naturerecordists
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Old Sierra Club article

Subject: Re: Old Sierra Club article
From: "Wild Sanctuary" bigchirp1
Date: Sat Sep 23, 2006 6:49 am (PDT)
Old, it certainly is. This is a pretty good example of a very 
elitist, academic and limited perspective - one shared by very few 
serious recordists and true artists. Problem is that Rothenberg (name 
spelled wrong in the article) does not now and never did understand 
the "art" of natural soundscapes and what they represent. (Either 
that or he refuses to acknowledge what is essential).

All such recordings are an illusion, at best.  Sometimes one can 
capture the essence of a place with a constant stream of data. 
Sometimes not. The biggest claim by some is that there is "pure" 
stuff out there. The only thing "pure" about this claim is the horsy 
manure of the premise. There is no "unaltered" sound. Every choice a 
recordist makes in the field, whether mic system, data capture tech, 
where to aim the mics, what time of day/season one records, which 
parts of the data to include in a program (whether CD, media for 
video, or public space performance) constitutes a form of edit. A CD 
allows 74 minutes of stereo audio data at 16 bit/44.1kHz. Choose the 
segment you'll include and, voila!, a major edit. Of the 31 natural 
soundscapes I've created for CD media, four are made up of 
composites. So Rothenberg, again, has not done his homework.

We have to think of what data best represents a sense of place and 
time and represent it to the best of our art and craft. The 
Rothenbergs of the world do not set the standards. They have no 
authority in that department. You're the only ones who do.

Bernie Krause



>http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200007/mixedmedia.asp
>
>Have you all seen this one?  I know it mentions some of us.  But I
>thought it was a nice little concise piece.  What do you make of the
>comparison to us being at the stage of photographers 100 yrs ago?
>
>Danny
>
>
>
>
>
>
>"Microphones are not ears,
>Loudspeakers are not birds,
>A listening room is not nature."
>Klas Strandberg
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


-- 
Wild Sanctuary
P. O. Box 536
Glen Ellen, CA 95442
t. 707-996-6677
f. 707-996-0280
http://www.wildsanctuary.com




<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the naturerecordists mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU