Klas's original, reworded question was '"What characterizes "all the other =
recordings on Soundcloud, that
people say are so good"?', and this was in relation to people describing th=
e recordings they'd like to make when they request advice on buying equipme=
nt.
I can guarantee none of them are thinking about written descriptions of sou=
nds.
I assume most people mean that they don't want it to sound like the recordi=
ngs they made on their phone or their old cassette recorder. They want it t=
o sound clear and natural. They know about background hiss and wind noise, =
but don't know what to buy to eliminate them to their satisfaction.
And most importantly, they don't know what is the least they can spend to a=
chieve it - it's relatively easy to do if one spends a lot of money, so lon=
g as one doesn't buy inappropriate equipment, but it's harder to find the c=
heapest way. Do I need this $1000 recorder, or will this $300 Sony they're =
all talking about do the job? Do I need a Sennheiser microphone, or will I =
be happy with these $10 capsules some on the list are using?
Perhaps it's not so hard for those in the sound industry when they decide t=
o try nature recording for the first time, but it's very hard for us who ha=
ve no experience with any equipment at all.
Peter Shute
From: O=
n Behalf Of grummyaa
Sent: Tuesday, 6 November 2012 1:53 AM
To:
Subject: [Nature Recordists] Re: What is a good nature sound recording?
I know I'm the odd man out, but words on a page will never come even close =
emotionally for me to what sound is capable of. Especially if you consider =
my fianc=E9 is a writer. I understand how important the written word is, no=
t dissing it at all. That's what I'm using right now, but for me it just do=
esn't do it. I have yet to have a piece of writing bring me to tears the wa=
y a piece of music or beautiful recording is capable of. I fully understand=
that I'm the opposite of the norm there though. I find the written word pr=
etty useful when I'm learning how to use something. I appreciate poetry and=
artistic use of language but to me the same words can have different meani=
ng or feeling based on how it is read. For example the same lyrics sung fro=
m different performers can either be moving or make me skip to the next tra=
ck.
Not knowing what a bunting sounds like (perhaps I'd recognize if I heard), =
saying it sounds like "drops of water in sunlight" is a beautiful poetic im=
age, but after reading that phrase I still don't have a clue what it sounds=
like my self. It is nice to know that whatever it sounds like is very beau=
tiful to Mr. Hudson. There is value in that knowledge in that now I'd like =
to hear for myself what was he found so moving. As I would like to experien=
ce it also. But as far as actually sharing with me what a bunting sounds li=
ke I'm no closer to it. I got a better description of the potential surroun=
dings of where he might have heard the bunting than the actual sound it's s=
elf. That said, if I heard a close recording of one in a treated studio or =
chamber I may enjoy his description more than what I hear in a dry close re=
cording of the animal. For me his poetic image reminds me of how lovely sou=
nd sights and smells can be in nature. But in order to share with me that p=
articular sound of the bunting in it's natural habitat he would need to sta=
rt getting more scientific and specific with his wording and less poetic. T=
hen it becomes informative to the sound of the bird but also starts to feel=
more cold and analytical. where as an nice audio recording could do it all=
. It could be incredibly detailed yet magnificently poetic and beautiful.
Don't mean to step on toes or insult anyone. I'm pretty sure this is a flaw=
in myself. My fianc=E9 and many others I love and respect are fully entert=
ained by writing and books. They just don't seem to cut it for me. I honest=
ly wish they could, but they can't take me FULLY to another time and space =
to the same degree sound can. I love what sound can do for me. I only wish =
words on a page could do as much, perhaps I should read more and try harder=
but I honestly would rather listen record and play.
--- In <naturerecordists%40yahoogrou=
ps.com>, umashankar <> wrote:
>
> the last fifteen years, when I teach students sound recording, I tell the=
m sound recording was not invented 100 or 120 years ago. writing is the ear=
liest form of sound recording. it records only a small range of the sounds =
we hear, but it is the most important (or meaningful)
>
> umashankar
>
>
>
> >________________________________
> > From: Tony Whitehead <>
> >To: <naturerecordists%40yahoogrou=
ps.com>
> >Sent: Monday, November 5, 2012 12:02 PM
> >Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] What is a good nature sound recording?
> >
> >Yes ... and I enjoy sound recording ...
> >
> >... but sounds can be shared just as well through words. A good recordin=
g
> >does't have to be audio?
> >
> >Here for example is W H Hudson's 1900 recording of a corn bunting singin=
g
> >(in "Nature in Downland")
> >
> >"The common bunting's little outburst of confused or splintered notes, i=
s
> >when heard (by me) at the same time mentally seen as a handful of clear
> >water thrown up and breaking into sparkling drops in the sunlight."
> >
> >just a thought
> >
> >Tony
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >On Mon, Nov 5, 2012 at 12:42 AM, Klas Strandberg <> wrote:
> >
> >> **
> >>
> >>
> >> Isn't that wonderful, Tony?
> >> And, may I add, with the same headphones being able to hear it again,
> >> years later? And for others to share?
> >>
> >> Thanks Bernie.
> >> I needed that. (Even if it can be one of those wonderful American
> >> ironies which I never will understand, before it's too late...:-))
> >>
> >> Klas.
> >>
> >>
> >> -04, you wrote:
> >> >I sometimes wonder if the reason I record is to give me a reason to
> >> listen.
> >> >
> >> >I know I shouldn't need a reason but, for example, today I recorded t=
he
> >> >quiet interior of a rural English church.
> >> >
> >> >As I let the recording progress inside, I sat outside and simply list=
ened.
> >> >I heard the blackbird's evening chorus. I heard redwings and fieldfar=
e
> >> >overhead, fresh in from the east. I heard the distant rumble of main =
road
> >> >linking Exeter to Plymouth. I heard dogs bark and footsteps. Cows, cr=
ows
> >> >and jays. I listened as the breeze picked up and moved slender baldes=
of
> >> >grass between gravestones. And the rustle of leaves and the rain on m=
y
> >> >jacket. And dusk spread.
> >> >
> >> >It almost doesn't matter what I recorded (30 mins of near silence) ..=
. it
> >> >was a good recording for me.
> >> >
> >> >Tony
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >On Sun, Nov 4, 2012 at 8:38 PM, Bernie Krause <
> >> >wrote:
> >> >
> >> > > **
> >>
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > Hear! Hear!, Klas. Great observation.
> >> > >
> >> > > Bernie
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > On Nov 3, 2012, at 3:15 PM, Klas Strandberg wrote:
> >> > >
> >> > > > Dan, Bernie and all
> >> > > >
> >> > > > For 40 years I have been promoting the use of parabols, well awa=
re of
> >> > > > that parabols twist "reality" and create illusions. I have been
> >> > > > fighting a war against "purists", telling me what a terrible per=
son
> >> > > > I was.
> >> > > > But "we" won that war, Dan, Bernie and all. And myself. It ended=
20
> >> > > > years ago.
> >> > > > Today I hear no voices at all, not anywhere, being "purist" abou=
t
> >> > > > flat frequency curves or non-editing or anything like it.
> >> > > > "Every recording is an illusion".
> >> > > > Yeah? Who claims differently nowadays? Where is this massive glo=
bal
> >> > > > commercial sound production industry, aiming for "purity" and
> >> > > > forbidding us poor nature sound recordists to switch a filter "o=
n"?
> >> > > > I don't see the threat.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > I do see, however, a need for "quality" discussions.
> >> > > > I like words like "sonels" and "splashing," because such words g=
ive
> >> > > > us ways to describe the quality of a recording. I would like a l=
ong
> >> > > > list of such new words together with sound examples.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Why is that considered so wrong?
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Klas.
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > > At 16:59 2012-11-03, you wrote:
> >> > > >>> If all the above sounds like "manipulation", that started with=
the
> >> > > >>> choice, placement and aiming of mics, recording level, and
> >> decinding
> >> > > >>> when to push the record button.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> Ansel Adams made a lot of adjustments in his negatives when he
> >> > > >> printed them.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >>> I've got weeks of rubbish recordings, but the ones that go out=
are
> >> > > >>> those which, to my mind, represent the wildlife in this area. =
It is
> >> > > >>> the end result which matters.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> It's an art of illusion.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >>> BTW I've just put a stereo file on Soundcloud asking what is w=
rong
> >> > > >>> with it:
> >> > > >>> http://soundcloud.com/stowford/wren-and-stream-stereo-check
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> Out of phase?
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> -Dan
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> ------------------------------------
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> "While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
> >> > > >> sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bern=
ie
> >> > > >> Krause.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> Yahoo! Groups Links
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >>
> >> > > > Telinga Microphones, Botarbo,
> >> > > > S-748 96 Tobo, Sweden.
> >> > > > Phone & fax int + 295 310 01
> >> > > > email:
> >> > > > website: www.telinga.com
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > > ------------------------------------
> >> > > >
> >> > > > "While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
> >> > > > sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Berni=
e
> >> > > > Krause.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > >
> >> > > Wild Sanctuary
> >> > > POB 536
> >> > > Glen Ellen, CA 95442
> >> > > 707-996-6677
> >> > > http://www.wildsanctuary.com/
> >> > >
> >> > > Google Earth zooms: http://earth.wildsanctuary.com/
> >> > > SKYPE: biophony
> >> > > FaceBook:
> >> > > http://www.facebook.com/TheGreatAnimalOrchestra
> >> > > http://www.facebook.com/BernieKrauseAuthor
> >> > > Twitter:
> >> > > http://www.twitter.com/berniekrause
> >> > > YouTube:
> >> > > https://www.youtube.com/BernieKrauseTV
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >------------------------------------
> >> >
> >> >"While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
> >> >sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Kra=
use.
> >> >
> >> >Yahoo! Groups Links
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> Telinga Microphones, Botarbo,
> >> S-748 96 Tobo, Sweden.
> >> Phone & fax int + 295 310 01
> >> email:
> >> website: www.telinga.com
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >------------------------------------
> >
> >"While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
> >sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause=
.
> >
> >Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
|