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Getting started in sound analysis

Subject: Getting started in sound analysis
From: "Birding Africa (Callan Cohen)"
Date: Fri May 12, 2006 3:24pm(PDT)
Dear all,

I was wondering if I could ask for the group's advice on a few relatively
entry-level issues.

I'm a PhD student in ornithology (and a part-time bird tour leader) with a
strong interest in the vocalisations of African birds (as well as frogs and
mammals). Over the last few years, I've been making recordings of birds
across Africa, including some species that are very poorly known and whose
calls have not been properly described.

I've reached a stage where I would like to focus on describing some of the
calls that I have made, comparing geographic variation, etc.

Firstly, I'd like to import all the calls into digital format in a way that
looses as little information as possible and doesn't introduce any
artificial effects, keeping the calls as clean as possible. Currently, I'm
recording in Linear PCM mode with a Sony Hi-MD, so I can simply drag and
drop the sound files to a PC (and then transfer them across to my Macintosh
Powerbook G4). How do I handle my older recordings, made with older MDs in
various ATRAC formats, and tape (with a TCM5000)? Do I need to import these
in an analogue fashion? What is the best way to do this cleanly?

Following on from this, I'd like to compare calls, produce sonograms, and
remove certain background noises from the calls. What is the best software
for this - Raven?

Many thanks in advance for any assistance,

Callan
Callan Cohen                         Percy FitzPatrick Institute
        of African Ornithology,
Mobile: +27 83 256 0491       University of Cape Town,
Tel/fax: +27 21 685 4081                        South Africa.
Skype: callancohen





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