The Byward Market is a soundscape I have visited many times before. Its sounds are very familiar. But as I sit here listening in one of its many sidewalk cafes, it occurs to me that I've never actually listened intentionally, either in its entirety or a piece at a time. The soundscape is so dense that it tends to wash over the people who are listening to it (or more likely, not listening; rather, trying to block it out). The Market area is as urban a soundscape as you are likely to find in Ottawa.

Predominant sounds -

Trucks. Lots of trucks. Big trucks, small trucks, either making deliveries or somehow involved in a construction project of some kind. There is always construction here, it seems

Cars - slow cars, fast cars, old cars, new cars (mostly new .. people have pretty healthy incomes in Ottawa .. so you don't see many "beaters" here).

Human voices, which are always part of this soundscape ... except maybe really late in night or in the middle of winter. Next to me, a man in a suit walks down the sidewalk talking to his cellphone. Lots of conversations around me at the café - people are speaking loudly enough today that I can clearly hear two conversations at the same time. I wonder if they're talking more loudly than usual because the traffic is so loud.

Muzak - I wish the café owners in the market would stop piping their music out onto the streets, and pay more attention to the artistic statement they are making through their choice of radio station or whatever sound inside. There is a café across the street I used to go into - "Le Moulin de Provence" - wonderful pastries. But I usually take out rather than eat inside because they always play very dull, ordinary commercial music which works against the otherwise exceptional, well designed ambience of the café. It amazes me that hundred of thousands of dollars are spent on visual appeal and decor, with no thought to the quality of the sound.

Birds - Not a tree in sight but you can always hear birds. Today it's a couple of little song sparrows which can be heard surprisingly well over the traffic. Seagulls are also very common down here. Free food!

It will take me a while to work out how I want to compose this particular part of Capital Resoundings. It think the Market is an important part of the city to explore because it's one of Ottawa's best meeting places and is widely used by people across the city. It is a busy place, a noisy place, a commercial centre, a place with many voices. I need to listen much more carefully to hear what it is telling me.

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