2014
In 2014, Alexander Rehding contributed a chapter titled "Of Sirens Old and New" to Volume 2 of the Handbook of Mobile Music Studies, edited by Sumanth Gopinath and Jason Stanyek. This chapter examines the history and aesthetics of sirens and other sounds that signify movement. The chapter also discusses the relevance of these concepts to the work of sound artist Max Neuhaus, particularly his projects involving sound and mobility []. You can read more about this publication from Oxford University Press.
In his 2014 essay "Of Sirens Old and New," published in the Oxford Handbook of Mobile Music Studies, Alexander Rehding uses Max Neuhaus to illustrate a radical shift in how we perceive warning signals in the modern "phonosphere."
Rehding focuses specifically on Neuhaus’s Siren Project (1978–1983) to explore the evolution of mobile sound:
Rehding notes that traditional sirens use high-pitched, oscillating tones that are designed to "pierce" but often leave the listener unable to localize the source.
Neuhaus’s "Perceptual Hacking": As referenced in Blake Johnston’s thesis, Neuhaus’s redesign of the emergency siren was a masterclass in psychoacoustics. Instead of a wail, Neuhaus proposed a rapid, broadband sound that allowed the human ear to instantly identify the direction and distance of the moving vehicle.
Rehding argues that Neuhaus transformed the siren from a "psychological stressor" into a functional spatial tool. This aligns with the "Experience Shaper" model, where the artist designs a system that helps the subject navigate their environment more effectively.
The essay positions Neuhaus as an early theorist of mobile sound. Unlike his static works (like Times Square), the Siren Project dealt with sound that moves through the city, forcing a "metaperceptual" realization of the listener's own position relative to a fast-moving object.