Location: Golden Pacific Plaza, strip mall in Upland, CA
The Golden Pacific Plaza is a home to a bakery, dentist, day spa, chiropractor, and other businesses that serve people of all ages. It is located on the busy corner of 15th street and Campus Ave.
Recording Setup: TASCAM DR-40 Linear PCM Recorder, handheld on the sidewalk outside.
About the Soundscape: The Golden Pacific Plaza is an oasis of various businesses that serves people of all ages. When driving up to it, as I do twice a week to go to the chiropractor, it almost looks like it emerges from of the depths of this dominantly residential area. The most prominent keynote in its Soundscape is the sound of cars passing constantly, as it sits on the corner of two very busy streets in Upland—15th St and Campus Avenue. Towards the middle of the recording, one can hear a beep that perhaps is a signal from a car or one of the nearby businesses. Shortly after, there is a sound archetypal to that of a coin drop that sticks out among the general quiet of the Plaza at night. What I noticed about this location is how much more significant the little sounds on the sidewalk are compared to those on the streets. I don’t know whether this is because of the echo of the building’s structure or the general quietness in the parking lot at this hour, but when walking out of my chiropractic appointments, I find that it pays to stop and notice that contrast in volume. The distinctiveness of the small noises compared to the drone of the moving city almost gives a feeling of significance to the Plaza in the city of LA, despite its small size and infrequent customers.
