Between those on this forum and people that we know but who aren't on
the forum...I believe we could assemble a credible contact list of
natural soundscape album producers. With that list in hand we could
then begin a campaign to get everyone to enter their albums for next year.
Bernie, I'm sure you have as many contacts as anyone else. Maybe we
can build off of your list.
Danny
--- In "Danny Meltzer"
<> wrote:
>
> Well, the point about the category being an instrument to refine,
> define and develop the character of the genre...I think you're
> absolutely right...it'd be a very good thing. I hadn't thought of it
> that way.
>
> The only way to find out is to try to drum up support to enter albums
> for next year under other categories and then request the new category
> the following year. In general they seem to be very liberal with
> adding categories each year, so as long as there really were enough
> entries, I think it'd happen.
>
> A dedicated organization that would be a liason/contact base for ALL
> natural soundscape releases would greatly assist this effort. Then we
> could have an organized campaign and get everyone to enter all at once.
>
> Danny
>
> --- In Bernie Krause <chirp@> wrote:
> >
> > 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 <chirp@>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Here's the response, folks.
> > > >
> > > > Personally, I HATE New Age. Any thoughts how to answer?
> > > >
> > > > Bernie
> > > >
> > > > Begin forwarded message:
> > > >
> > > > > From: "Bill Freimuth" <BillF@>
> > > > > Date: December 6, 2007 2:14:10 PM PST
> > > > > To: "Bernie Krause" <chirp@>
> > > > > 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
current
> > > > > 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 we=
re
> > > > > 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
> > > > >
> > > > > chirp@
> > > > >
> > > > > Google Earth zooms: Earth.WildSanctuary.com
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > =EF=BF=BC
> > > > Wild Sanctuary
> > > > POB 536
> > > > Glen Ellen, CA 95442
> > > > 707-996-6677
> > > > http://www.wildsanctuary.com
> > > > chirp@
> > > > Google Earth zooms: Earth.WildSanctuary.com
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Wild Sanctuary
> > POB 536
> > Glen Ellen, CA 95442
> > 707-996-6677
> > http://www.wildsanctuary.com
> > chirp@
> > Google Earth zooms: Earth.WildSanctuary.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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