Bernie Krause has recently released a new book, called The Great Animal Orchestra. There’s also a fantastic lecture with the same name, given by him at California Academy of Sciences. Almost one hour of a fantastic presentation about sound and nature.

About the lecture:

Dr. Bernie Krause, creator of Wild Sanctuary, demonstrates that every living organism produces sound. This presentation focuses on the symbiotic ways in which the sounds of one organism affect and interrelate with other organisms, local and regional, within a given habitat.

Learn about unusual soundscapes and their relevance to preserving natural sounds worldwide. Biophony–the notion that all sounds in undisturbed natural habitats fit into unique niches–will be used to illustrate the ways in which animals taught humans to dance and sing.

Dr. Bernie Krause: The Great Animal Orchestra from California Academy of Sciences on FORA.tv

About the book:

Musician and naturalist Bernie Krause is one of the world’s leading experts in natural sound, and he’s spent his life discovering and recording nature’s rich chorus. Searching far beyond our modern world’s honking horns and buzzing machinery, he has sought out the truly wild places that remain, where natural soundscapes exist virtually unchanged from when the earliest humans first inhabited the earth.

Krause shares fascinating insight into how deeply animals rely on their aural habitat to survive and the damaging effects of extraneous noise on the delicate balance between predator and prey. But natural soundscapes aren’t vital only to the animal kingdom; Krause explores how the myriad voices and rhythms of the natural world formed a basis from which our own musical expression emerged.

From snapping shrimp, popping viruses, and the songs of humpback whales-whose voices, if unimpeded, could circle the earth in hours-to cracking glaciers, bubbling streams, and the roar of intense storms; from melody-singing birds to the organlike drone of wind blowing over reeds, the sounds Krause has experienced and describes are like no others. And from recording jaguars at night in the Amazon rain forest to encountering mountain gorillas in Africa’s Virunga Mountains, Krause offers an intense and intensely personal narrative of the planet’s deep and connected natural sounds and rhythm.

The Great Animal Orchestra is the story of one man’s pursuit of natural music in its purest form, and an impassioned case for the conservation of one of our most overlooked natural resources-the music of the wild.

More info/Buy: NY Times | Amazon | Hachette

Sounds of the Night, new audio book by The Brititsh Library.

Eerie screams, quiet snufflings, and snippets of song are just some of the wildlife sounds that can be heard after dark. While some animals turn in for the night, others are getting ready to begin their ‘day’ and for some species, such as the Red Fox, Badger, Tawny Owl and Nightjar, the period from dusk to dawn signifies the peak of their activity. This CD features a selection of Britain’s most vocal nocturnal animals and provides information on the best time to hear them. Use it to identify those mysterious sounds that can often be heard resonating through the night air.

In two months Alan Lomax’s field recording archive will be available to stream in its entirety for free. Currently all 15,000 recordings can be heard as 45 second snippets here, but from March will be available in full. Files also include session and recording notes, full lists of performers, locations, and dates.

The project is run by the Global Jukebox label, part of the Association for Cultural Equity, who deal with the digitisation of Lomax’s archive. Global Jukebox also curate compilations for release digitally and in physical format (including on LP through Mississippi Records).

Via The Wire

Spanish sound artists Edu Comelles and Juanjo Palacios have launched LEA Editions, a new project of the Audiotalaia and Audition Records family.

LEA Editions is a catalogue of online releases available through La Escucha Atenta Blog (born from the hand of Juanjo Palacios). This catalogue of phonographic productions rises as a sound complement to the divulgation labour done by La Escucha Atenta. Also, LEA Editions aims to present in a digital format works based on field recordings and soundscapism.

LEA Editions pretends to be a sound mirror for the projects being presented on La Escucha Atenta. Also we seek to offer a platform of diffusion and production of field recording works by emergent artists.

This phonographic catalogue it is coordinated and curated by Juanjo Palacios and Edu Comelles. Also this project is tided to a joint of various digital projects such as Audiotalaia, Audition Records, and obviously La Escucha Atenta Blog.

LEA Editions

Over time we’ve gathered a collection of sounds from around the world. In an exploration of this immense, continuously changing and growing archive of sound spores, Kinokophone welcome field recordists, phonographers and listeners to join us for Kinokophonography. Kinokophonography is an evening of sharing sound recordings, exploring the experience of listening and discussing what these recordings and the process of making them can bring to life. Send along a few favorites from your catalogue of recordings to play or just come to listen.

The next Kinokophonography event will take place at the Aomori Contemporary Art Centre in Aomori City, Japan on 3rd of March 2012 13:30-15:00.

Open call for submissions (Submit your recording by the 19th of February 2012).

This is the first in a set of publications designed to encourage exploration and develop deeper awareness of the soundscape around us, our acoustic environment, and our place within it.

‘Ecology is the study of the relationship between living organisms and their environment. Acoustic ecology is therefore the study of sounds in relationship to life and society. This cannot be accomplished by remaining in the laboratory. It can only be accomplished by considering on location the effects of the acoustic environment on the creatures living in it.’

‘(on acoustic design) ….regard the soundscape of the world as a huge musical composition, unfolding around us ceaselessly. We are simultaneously its audience, its performers and its composers. Which sounds do we want to preserve, encourage, multiply? When we know this, the boring or destructive sounds will become conspicuous enough and we will know why we must eliminate them.’
(R. Murray Schafer – ‘The Soundscape. Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning of The World’)

Focusing the ears with an aim to promote the delights of deeper listening, this publication is a ‘sonic treasure hunt’ of sorts, whilst simultaneously serving as an introduction to the art of ‘sound hunting’.

Via jrf – in place

New CD/MP3 release at Gruenrekorder featuring compositions by Merzouga (Eva Pöpplein & Janko Hanushevsky), who used recordings of the Mekong River, on its course in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The Mekong River is one of the world’s major rivers. On its more than 4.000 km long way from its source in the Tibetan Plateau to the Delta in South Vietnam it passes an altitude difference of 5.000 km, travels through seven countries, three climatic zones and three different culture areas.

On an extensive journey Eva and I followed the lower course of the Mekong River and travelled downstream through Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. On its way the Mae Nam Khong, the „Mother River of All Things“, creates all life around it. It determines the flora and fauna, floods rice-fields and synchronizes the life of people. Everywhere along its banks buzzing, fertile, tropical life shoots up. We set off with our microphone to collect the sounds that this bustling activity of life creates.

A significant compositional approach is the metamorphosis and the merging of sounds. We examine field-recordings in regard to their musical qualities („Music in the sense of meaningful sound-patterns“- Bill Fontana) and fuse them with electronically processed electric bass sounds. The piece’s compositional arc is inspired by the lower course of the river that flows in a gigantic crescendo-movement towards the sea. As a poetic musical analogy to the dark jungle river we use my prepared bass guitar, this long-waved instrument that generates all the musical sounds in the composition. Using Chinese chopsticks, golf balls, knitting needles and wine corks I have been systematically altering and expanding the sound spectrum of my instrument for the past decade.

Order and samples

Olympus LS-100

• 24 Bit/ 96 KHZ Linear PCM Recording
• 90-degree directional, stereo condenser microphones
• Frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
• Max SPL: 140dB
• Separate audio processor and systems circuitry to maintain a high signal-to-noise ratio. Eliminates cross-channel interference and enables clear signal transmission.
• XLR/Phantom Power Supply
• Multi-tracking and editing is a staple of professional recording, and is a technique where multiple separately-recorded sounds are mixed together to create a single stream of sound. On the LS-100, up to 999 tracks can be recorded in the fixed 44.1 kHz/16 bit format for CD writing, and up to eight tracks can be edited simultaneously.
• Additional functions for music recording including; overdubbing, voice syncing, tuner and metronome.
• Voice feedback for actions lets the user operate the LS-100 without looking at the display.
• Voice Activation makes automatic starting and stopping of the recorder an extra benefit that saves time and energy.

Tascam DR-100mkII

• +4dBu (maximum +24dBu) line input available via XLR jack
• XLR jack with a locking latch for professional use
• Better quality uni-directional and omni-directional microphones than the original DR-100
• Accepts digital input signal from an external digital device via remote jack
• Improved Mic pre amp with higher gain and lower noise
• Up to 96kHz/24-bit WAV recording
• 32 to 320kbps MP3 recording
• XLR or RCA 1/8” line input
• S/PDIF digital power
• Wired/wireless remote control included (RC-10)
• Limiter and low cut filter
• Back panel dedicated switches
• Rugged aluminum casing
• VSA changes playback speed from -50% to +16%
• Records to SD or SD-HC card (2GB card included)
• Mini USB 2.0 jack and cable
• Large thumbwheel individual gain control
• Built-in speaker
• Tripod Mount
• Included Li-ion battery, windscreen and carrying case

This two-day course aims to teach you the skills necessary and give you hands-on experience with some of the latest equipment. The course is suitable for aspiring wildlife film-makers, camera operators, camera assistants, producers and sound recordists. It is taught by Chris Watson, one of the world’s top wildlife sound specialists who regularly works for the BBC, and assisted by audio specialist Jez riley French.

Please note that we run this course twice a year. The first (September) is aimed at beginners who have little or no experience of field recording and with litle or no equipment yet. The second (November) is for those who have some experience of recording already and their own equipment. Please make sure you enroll on the most appropriate course – contact us if you are not sure.

Costs: £275 per person
This includes tuition, accommodation, and meals.

Dates
9-11 Dec 2011
7-9 Sep 2012: Beginners Course
23-25 Nov 2012: Experience Course

More info here.

It’s good to hear news about Chris Watson’s new sound installation which is about recreating the sounds of the London Wetland Centre (recorded through hydrophones under water) in a three dimensional listening space. It’s definitely something to look out for next year if you are in and around London.

Here’ an interview with Christ Watson about it:

One of the world’s most talented sound recordists of wildlife and natural phenomena, Chris Watson has teamed up with Wildlife Whisperer and theLondon Wild Bird Watch to create a unique listening experience; Visitors to the event, which runs from the 20 – 22 April 2012, have the chance to immerse themselves in the sounds and songs of life beneath the surface of the freshwater ways of the wetlands.  This film gives an introduction as to how Chris will go about creating his remarkable sound-scape.

More info on the London Wild Bird Watch website and also on Wildlife Whisperer.

/via @soundlandscapes