Field Recordings

[Salty Swift]

If one can quantify this as a field recording, then this is the most freakish, spooky one I'd ever heard.....

[surfer]

Couple of my favorites:





I have a personal appreciation and connection of the Ferrari, since my mom was born in a Dalmatian seaside town. I love that one in the morning.

[faster]

I have a personal appreciation and connection of the Ferrari, since my mom was born in a Dalmatian seaside town. I love that one in the morning.

Really like that Ferrari.

[surfer]

Great site: http://www.quietamerican.org" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;


I like these recording from SF, particularly the fog horns: http://www.quietamerican.org/field_sfbay.html" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;

[JrF]

i'd be interested to know more about that 'summerhouse' disc by Sons of God - my understanding is that is supposed to be recordings of ghost voices or something (& knowing SoG it will be tongue in cheek).

On the 'inplace' blog I reviewed the sextet disc on Meena & whilst it is a music / sound performance I reckon this disc shows up the rewarding aspect of how the 'field recording' approach to listening can also now be part of creative music making too. Easpecially of the bonus live recording one is hearing the sound of the space as much as the sound of the artists involved.

Noid: yes, whenever i've met up with Arnold i've asked him about this & he still won't tell me why !

another good cd:

Gruenrekorder have a few good cd's of field recordings & also on there is the free download double cd length thing:

'autumn leaves' - to accompany the book of the same name by Angus Carlyle (it's about 'sound art' but this online compilation features lots of folks whose work doesn't just sit confortably in that definition or who don't fully subscribe to the term in the context of field recording. There are some processed pieces on there too of course) - features: Aki Onda, Jem Finer, Zoe Irvine, Claudia Wegener, Peter Cusak, Yannick Dauby, Christina Kubisch, Lasse Marc Riek, Hildegard Westerkamp, Chris Watson, er...Jez riley French ! & lots of others.
http://www.gruenrekorder.de/?page_id=170

another disc on the great small Japanese label to suggest is:

Yannick Dauby - 'Fevrier'

[jpeatt]

I have a personal appreciation and connection of the Ferrari, since my mom was born in a Dalmatian seaside town. I love that one in the morning.

Really like that Ferrari.

Yeah, me too.

[Richard Pinnell]

I did a (somewhat nervously presented) solo audition programme made up only of field recordings a year or so back.

It can be heard here:

http://www.auditionradio.info/audition% ... Show37.mp3

Tracks from:

Chris Watson and BJ Nilsen
Toshiya Tsunoda (from Ridge of Undulation, maybe my favourite Tsunoda, or at least up there with Scenery of...)
A couple of short pieces from Jeph Jerman
Lee Patterson (frying an egg, recorded for the show)
Ami Yoshida
Quiet American (from the great Plumbing and irrigation of South Asia)
Akio Suzuki / Eric La Casa

Apologies if always linking to audition annoys anyone, but this kind of thing is really the point of the programme, to give people a chance to hear stuff they might go onto buy!

[aldo]

Couple of my favorites:





I have a personal appreciation and connection of the Ferrari, since my mom was born in a Dalmatian seaside town. I love that one in the morning.

I'm a great fan of Ferrari, but for me, Ferrari is really far from phonography or field recordings.
More related to composition (musique concrète) even when he uses natural sounds without transformation.
What you hear in is compositions is not the "truth" of the recording. And it's never to describe a natural phenomena or to show a landscape.

[faster]

I'm a great fan of Ferrari, but for me, Ferrari is really far from phonography or field recordings.
More related to composition (musique concrète) even when he uses natural sounds without transformation.
What you hear in is compositions is not the "truth" of the recording. And it's never to describe a natural phenomena or to show a landscape.

I'm almost always uninterested in recordings "to describe a natural phenomena or to show a landscape." It's patronizing, as if we can't go for a walk or put our ears up to the refrigerator on our own, without the aid of an "artist."

[JrF]

The discussion around Ferrari & musique concrete etc is interesting, as it shows up the nature of how definition influences perception.

I've just been having an emial discussion on musique concrete & field recording with Emmanuel Mieville & I think it's fair to say that there are a great many people who make 'field recordings' that then use them in ways that are collage or musique concrete IF one subscribes to those terms. As far as I can see the term 'field recording' is now a broad and evolving area - it covers the act of recording in real time environments (open or structural) & situations. It is bringing great advances in the recording of live music for example, especially improvised music or composition.

musique concrete is just a term invented by thr GRM folks & actually was an art form already being explored by others - there are examples from way back in the early 1900's of 'field recordists' using thier recordings to create compositions (Sanjit Laxmanan's 'train' piece from the 1920's is particularly interesting).

A great deal of Takemitsu's music for Film, TV, Radio & Theatre uses field recordings within composition & to great effect.

I honestly think that there is at present a really positive 'freedom' with the growth of field recording & it will be a shame if that atmosphere is restricted by definitions that by & large have been the domain of accademia. Right now the artists, the folks actually creating the work are expanding the art form & that is largely positive. Of course there's always a negative side - there are a fair few artists, releases & projects out there that use field recordings just to be part of the trend. As I said in another post, it just means that the good ones really stand out ! - though the big downside is that the average audience member might get put off by bad experiences.

[faster]

Of course there's always a negative side - there are a fair few artists, releases & projects out there that use field recordings just to be part of the trend.

Like who?

[aldo]

The discussion around Ferrari & musique concrete etc is interesting, as it shows up the nature of how definition influences perception.

I've just been having an emial discussion on musique concrete & field recording with Emmanuel Mieville & I think it's fair to say that there are a great many people who make 'field recordings' that then use them in ways that are collage or musique concrete IF one subscribes to those terms. As far as I can see the term 'field recording' is now a broad and evolving area - it covers the act of recording in real time environments (open or structural) & situations. It is bringing great advances in the recording of live music for example, especially improvised music or composition.

musique concrete is just a term invented by thr GRM folks & actually was an art form already being explored by others - there are examples from way back in the early 1900's of 'field recordists' using thier recordings to create compositions (Sanjit Laxmanan's 'train' piece from the 1920's is particularly interesting).

A great deal of Takemitsu's music for Film, TV, Radio & Theatre uses field recordings within composition & to great effect.

I honestly think that there is at present a really positive 'freedom' with the growth of field recording & it will be a shame if that atmosphere is restricted by definitions that by & large have been the domain of accademia. Right now the artists, the folks actually creating the work are expanding the art form & that is largely positive. Of course there's always a negative side - there are a fair few artists, releases & projects out there that use field recordings just to be part of the trend. As I said in another post, it just means that the good ones really stand out ! - though the big downside is that the average audience member might get put off by bad experiences.

I understand what you mean, but the only thing that I wanted to say about Luc Ferrari is that, what he's doing is the opposite of actual people doing field recordings.
The way he records and composes with the sounds (and the way he's always part of the composition by being present in his pieces directly or undirectly, while in field recordings the composer always try to disappear) is more related to cinema (and of course radio). He never try to show a reality. He does stories.

[JrF]

I'm almost always uninterested in recordings "to describe a natural phenomena or to show a landscape." It's patronizing, as if we can't go for a walk or put our ears up to the refrigerator on our own, without the aid of an "artist."

no wish to start an argument here, but I don't get this point at all - one could say exactly the same about music in general in that case - for example: 'i'm almost always uninterested in music to describe an emotion or a thought - it's patronizing, as if we cant all learn an instrument on our own without the aid of an artist' - see what I mean ? The good field recordists out there are artists just the same as someone who plays a conventional 'instrument' & so the way they record, thier choices & their approach to how they present thier recordings is part of the work.

However, I myself find the basic 'sound of nature' kind of field recordings of limited listening appeal - they are documentation & that is the area of fr that seems to have largely become rather bland.

JrF wrote:
Of course there's always a negative side - there are a fair few artists, releases & projects out there that use field recordings just to be part of the trend.


Like who?

well, i'm not that comfortable naming names - i'm sure others will be able to - for a couple of main reasons:
1) if i'm not interested in work, I tend to not hold onto it in my mind.
2) whilst I have an opinion on some things i've seen or heard it might not be the same for others so, I made that comment to basically say that, as with any form, there will be a fair amount of dodgy stuff out there, it's inevitable.

I find a lot of the folks who use field recordings & manipulate them via max-msp or whatever to be very uninteresting - & especially wheh they use 5.1 sound systems - getting sounds panning all over the place without any actual 'reason' other that it can be done etc. In fact in recent months the only 'electronica' field recording based work that I liked was Helena Gough's release.

while in field recordings the composer always try to disappear

I agree with what you say about Ferrari but I think the comment above is at the core of the difference between the origins of field recording & where it is is now. The 'nature' recordists tried to disappear (though that is impossible) but most field recordists who don't just want to record nature (bird song, wales etc !) are very much 'artists' & present in thier output - that is what makes the good ones good, one can hear something personal in thier output.

[aldo]

In fact in recent months the only 'electronica' field recording based work that I liked was Helena Gough's release.

"With what remains"from Helena Gough is a really brilliant disc.

[faster]

I'm almost always uninterested in recordings "to describe a natural phenomena or to show a landscape." It's patronizing, as if we can't go for a walk or put our ears up to the refrigerator on our own, without the aid of an "artist."

no wish to start an argument here, but I don't get this point at all - one could say exactly the same about music in general in that case - for example: 'i'm almost always uninterested in music to describe an emotion or a thought - it's patronizing, as if we cant all learn an instrument on our own without the aid of an artist' - see what I mean ? The good field recordists out there are artists just the same as someone who plays a conventional 'instrument' & so the way they record, thier choices & their approach to how they present thier recordings is part of the work.

There are substantive distinctions, but yeah, I don't like much music that tries to spoon-feed me an emotion or thought. And as for "art," well, I have very little patience for that.

[JrF]

There are substantive distinctions, but yeah, I don't like much music that tries to spoon-feed me an emotion or thought. And as for "art," well, I have very little patience for that.

I'm almost always uninterested in recordings "to describe a natural phenomena or to show a landscape." It's patronizing, as if we can't go for a walk or put our ears up to the refrigerator on our own, without the aid of an "artist."

no wish to start an argument here, but I don't get this point at all - one could say exactly the same about music in general in that case - for example: 'i'm almost always uninterested in music to describe an emotion or a thought - it's patronizing, as if we cant all learn an instrument on our own without the aid of an artist' - see what I mean ? The good field recordists out there are artists just the same as someone who plays a conventional 'instrument' & so the way they record, thier choices & their approach to how they present thier recordings is part of the work.

There are substantive distinctions, but yeah, I don't like much music that tries to spoon-feed me an emotion or thought. And as for "art," well, I have very little patience for that.

probably venturing off subject here but i'm interested in your reply Faster. For a start I dislike anything that tries to spoon-feed me anything, especially as that is usually a sign of a lack of content anyway - but don't all artists, musicians, writers (whatever word you feel comfortable with) communicate via thier actions. In fact don't we all do that all the time ?
The bit about having little patience for 'art' - I assume you are referring to what that word has come to mean rather than as a simple descriptive word meaning 'a creative act' ? I always use the word in it's plain decriptive manner & generally without regard for the values & judgements placed on it by the art world per say.

anyway, back to field recording - it is an art form (as much as playing an instrument, drawing, writing etc) & one that started as a technical proccess - an attempt to capture oral history / folk song & without much concern for anything other than getting the best possible sound at the time. Thank god things have moved on from that.

A few more names to get people googling ! - this time UK folks:

Stuart Bannister
Matt Davis
Matt Davies
Phill Harding

[Joda]

I'm almost always uninterested in recordings "to describe a natural phenomena or to show a landscape." It's patronizing, as if we can't go for a walk or put our ears up to the refrigerator on our own, without the aid of an "artist."

I feel you on that there. In my opinion, the act of recording in the field is in itself already an abstraction of the sourced listening experience, so it seems rather silly to present it as some sort of accurate respresentation of a particular time or place.

[joe grimm]

I'm almost always uninterested in recordings "to describe a natural phenomena or to show a landscape." It's patronizing, as if we can't go for a walk or put our ears up to the refrigerator on our own, without the aid of an "artist."

do you also find documentary photography patronizing? after all, you can always go out and look at the world with your eyes.

[ryan]

I'm almost always uninterested in recordings "to describe a natural phenomena or to show a landscape." It's patronizing, as if we can't go for a walk or put our ears up to the refrigerator on our own, without the aid of an "artist."

I feel you on that there. In my opinion, the act of recording in the field is in itself already an abstraction of the sourced listening experience, so it seems rather silly to present it as some sort of accurate respresentation of a particular time or place.

this is what i was trying to get at earlier in the thread, but when you move beyond an examination of one audible phenomenon into a complex field of interacting audible phenomenon, I do think hearing a single aural narrative of any environment from one singular perspective, whether it be a human presence or a microphone, is potentially very exciting.

FWIW I would argue that presque rien does present an environment and a narrative, an exercise in psychogeography.

[Joda]

I do think hearing a single aural narrative of any environment from one singular perspective, whether it be a human presence or a microphone, is potentially very exciting.

I agree with you, for sure. What I am specifically referring to as silly are projects that are presented as accurately respresentational of a particular audio environment, for example much of the work done in the tradition of acoustic ecology, or the World Soundscape Project. For example, here is an extract from an article entitled 'Electroacoustic Soundscape Composition', from the CEC's page on Acoustic Ecology, quoting Barry Truax:

"The essential difference between an electroacoustic composition that uses pre-recorded environmental sound as its source material, and a work that can be called a soundscape composition, is that in the former, the sound loses all or most of its environmental context. In fact, even its original identity is frequently lost through the extensive manipulation it has undergone, and the listener may not recognise the source unless so informed by the composer. In the soundscape composition, on the other hand, it is precisely the environmental context that is preserved, enhanced and exploited by the composer. ... Part of the composer's intent may also be to enhance the listener's awareness of environmental sound. Whereas the use of concrete sources leaves the environment the same and merely extracts its elements, the successful soundscape composition has the effect of changing the listener's awareness and attitudes towards the soundscape, and thereby changing the listener's relationship to it. The aim of the composition is therefore social and political, as well as artistic."

In my opinion, 'preserving' environmental context to enhance a potential listener's awareness of environmental sound is nonsense. A sound is already divorced from it's environmental context once it becomes electrical energy. Not only that, there are plenty of sounds that aren't made audible with conventional microphone technique. I am interested in a variety of works that are based on or incorporate 'documentary' style field recording, but it's worth mentioning that there is no more 'truth' in the kind of soundscape composition (mentioned above) than in Toshiya Tsunoda's work, for example. I'm much more interested to hear "a space made to appear through vibration" as an audio portrait of a landscape, than a capturing of what is supposedly the 'real' context of the audio environment. I believe there is a large grey area in which context can be obscured in the recording process, which is a different view than environmental audio being simply 'material extracted, to be preserved' or 'material extracted, to be manipulated'.