At one point in the early 90s, Danny, there were 300 albums released
in that category. It was about that annual number
between 1988 and 1994. The Nature Company, alone, had 20. It's become
very diffuse, now, and no one seems
to know because it's so disorganized and out there in the ozone.
Where there was a fledgling industry, probably led by
Dan Gibson's Solitude series at one point (he sold about 500k copies
a year for many of those), it is now scattered.
From my perspective, it might be productive to put a box around the
category...ribbon and all...with good definition,
qualifications and standards for good product so that folks would
know what they're getting when they venture into that genre.
The other side of the coin is one where it's a free-for-all...kind of
a libertarian stance
where everything goes and one doesn't dare to put limitations on what
is acceptable
or not. It's a place where we are, now.
While I prefer the category and the limitations, I frankly and
personally don't care one way or the other
what happens. I'm too old to get into a battle about it. I just
thought I'd just bring up the issue, again, after
a couple of decades because I think it would benefit the public and
the field artists greatly to have certain standards
as a reference if nothing else. Funny that the same questions that
arose, then, rear their heads once again. Plus =E7a change,
plus a la meme chose.
Bernie
On Dec 6, 2007, at 3:29 PM, Danny Meltzer wrote:
> Well their response is practical. How many nature soundscape [not
> including bird song guides] albums are commercially released each
> year? Very, very few. How many who release them would bother to go
> through the Grammy entry process? Even fewer. I'd bet not very close
> to the 30-50 they'd want to consider award winners from. If they have
> only 5 entries...they can't very well give an award from that.
>
> I am happy to support this endevour, but I can certainly see the point
> of view that says it's not really a valid award category. Remember,
> the Grammy's are 'commercial' awards given by an industry to itself to
> help promote their own products.
>
> Danny
>
> --- In Bernie Krause <>
> wrote:
> >
> > Here's the response, folks.
> >
> > Personally, I HATE New Age. Any thoughts how to answer?
> >
> > Bernie
> >
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> > > From: "Bill Freimuth" <>
> > > Date: December 6, 2007 2:14:10 PM PST
> > > To: "Bernie Krause" <>
> > > Subject: RE: New naturesound category question
> > >
> > > Hi Bernie,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Interesting notions.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > As far as establishing a category for natural soundscape
> > > recordings, it=E2=80=99s not so much how many NARAS members are
> affiliated
> > > with the field as how many entries we get that would be a better
> > > fit in that field (are an awkward fit in our current categories).
> > > Generally, the folks who make such calls (our Awards & Nominations
> > > Committee) require at least 25 such entries in one year before
> > > establishing the new category=E2=80"30-50 would be even better.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I=E2=80=99m not aware of many of these entries being made in the curr=
ent
> > > year=E2=80=99s process. You may want to think of a strategy like this=
:
> > > encourage everyone you know who releases these recordings to enter
> > > into the process for the 51st GRAMMY Awards. (The entry period is
> > > late June-early September. Entries may be made by Recording
> > > Academy members or registered labels/media companies. Company
> > > registration is free and open from May-August through a link on
> our
> > > website.) As you know, these recordings don=E2=80=99t really have a
> > > proper genre home right now, though you may want to think about
> > > categories like Album of the Year, Best Engineered Album, Producer
> > > of the Year, or maybe even New Age. Then you would have less of an
> > > uphill battle in your pursuit the following year.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Of course, you=E2=80=99re welcome to make the proposal this year (due
> > > March 15th) by filling out the attached form. Note, however, that
> > > if a new category is rejected by A&N, then it may not be proposed
> > > again for two years.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I hope this helps. Give a call if you=E2=80=99d like to discuss.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > All the best,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Bill
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Bill Freimuth
> > >
> > > Sr. Director, Awards
> > >
> > > National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc.
> > >
> > > 3402 Pico Boulevard
> > >
> > > Santa Monica, CA 90405
> > >
> > > 310.581.8621
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > From: Bernie Krause
> > > Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 1:04 PM
> > > To: Bill Freimuth
> > > Subject: New naturesound category question
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Greetings Bill,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > For many years, during my life as a professional musician (1963 -
> > > 1991) I was a member of NARAS. In the early 1980s I got my PhD in
> > > bioacoustics and began a new audio career recording soundscapes of
> > > the natural world and have released over 40 titles in that
> > > category, alone. There are literally hundreds of fine, talented
> > > field recording artists now in the running who represent a growing
> > > professional category yet to be recognized by the industry.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > In 1990 and several subsequent years, I submitted three different
> > > proposals to the powers then at NARAS hoping to interest the
> > > Academy to include natural soundscape recordings (aka
> environmental
> > > sound, nature sound, etc.) as a legit professional category, since
> > > (1) it is a clearly established area of recording art, (2) it is a
> > > science [bioacoustics], and (3) it represents a huge =E2=80" albeit =
> off
> > > the industry radar =E2=80" commercial success. At the time, we were
> > > turned down for the reasons that there weren't enough
> > > representative members who knew either the difference between the
> > > voice of a bird and a fish, or the difference between a well-
> > > recorded stereo field title and one that was otherwise. Despite my
> > > sense that the NARAS authorities 17 years ago were selling their
> > > membership short, the response did not vary over time. Now, things
> > > have changed and I'd like to give this one more shot.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > If we were able to produce enough members to justify a category,
> > > what, from your perspective (or that of the Board) would that
> > > number look like? Once part of the NARAS group what, then,
> would be
> > > the next steps in the process?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > All the best,
> > >
> > > Bernie Krause, PhD
> > >
> > > Wild Sanctuary
> > >
> > > POB 536
> > >
> > > Glen Ellen, CA 95442
> > >
> > > 707-996-6677
> > >
> > > http://www.wildsanctuary.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Google Earth zooms: Earth.WildSanctuary.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > =EF=BF=BC
> > Wild Sanctuary
> > POB 536
> > Glen Ellen, CA 95442
> > 707-996-6677
> > http://www.wildsanctuary.com
> >
> > Google Earth zooms: Earth.WildSanctuary.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
Wild Sanctuary
POB 536
Glen Ellen, CA 95442
707-996-6677
http://www.wildsanctuary.com
Google Earth zooms: Earth.WildSanctuary.com
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