Yeah Martin, I partly agree with what you are saying. To me it seems that w=
hen a soundscape recording is amplified, the perceived relative distances b=
etween sounds become compressed. Following the rule of sound attenuation o=
ver distance, could it also be true that for each 6dB amplification over na=
tural, the perceived distances are halved?
Where I disagree is the assertion that amplification creates that false lis=
tening environment. It was already false. Even with a tight method of calib=
ration such as yours, the microphones only capture a limited perspective of=
the soundscape. It is still impossible to capture the true listening persp=
ective. I have never heard a perspective though headphones that matches tha=
t of the unaided ear. As you say, "microphones are not ears."
John Hartog
rockscallop.org
--- In Martyn Stewart <> wrote:
>
> What I basically mean is that if the sound source is in the very far dist=
ance, I prefer to record the ambient sound that I actually hear around me i=
ncluding distant sounds naturally, I think to try and amplify something in =
the distance makes the listening environment false. By jacking up the gain =
you bring a whole host of noises that are not natural to the actual soundsc=
ape. My headphones should reflect what I'm listening too without them and s=
o should the actual recording. I hear only too often noisy soundscapes beca=
use the gain was increased too much. Microphones are not ears and they do n=
ot discriminate so trying to capture what is real is my objective always.
>
> Martyn
>
> Martyn Stewart
> .........................................
> www.naturesound.org
> www.soundofcritters.com
> .........................................
> 425-898-0462
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Apr 19, 2012, at 11:24 AM, "hartogj" <> wrote:
>
> > >In 40 plus years of working in sound,
> > >I have never really understood the need
> > >to amplify the sound of tranquility
> > >to what it actually sounds like in reality.
> >
> > Hi Martyn,
> > Is this because your main objective is species recordings more so than =
the ambient backgrounds of the soundscapes?
> >
> > John Hartog
> > rockscallop.org
> >
> >
>
>
>
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