MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:
We've been asking what you already love. What is the heart of your city? You've been sending pictures, and some of you have sent us sound.
BILL DEPUTY: This is Bill Deputy(ph). New Orleans, Louisiana, has many signature sounds. Music spills out of the clubs; the clang of the streetcars. But what defines the soundscape of this city, is the sound of the steam calliope on the Riverboat Natchez.
(SOUNDBITE OF STEAM CALLIOPE)
MARCUS BURNS: I'm Marcus Burns(ph) from Fort Hood, Texas. And the sound of my city every morning, Monday through Friday at 6:30, is the sound of soldiers training.
(SOUNDBITE OF SOLDIERS CHANTING)
KIM ELSHAM: This is Kim Elsham. The sound of Chicago is roller derby at the Windy City Rollers.
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: ...on the track and (unintelligible) for the Double Crossers.
(SOUNDBITE OF ROLLER DERBY RACE)
MARTRICE WHITE: My name is Martrice White(ph). The sound of Portland, Oregon, is migrating songbirds on Mount Tabor at daybreak.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONGBIRDS)
WILL COLEY: My name is Will Coley(ph). The sound of Santa Monica is the rhythm of rush hour at the gym.
(SOUNDBITE OF MACHINERY)
COLEY: Sixty-eight people focused on their aerobic exercise machines.
(SOUNDBITE OF MACHINERY)
UNIDENTIFIED RESTAURANT WORKER #1: (unintelligible) Ms. Williams to the front, please.
RANDY SKACK: My name is Randy Skack(ph), and this is the sound of Kansas City, Missouri - the dinnertime line at Gates Barbecue.
UNIDENTIFIED RESTAURANT WORKER #2: Hi. May I help you? (unintelligible) on bone. Put it on a bun, please. Hi. May I help you?
SKACK: I'll have a turkey on bun with beans, to stay.
UNIDENTIFIED RESTAURANT WORKER #1: Turkey on bun, please. BB, please.
ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
Keep telling us about the heart of your city. Send us sound; and send us pictures, too. Find out how at NPR.org/nprcities. Follow the Cities Project on Twitter, at nprcities. And join us for another story in the Cities Project tomorrow. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.