audible geography @audiblegeography - Tumblr Blog

Deep silence in the desert of Wadi Rum

#wadirum #desert #silence #field recording #John Grzinich #noise floor

V E C T O R S; a collection of durational recordings of wires fences in winter

#field recording #wires #resonance #environment #soundscape

Listening to Nature

How sound can help us understand environmental change by Garth Paine

Sound is a powerful indicator of environmental degradation and an effective tool for developing more sustainable ecosystems. We often hear changes in the environment, such as shifts in bird calls, before we see them. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recently formed a sound charter to promote awareness of sound as a critical signifier in environmental health and urban planning.

I have spent decades making field recordings in which I create a setup before dawn or dusk, then lie on the ground listening for several uninterrupted hours. These projects have taught me how the density of the air changes as the sun rises or sets, how animal behavior shifts as a result, and how all of these things are intricately linked.

More here...

#climate change #Listening #soundscape #research #environment

Locus Sensum

A series of 4 short sound and moving image clips that give sensory ‘portraits’ of specific locations. In this case Canada, Estonia, Finland and Iceland.

Locus Sensum #1 : Lethbridge Viaduct

Locus Sensum #2 : Matsiranna Shore

https://vimeo.com/201446121

Locus Sensum #3 : Ohtakari Wires

https://vimeo.com/210063212

Locus Sensum #4 : Seyðisfjörður river

https://vimeo.com/213366505

#sensory experience #static video #soundscape #geographic #portrait

'mellocybin’, a new side project of non-specific drone works aimed at disorientation, psycho-perceptual displacement and generally relieving the tiring effects of social constructs and space-time confinement: https://mellocybin.bandcamp.com/

#ambient #experiemtnal #drone #electronic #noise #bandcamp #mellocybin

I’m in the process of making my back catalogue available on bandcamp

#jgrzinich #intimations #archive #CD #bandcamp #electro-acoustic

I’m in the process of making my back catalogue available on bandcamp

#jgrzinich #ferric #maaheli #electro-acoustic #bandcamp #field recording

#listening #urban space #sound art #public space #soundscape #research #john grzinich

sonicstudies

You Can Actually Hear the Climate Changing

Bernie Krause’s vast library of field recordings reveals a sad truth: wild sounds are quickly vanishing.

Which sounds are the first to go? Usually, it’s what’s called partitioning. In a healthy habitat, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals form acoustic niches, sonic territories that they establish so that their voices can be heard unimpeded by others. These partitions are critical to their survival. Their cohesion begins to break down in habitats that are stressed even in slight ways.

For example, there are logging companies that believe selective logging projects will have almost no environmental impact; you’re just taking out a tree here and there. But if you pay attention to the sounds of the living organisms inhabiting a given site, another story will often emerge. If you can get a baseline recording before the selective logging takes place, and then a follow-up recording after the first cuts have been made, you’ll likely hear some notable changes.

Read more here

smooth reverb of Estonian forests

#reverb #impulse response #forest #sound #acoustics #ORTF

'Listening in Context' film edited from project material filmed in Riga during Sound Development City.

#SDC2014 #listening in context #project #video sketch #Listening #urban sounds #public #trailer

Location scouting in Helsinki: I spent my 2 free days in the city checking some of the original locations I had planned to shoot. This is an important step not only for practical planning reasons, but also to observe how people behave in certain spaces. I learned a lot from Riga concerning good working conditions for 'Listening in Context'. If you're going to work with people from the street you need find the places first that are inhabited frequently and also where people have time. Getting people to stop for several minutes if they're are en route from A to B is very difficult. If they are already out on 'free time', they are much more willing to give you their time to participate.

#SDC2014 #listening in context #public #helsinki #location scouting

Better late than never... on my way to Helsinki to reconnect with the team and group from Sound Development City. Although I was more or less resting at home following my surgery last week, I still managed to be productive to contribute work for SDC. I could finally go through and name all the material I recorded in Riga. This is important because its easy to forget what was recorded where. In all I filmed/recorded 37 portraits. I made a second edit of the 'sketch' from 'Listening in Context' to hopefully show in Helsinki which also gave me time to reflect on the process. I'm quite determined to finish the second part in Helsinki at some point and I now have a project frame to propose it to other cities as well.

#sdc2014 #ferry #tallinn #helsinki

Expedition interruption with unexpected emergency...

Nothing will remind you more of the fragility of life than a surprising and serious health issue. As soon as I started to round out the first part of the SDC 2014 expedition in Riga, I was hit with such a reminder. On Monday evening, as the slight pain in my abdomen grew and grew, I knew I had to deal with it. After an emergency trip to the hospital and a series of tests that lasted through the night, I was diagnosed with appendicitis. No sooner than I was a informed of my ailment, was I laying on the operating table at Pauls Stradiņš Hospital in Riga awaiting surgery. Although the experience was frightening at some moments (I could hardly get out a few text messages letting people know where I was), I have to say I appreciated the Latvian directness and efficiency throughout the procedure. All went well, and after the initial shock and then 2 days of resting in the silent confines of an historic 19th century hospital building, I was released unto the world again. Immediately as I walked out the door of the hospital, all the sights and sounds of Riga felt fresh and helped to revive my sleepy mind.

Thanks to everyone for their messages of support throughout those enduring days. Although I'm grateful to be well again, unfortunately I'll be unable to complete the Helsinki part of 'Listening in Context'. The first week in Riga was great but rather strenuous. In my condition it will be too much for me in Helsinki, so I will take some time to recover at home and try my best to catch up with SDC at the end of the excursion.

#sdc2014 #appendicitis #riga #hospital