David Brinicombe wrote:
> Birdsong in my woodlands is real. A stereo recording
> gives a representation of that reality but is
> not the reality itself. We are sonic illusionists.
Following this model, one should have no complaint about "digital", which h=
as only given us cheaper, easier, and more accurate means of recording. Aft=
er all, by these standards analogue recording was an illusion too.
> We had tape and mag film to contend with
> and none of the digital artificiality I
> am now complaining about. Give me a little
> tape hiss rather than the current synthetic
> sounds we so often hear now.
The preference for analogue hiss is aesthetic. Why would digital recordings=
be considered sterile or "artificial" simply because they don't add their =
own sonic marker? Surely that is the goal of accurate reproduction, a clear=
er path to "the real"?
But of course there is an opposing viewpoint that holds that any sound is a=
s real as any other sound, since they all impact the ear with longitudinal =
pressure waves. It doesn't matter if we "flap loudspeaker cones", as you di=
smissively put it. After all, we also waggle our vocal chords, stomp our fe=
et, or stridulate our legs against our carapace (well, some of us do!). Phy=
sical energy precedes sound. I see no reason to privilege any one source ov=
er any another. Rather, I prefer to listen to the content and see what I mi=
ght think/feel about that.
> It is only by recognising that recording is
> artificial that we can persuade punters that
> the end product is sort of "real".
I don't try to convince anyone of the superiority of any particular reality=
. I simply put sounds out there that can hopefully be interpreted and enjoy=
ed for what they are, regardless of the transport mechanism: vinyl, cart, r=
eel, cassette, CD, MP3, FLAC... to list some I have used.
(Since I also make "art". my pieces might also call attention to the transp=
ort mechanism to make certain larger points about listening, consumer cultu=
re, or the aesthetics of technology. But I am sure that most would agree th=
at these concerns lies outside the realm of Nature Recording as such.)
-- Robin Parmar
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