data into music. You’re getting it because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe any time with the link in the footer.


Boom & Bust

#52
July 5, 2021
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Episode 2: Tasting Notes

Hello hello! It feels like ages since we’ve been in touch. In reality it’s just been 15 days or so. But we’ve got a new episode of Loud Numbers for you to check out.

We’re Miriam and Duncan, and this is the Loud Numbers development log. Well, actually it should now be called the Loud Numbers release log, I suppose, because development of season one is complete.

You’re getting this message because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and right now we’re only sending messages when a new episode is released - every two weeks. You can unsubscribe at any time with the link at the end of the email.


#51
June 21, 2021
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The Loud Numbers Sonification Festival begins in one hour

Hello folks,

A quick reminder that the Loud Numbers Sonification Festival begins in one hour! It’s free, and all you need to do to attend is click this big link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X17zV8-4CdI

#50
June 5, 2021
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Devlog #47: Loud Numbers is out tomorrow!

Hello friends,

Formalities first. This is the Loud Numbers Development Log - a newsletter where we (Duncan and Miriam) are sharing the process of putting together Loud Numbers - a data sonification podcast. You’re getting it because you signed up at , and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer.

#49
June 4, 2021
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Devlog #46

Hello hello! Welcome to the Loud Numbers Devlog - a weekly newsletter about how we’re building a data sonification podcast called Loud Numbers.

An extra-special hello to our many new subscribers! Welcome, and make yourself at home. You’re getting this message because you signed up on our website, and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer.


#48
May 28, 2021
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Correction: Google Calendar Link

Hi there, sonification fans. Very small email to apologise for getting a link wrong in today’s devlog newsletter.

If you want to save the Loud Numbers Sonification Festival to your Google Calendar, use this link instead.

Sorry about the mistake, and thanks to those of you who let us know about it!

#47
May 21, 2021
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Devlog #45

Hi folks, how’s your day going? We’re two weeks out from the release of Loud Numbers, which means that things are getting exciting and terrifying in equal measure. It has been a whirlwind of a week and it looks like things will only get busier in the days to come.

This, by the way, is the Loud Numbers Development Log - a weekly newsletter where we (Miriam Quick and Duncan Geere) write about how we’re putting together the world’s first podcast dedicated entirely to turning data into music. You’re receiving it because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer.

Let’s get started.

#46
May 21, 2021
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Devlog #44

Hello hello! Welcome to the Loud Numbers development log newsletter - a super-secret behind-the-scenes look at how we’re putting together our upcoming podcast. Which is extremely upcoming now - we’ll be releasing the first episode on 5 June! As always, you’re getting this message because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer.


Editing

Phew, what a week it’s been. After recording all the episodes of the podcast last Thursday and Friday, we’ve spent this week kicking them into shape. We used to record, which delivers wonderful sound quality despite the two of us being located in entirely different countries. We processed those recordings with , which is fantastic for editing speech. Then finally we used to sequence the speech, the audio examples from each track, and then the tracks themselves.

#45
May 14, 2021
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Devlog #43

Hello sonifriends! Welcome to the Loud Numbers Devlog - a weekly newsletter charting our progress towards creating the world’s first podcast dedicated solely to turning data into music. As always, you’re getting this email because you signed up for it on our website, and you can unsubscribe at any time.


Countdown to the Countdown

#44
May 7, 2021
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Devlog #42

Hello friends! Welcome to the Loud Numbers devlog - a weekly email about how we (that’s Duncan Geere and Miriam Quick) are writing, composing, editing and producing the world’s first podcast series turning data into music - a process called sonification. You’re getting this email because you signed up at loudnumbers.net.

What’s been happening this week?


#43
April 30, 2021
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Devlog #41

Hi there! Welcome to the Loud Numbers devlog - a short weekly newsletter charting our progress in building the world’s first podcast turning data into music.

You’re getting this mail because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer. Want to share the love? Forward this email to a friend who you think might be into it.


#42
April 23, 2021
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Devlog #40

Hello sonification fans!

Welcome back to the Loud Numbers development log - a weekly newsletter where we talk about how we’re putting together our upcoming data sonification podcast. You’re getting these emails because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer.

We’ve lots of exciting news to share this week – including how to get your hands on a Loud Numbers T-shirt!


#41
April 16, 2021
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Devlog #39

Hello sonification fans! Welcome back to the Loud Numbers development log - a weekly newsletter where we talk about the process of putting together our upcoming data sonification podcast. You’re getting these emails because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer.


The Ice is Getting Thinner

We didn’t send a devlog last week because it was Easter, but we took the opportunity to make a bunch of progress on the first episode of the podcast - The Natural Lottery. Long-term subscribers will know that this was actually the first sonification we made for the project, but when we came back to it after a year it wasn’t quite up to the standards of the others we made. So we’ve gutted it and rebuilt it almost from scratch with a simpler set of encodings.

#40
April 9, 2021
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Devlog #38

We have a release date! Mark your calendars for 5 June 2021, when we’ll be releasing the first episode of Loud Numbers - “The Natural Lottery”. It’s a Saturday, and we’ll be celebrating that day with a small sonification festival of talks and performances from across the community. More on that in due course.

After that, we’ll be releasing new episodes every other week on Mondays. So the second episode will come out on 21 June, then the third on 5 July, the fourth on 19 July and the fifth and final episode on 2 August. Are you excited? We’re excited.


Oh, but where are our manners? , a weekly newsletter where we ( and ) talk about how we’re building (finishing!) our data sonification podcast. You’re receiving it because you signed up at , and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer.

#39
March 26, 2021
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Devlog #37

Hello sonification fans! Welcome to the 37th Loud Numbers development log - a weekly newsletter that gives you a glimpse behind the scenes on how we’re putting together our data sonification podcast, Loud Numbers. You’re getting this message because you signed up for it at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe whenever you like with the link in the footer.


Another busy week of client work for both of us here, which hasn’t left a lot of time for progressing the podcast. But we’ve polished up a final, final version of Tasting Notes - our sonification of the experience of drinking different kinds of beers - that we’re going to send for mastering in the coming days. It’s sounding fantastic, we can’t wait for you to hear it.

We’ve also been progressing plans a little for the sonification festival that we’re planning to put on at the end of May/start of June to celebrate the release of the podcast. Thanks to those of you who got in touch interested in presenting something at the event. If this is the first you’re hearing about this, then check out and hit reply if you’re interested in speaking or performing.

#38
March 19, 2021
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Devlog #36

Hello folks. Welcome to the 36th Loud Numbers development log - a weekly newsletter that gives you a peek behind the scenes at how we’re building the world’s first podcast consisting entirely of data sonifications. As always, you’re receiving this message because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe any time with the link in the footer.

This week has been mostly admin and polishing up the beer sonification to full completeness (we’ve also both been pretty busy with client work - we’re full-time freelancers, making this podcast in our spare time!). But there are a few things to talk about today.


#37
March 12, 2021
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Devlog #35

Hi there sonification fans, and welcome to the 35th weekly Loud Numbers development log! The devlog archive is really filling up now, so if you’re new here then it’s well worth going back and having a read through - there are loads of sonification gems scattered throughout. As always, you’re receiving this newsletter because you signed up at buttondown.email/loudnumbers, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

We’ve got a relatively short devlog for you this week, because we’re very, very close to finishing “Tasting Notes” - our sonification of the experience of drinking lots of different kinds of beer. Having recorded our interview with cicerone Malin Derwinger two weeks back, we’ve been spending loads of time chopping little bits out of it - some of those will go in the introduction to the episode, but some will go in the track itself.

#36
March 5, 2021
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Devlog #34

Hi folks, and welcome to the latest Loud Numbers development log. You’re getting this newsletter because you signed up for it on our website at some point in the distant past. You can unsubscribe at any time.


This week, we gave our Outlier talk again at the . It was a nice crowd, and we got some great questions. Now that we’ve done a few of these, we could probably put together an FAQ of some sort, covering the basics of sonification, the tools that we use, our process, and accessibility. If there’s a question you’d like to see covered, then hit reply and we’ll make sure to include it.

#35
February 26, 2021
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Devlog #33

Happy Friday! It’s almost the weekend, and this is the Loud Numbers development log - a newsletter that goes out every week giving a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how we’re building the world’s first data sonification podcast.

Well, actually, it turns we’re not the world’s first data sonification podcast. We learnt this week about the existence of Sound and Data - a podcast where sonification researcher Scot Gresham-Lancaster has interviewed many of the most notable figures of the scene over the years. We’re really excited to !

#34
February 19, 2021
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Devlog #32

Hello, hello, hello and welcome to everyone who’s joined us in the last couple of weeks! We are Duncan and Miriam, and this is the Loud Numbers development log - a weekly newsletter giving a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how we’re building the world’s first data sonification podcast.


Where It’s At

#33
February 12, 2021
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Devlog #31

Hi there, and welcome to the Loud Numbers devlog - your weekly update on everything sonification. You’re getting this email because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe at any time with the link in the footer.

We’re welcoming a lot of new members to our secret sonification club this week, which is wonderful! Please, make yourselves at home. The first rule of sonification club is that you must tell as many people as possible about sonification club, so this week we did our bit by talking about Loud Numbers at .

#32
February 5, 2021
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Devlog #30

Hi folks! Welcome to the latest Loud Numbers devlog - a weekly newsletter where we keep you posted on our progress in writing, recording and releasing the world’s first data sonification podcast. You’re getting this email because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and of course you can unsubscribe at any time with the link at the bottom.


Outlier Tickets

#31
January 29, 2021
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Devlog #29

Hi! We’re Duncan and Miriam, and this is the weekly Loud Numbers Devlog - a super secret email where we tell you about how we’re building the world’s first data sonification podcast. You’re getting this email because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe at the bottom if you need a break.


The Art of Mastering

#30
January 22, 2021
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Devlog #28

Greetings, sonification fans! This is the weekly Loud Numbers development log - a newsletter that explains how we’re building the world’s first data sonification podcast, one week at a time. You’re getting it because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and if you need one then there’s an unsubscribe link at the bottom.


Plop

#29
January 15, 2021
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Devlog #27

Happy new year, sonification fans! We’ve missed you. We took a few weeks off to celebrate the holiday season, but we’re now back in action and making plans for 2021 - the year that Loud Numbers will be unleashed upon the world.

But let’s back up a moment. Newcomers! Welcome to the Loud Numbers Development Log, which is basically a secret club of sonification pals. It costs nothing to join, and you get a newsletter every week with behind-the-scenes glimpses into how we’re making the world’s first data sonification podcast. You’re getting this email because you signed up for it on our website, but if that doesn’t sound familiar, then there’s an unsubscribe button at the bottom of this email.


#28
January 8, 2021
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Devlog: 2020 in Review

Hi there, and welcome to the last Loud Numbers development log newsletter of 2020. In case you’re a new subscriber, this is normally where we (Duncan & Miriam) talk about what we’ve been working on over the past week as part of our quest to make the world’s first data sonification podcast.

This week will be a bit different, though. We’re going to run through everything we’ve learnt about sonification this year. Which is pretty much everything we know about sonification, because we didn’t really start working on it until this year. Make yourself a cup of tea and strap in, because this might be a bit longer than usual.

#27
December 18, 2020
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Devlog #26

Hello, hello - and a big, warm welcome to those of you who’ve joined us over the last week. This is the Loud Numbers devlog - a weekly newsletter where you get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how we (Duncan Geere and Miriam Quick) are building the world’s first data sonification podcast.

For newcomers, we’re planning a six-episode podcast season that’ll be released sometime in the first half of 2021. Each episode will tell the story of the dataset, explain the sound mappings, and then play the sonification itself. There’ll also be an EP with just the music - available on all good streaming services. Want more info? Go dig around in our .

#26
December 11, 2020
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Devlog #25

Hello friends. We’re Duncan and Miriam, and this is the super-secret Loud Numbers development log newsletter, where you get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how we’re building the world’s first data sonification podcast. Need an “unsubscribe” link? You’ll find one at the bottom of this (and every) email.

This week, we’ve been refining our insect decline sonification - which has leapt from “the one track we haven’t yet started” to “one of our favourite sonifications that we’ve made for this project” in the space of just a few weeks. How? It’s all down to mood…


Mood Music

#25
December 4, 2020
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Devlog #24

Hello, Miriam here – one half of Loud Numbers, with Duncan Geere. Loud Numbers, if you hadn’t heard, is the world’s first data sonification podcast! You’re receiving this week’s devlog because, well, you probably signed up to it at some point at loudnumbers.net. If you didn’t, just hit ‘Unsubscribe’ at the bottom of this email.

So, what have we been up to this week?


#24
November 27, 2020
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Devlog #23

Hi there! You’re tuned into the Loud Numbers devlog - a super-secret missive from behind the scenes of our attempts to weave together numbers and sound into the world’s first data sonification podcast. You’re getting this message because you signed up at loudnumbers.net. You can unsubscribe any time.


Swarming

#23
November 20, 2020
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Devlog #22

Hi there!

We’re Duncan and Miriam, and this is the super-secret Loud Numbers development log, a weekly newsletter charting our creation of the world’s first data sonification podcast. You’re getting it because you signed up at loudnumbers.net. If you like it, please encourage others to do the same!


#22
November 13, 2020
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Devlog #21

Hi there sonification fans. What a weird week, eh? We hope you’re all doing okay out there. We’ve just been keeping our heads down and getting on with things as best as we can.

This, incidentally, is the Loud Numbers development log, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the world’s first data sonification podcast by Duncan Geere and Miriam Quick.


A Drive in the Country

#21
November 6, 2020
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Devlog #20

It has been another quiet week in Loud Numbers land. Miriam’s on holiday, so it’s just Duncan steering the ship.

What’s that? You have no idea who Duncan and Miriam are? Sorry - we’re two data journalists making Loud Numbers, the world’s first data sonification podcast. At some point in the last few months you signed up to our weekly newsletter (the one you’re reading right now), where we talk about how progress is going.


#20
October 30, 2020
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Devlog #19

Hello there! Miriam’s on holiday, so this is a shorter-than-normal Loud Numbers development log. Normal service will resume again in a couple of weeks.

As a quick reminder, this is a weekly newsletter we write about how we’re developing the world’s first data sonification podcast. You’re getting it because you signed up at loudnumbers.net, and you can unsubscribe anytime using the link at the bottom of this email.


#19
October 23, 2020
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Devlog #18

Howdy, it’s Miriam and Duncan and you’re reading the Loud Numbers development log: giving you a peek behind the scenes of the world’s first data sonification podcast.

You’re getting this email because you signed up at loudnumbers.net. Doesn’t ring a bell and want out? Hit the unsubscribe button at the bottom of this email.

Right, here’s what we’ve been up to this week.

#18
October 16, 2020
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Devlog #17

Hello hello. We’re Duncan and Miriam, you’re looking great today (did you get your hair done?), and this is the Loud Numbers development log - a weekly, newsletter-shaped update on how we’re building the world’s first data sonification podcast.


Recessions

#17
October 9, 2020
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Devlog #16

Howdy, sonification fans! This is the super-secret, behind-the-scenes, Loud Numbers newsletter. It’s intended as a little glimpse into what’s involved in the creation of a data sonification podcast, and we’re honoured to be invited into your inbox to share it.


Time Keeps Flowing Like A River

This week we took a long, hard look at our project timeline and rewrote it from scratch to take into account everything we’ve learned so far about making sonifications. Primarily that they take longer than you expect, especially when you’re working on them in your spare time.

#16
October 2, 2020
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Devlog #15

It’s Friday, and that means it’s time for the Loud Numbers devlog - your weekly update on how we (Miriam Quick and Duncan Geere) are building the world’s first data sonification podcast.

We’ve had a bunch of new subscribers lately, so let’s quickly run through the basics. We’ve identified six great stories that we want to tell through the medium of sound and data. That means finding data for the stories, mapping it onto different parameters of sound ( like volume, pitch, and texture), and then writing a script that not only explains the sonification system but also tells the story.

#15
September 25, 2020
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Devlog #14

Hello friend. This is the weekly Loud Numbers development log - a behind-the-scenes newsletter about how we’re making the world’s first sonification podcast. You’re getting it in your inbox because you signed up for it at some point in the thing we’re all calling “2020” but more closely resembles a dropped bowl of soup. If this is all totally unfamiliar to you, then there’s an unsubscribe link at the bottom.

Otherwise, we’ve been doing a bit more scripting and starting to work on the sounds for our recessions sonification. We’re gonna tell you more about that next week. Instead today we wanted to briefly talk about…


Our Sonification Philosophy

#14
September 18, 2020
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Devlog #13

Hi there! This is the super-secret Loud Numbers development log newsletter, which you signed up to at some point in the hopefully-not-too-distant past.

I’m Duncan Geere, and with my co-host Miriam Quick we’re making a data sonification podcast. This newsletter is a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what that means on a week-to-week basis.

#13
September 11, 2020
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Devlog #12

Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the super-secret Loud Numbers newsletter, where you get a glimpse behind the scenes of the creation of the world’s first data sonification podcast. You’re getting this email because you signed up for it at loudnumbers.net, but if that doesn’t sound familiar then there’s a handy unsubscribe button at the bottom of this mail.

With all that out of the way, let’s talk about what we’ve been up to this week.


#12
September 4, 2020
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Devlog #11

What’s up, data sonification fans? It’s Friday, which means it’s time for the weekly Loud Numbers development log - a free newsletter that tells the story of how we’re making the world’s first sonification podcast.


A Yard of Ale

This week, we’ve been tinkering with the sounds mapped to aroma and taste parameters in our beer sonification. Here’s a quick summary of what changed.

#11
August 28, 2020
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Devlog #10

We’re back! Refreshed after a couple of weeks of holiday, and ready to get back to creating the world’s first data sonification podcast.

If you’re very confused right now, this is the super-secret Loud Numbers development log newsletter which at some point you signed up to at loudnumbers.net. In it, we (Duncan and ) share behind-the-scenes goodies from the podcast-creation process.

#10
August 21, 2020
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Devlog #9

Hi there! This is the super-secret Loud Numbers development log newsletter, which you signed up to at some point in the hopefully-not-too-distant past.

I’m Duncan Geere, and with my co-host Miriam Quick we’re making a data sonification podcast. This newsletter is a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what that actually looks like on a week-to-week basis. Shall we dive in?


Colour to Key, The Solution

#9
July 31, 2020
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Devlog #8

Hello there. I’m Duncan and this is the weekly Loud Numbers development log newsletter, which you signed up to at loudnumbers.net. I hope that sounds at least a little bit familiar, but if not then we’re a data sonification podcast and this newsletter is where we’re sharing our creative process.


Irradiation

#8
July 24, 2020
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