Arts and nature sound
Dec
29
2023
AWSRG Victorian Gathering, 11/12th Nov 2023
by Roslyn Oades
Creeping along the hilly, dirt road to Strangways in regional Victoria, I was quite unsure what to expect.
I signed up as a member of Australian Wildlife Sound Recording Group several years ago during Melbourne lockdowns. I’d enjoyed listening to their recordings, reading their articles, following group email exchanges, and on one occasion attending a fascinating online listening party, with audio accompanied by spectrograms. But, to be blunt, I was mostly an online AWSRG lurker. When it came to their in-person field excursions, I felt too much of an imposter to attend. However, on this occasion, the gathering was only a couple of hours from home, so I decided to take the plunge…
Following the directions I’d been sent, I took a left at the old ‘Land for Wildlife’ sign and pulled up at a charming mud-brick house surrounded by bushland. I was greeted by Andrew Skeoch, the AWSRG’s president, whose insightful new book I’d just begun reading. Andrew had generously opened his home to an enthusiastic group of AWSRG field-recordists for the weekend – both novices and experts alike. I fell into the novice end – highly curious, and with a lot to learn.
My adventures in sound over the next two days blew my mind. Our friendly group of around a dozen included several musicians, audio engineers, academics, a sound designer, a bird watcher and a few other field-recording novices like myself. One thing we all had in common was a passion for nature recordings and the technology that allows us to document natural environments with fidelity. The weekend was full of generous exchanges of knowledge, artistic sharing, close listening, ample food and warm company – while also managing to be very relaxed.
Highlights included experiencing one of Vicki Hallett’s responsive environmental music improvisations on clarinet in the bush at dusk on Saturday:
Earlier in the day, we’d also been introduced to the work of the Bowerbird Collective – two classical musicians who (by a serendipitous coincidence) were performing a duo concert of environmentally-themed music nearby in Maldon that afternoon. After they’d dropped by to join us for lunch and speak about their work, we attended the concert which featured nature audio and video woven among the live music.
The following morning, several of us rose early to record the dawn chorus, each using our own recorders, allowing a comparison of equipment. A small group of Brown-headed Honeyeaters chipped in the canopy overhead, while a Scarlet Robin, Bronzewing Pigeon, Magpies, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and White-throated Treecreepers called not far off.
Back in Andrew’s studio, we compared our recording methods and learned about audio processing techniques using Isotope RX.
I came home from my adventure in Strangways feeling inspired, nurtured and energised – and with a new list of listening and reading materials to dive into. I was so appreciative of this opportunity, and in particular, the warm hospitality and generosity of spirit I encountered among the AWSRG community. I look forward to attending another gathering in future, and recommend any fellow AWSRG lurkers to do the same.
Nov
2
2021
ASRA 2021 Conference – Survival and Revival, Nov 9-11
Australasian Sound Recordings Association
2021 Conference – Survival and Revival
9-11 November 2021
Online Conference
Program & Ticket Registration
https://www.asra.asn.au/asra-2021-conference-survival-and-revival
Announcing this year’s Australasian Sound Recordings Association’s conference Survival and Revival which will be held online from 9-11 November. The conference theme is about the creation, use and preservation of sound recordings during the present time of pandemic, climate emergency and social and political upheaval. The program will examine new and shared challenges, collaborations and opportunities associated with sound recordings. It is aimed at sound archivists, audio engineers, broadcasters, publishers, sound creatives and field recordists.
Of special interest is the inclusion of an afternoon session (Thursday 11th Nov) devoted to environmental sound that will be moderated by Andrew Skeoch. The program includes AWSRG members, Tony Baylis, Mike Fitzgerald, Vicki Hallett and Ros Bandt, who will discuss a range of topics about the use of field/sound recordings in their respective practices. Topics include field recording in remote parts of Australasia, sound art case studies, the four seasons after the megablaze and an interrogation into why we record. In addition, Nat Grant will investigate the kinds of histories and memories that can be shared through making and experiencing field recordings and sound walks, and Alana Blackburn will discuss the collaborative process between sound designer and performer using sound recordings, focusing on her recent work on Regrowth with composer Ros Bandt.
Presenter’s abstracts, session times and ticket registrations are available at the conference website.
Feb
21
2021
South America – A Nature Sound Journey, with Juan Pablo Culasso
Our March seminar will take us to South America, with nature sound recordist Juan Pablo Culasso.
Jan
30
2021
Pied Butcherbird Song with Hollis Taylor
Our February AWSRG seminar will be a talk by Hollis Taylor on her research into the songs of the Pied Butcherbird.
Aug
6
2020
Capturing Wildlife Sounds: A Useful Guide
Some of you will know the ‘Overseas Representative’* on our committee, Roger Boughton. Roger is the co-author of a new book on the art of wildlife sound recording. With decades of hard-won experience, he is a most authoritative and dedicated recordist.
I warmly recommend Roger and Stevens’ book – it is a privilege to be able to share in their wisdom.
Here’s the publication announcement:
Roger Boughton (Lancashire, UK) and Steven Shepard (Vermont, USA) are pleased to announce the publication of their new book, “Capturing Wildlife Sounds: A Useful Guide.” Written primarily for beginning wildlife sound recordists, the book is a comprehensive primer on the craft of capturing the sounds of the natural world.
“We wanted to produce a book,” says Boughton, “that would provide all the information necessary for a beginning sound recordist to get started, in the same way that a nature photography primer does for a budding nature photographer.” more »
Nov
28
2018
Freshwater Listening Concert
Recently, several AWSRG members – Leah Barclay, Bob Tomkins, Vicki Hallett, Melinda Barry and myself – joined interested folks from near and far for a weekend of environmental listening and creative sound making in central Victoria.
The event was titled ‘Freshwater Listening’, an initiative of acclaimed sound artist (and also AWSRG member) Ros Bandt. The venue was Australia’s first – only? – ‘Acoustic Sanctuary’; as Ros has designated her property near the small village of Fryerstown, near Castlemaine.
Jun
19
2018
BBC Radio 4 explores birdsong
The curious cases of Rutherford and Fry is a BBC Radio program in which two scientists explore topics nominated by listeners. This fun program was initiated by a question from a listener in Cambridgeshire who asked “Winter is finally over and the birds are all singing their hearts out at dawn. What’s all the noise about? And why are some songs so elaborate?” The program covers a range of topics about birdsong. It includes a short interview with renowned birdsong researcher Don Kroodsma.
Mar
23
2018
Is Birdsong Music? – book & CD reviews by Michael Hannan
AWSRG member Michael Hannan has written two reviews of recent publications by zoomusicologist, composer, violinist (and fellow AWSRG member), Hollis Taylor.
Hollis’s work presents insights and responses to the songs of Pied Butcherbirds, and essentially poses the question; do birds display a sense of aesthetics? It is an intriguing question!
Click here for Michael’s review of Hollis’s book, ‘Is Birdsong Music?‘
Michael himself is a composer and performer, and had one of his pieces premiered at our recent conference by clarinetist Vicki Hallett (which can be heard here – scroll down to audio file #19)
Mar
13
2018
Is birdsong music?
Birdsong is often exquisitely beautiful, yet many people argue that it is purely functional. It certainly enables birds to attract mates, declare their territories and communicate with individuals of their own species. Musicologist and composer, Hollis Taylor, has spent many years closely studying the songs of pied butcherbirds.
Feb
20
2018
Vicki Hallett attends Sonic Mmabolela
In 2017, Australian composer and musician Vicki Hallett attended the 5th Sonic Mmabolela workshop. Sonic Mmabolela is a residency for sound artists and composers with previous experience in sound recording and experimentation. It is held annually at Mmabolela Reserve in the Limpopo valley of South Africa.
Click here to hear some of the compositions from Sonic Mmabolela 2017
Live at Mabolel Rock from Vicki Hallett on Vimeo.