Wild Soundscapes: Discovering the Voice of the Natural World

Rating:
Summary: Field Recording 101
Review: This book is basically a "how-to" guide for making field recordings. Dr. Krause -- who is the undisputed best at this -- takes the reader through such steps as choosing appropriate equipment, determining a good locale, protecting equipment from the elements, cataloging your recordings, editing and assembling afterwards, etc. Using his own mistakes as examples, his advice promises to save beginners countless hours of aggravation. An illustrative (narrated) CD of soundscape examples accompanies the text.

My only complaints would be that he sometimes aims a bit too low -- the glossary defines "quiet" and "mic" for crying out loud -- and he automatically assumes that anybody else entering the field will want to duplicate exactly what he's done (which of course would be pretty pointless). He also apparently doesn't see the inherent contradiction between "Nature is an overused and abtract word, intertwined with a tradition that has created an 'it/us' dichotomy that separates us from the very world we try to describe" [p.2] and "In 1968 it took 15 recording hours to get one hour's worth of natural sound. Now, due to human noise and disturbed habitats, it takes about 2,000 hours to get the same result" [p.3].

Still, this is a valuable field guide for anybody starting out.

Rating:
Summary: Field Recording 101
Review: This book is basically a "how-to" guide for making field recordings. Dr. Krause -- who is the undisputed best at this -- takes the reader through such steps as choosing appropriate equipment, determining a good locale, protecting equipment from the elements, cataloging your recordings, editing and assembling afterwards, etc. Using his own mistakes as examples, his advice promises to save beginners countless hours of aggravation. An illustrative (narrated) CD of soundscape examples accompanies the text.

My only complaints would be that he sometimes aims a bit too low -- the glossary defines "quiet" and "mic" for crying out loud -- and he automatically assumes that anybody else entering the field will want to duplicate exactly what he's done (which of course would be pretty pointless). He also apparently doesn't see the inherent contradiction between "Nature is an overused and abtract word, intertwined with a tradition that has created an 'it/us' dichotomy that separates us from the very world we try to describe" [p.2] and "In 1968 it took 15 recording hours to get one hour's worth of natural sound. Now, due to human noise and disturbed habitats, it takes about 2,000 hours to get the same result" [p.3].

Still, this is a valuable field guide for anybody starting out.

Rating:
Summary: Field Recording 101
Review: This book is basically a "how-to" guide for making field recordings. Dr. Krause -- who is the undisputed best at this -- takes the reader through such steps as choosing appropriate equipment, determining a good locale, protecting equipment from the elements, cataloging your recordings, editing and assembling afterwards, etc. Using his own mistakes as examples, his advice promises to save beginners countless hours of aggravation. An illustrative (narrated) CD of soundscape examples accompanies the text.

My only complaints would be that he sometimes aims a bit too low -- the glossary defines "quiet" and "mic" for crying out loud -- and he automatically assumes that anybody else entering the field will want to duplicate exactly what he's done (which of course would be pretty pointless). He also apparently doesn't see the inherent contradiction between "Nature is an overused and abtract word, intertwined with a tradition that has created an 'it/us' dichotomy that separates us from the very world we try to describe" [p.2] and "In 1968 it took 15 recording hours to get one hour's worth of natural sound. Now, due to human noise and disturbed habitats, it takes about 2,000 hours to get the same result" [p.3].

Still, this is a valuable field guide for anybody starting out.

Rating:
Summary: Hear! Hear!
Review: When one takes in nature or the wilderness, we experience usually through our eyes. We may stop to hear the birds or notice the howl of a distant wolf, but primarily our senses our limited to optics. The acoustic world of the wild is mostly beyond our reach. What worlds are out there for our ears to discover? And how do we uncover them? Wild Soundscapes by Bernie Krause is an introduction into listening to the sounds of the natural world. It is quite amazing how when most look at aspects of the environment, whether is a tropical rainforest or African savannah, the orchestra of sounds that envelop such settings rarely get any notice. They of course are heard but is the concerto felt and understood? Wild Soundscapes by Bernie Krause will help you discover sound, what is sound and how important soundscapes are. He offers a simple guide of listening exercises to discover the soundscapes of your backyard or favorite parks. They are easy to follow and comprehensive. Wild Soundscapes is also a premier guide to nature recording. Complete with equipment, recording and production tips and techniques. Bernie Krause has created a remarkably ear-opening book. It even includes a 55 minute cd of various Bernie Krause soundscape recordings. Wild Soundscapes is very, very refreshing because it will let you experience the outdoors that we all love in an entirely new way. Hear! Hear!

Rating:
Summary: Enhanced with an accompanying 55 minute CD
Review: Wild Soundscapes: Discovering The Voice Of The Natural World by naturalist and soundscape recorder Bernie Krause is an engaging introduction to the wondrous world of natural soundscapes. Simple listening exercises, advice for recording natural sounds, equipment tips fill the pages of this practical, "user friendly", and thoroughly enjoyable guide to the "singing" of ants, the quiet rustle of desert sand dunes, and much, much more. Enhanced with an accompanying 55 minute CD of fascinating wildlife and wilderness audio soundscapes, Wild Soundscapes is a unique and very highly recommended addition to any personal, professional, academic, or community library Nature Studies or Out Door Recreation reference collection.

Rating:
Summary: valuable information by an enthusiastic pro
Review: Wonderfully entertaining and informative, this book went with me to a remote island where I used it to create my most successful recordings to date.

I subtract one star because Krause makes comments suggesting that the sounds of the city are not to be enjoyed. I enjoy all of the ambient sounds of natural environments, including non-native species, and industrial sounds.

While he goes to great lengths to suggest that noises such as a jet pass-over detrimentally interrupt natural environments, the point fails to support the subject of the book. The information is well taken, but disturbing; which broke the magic of the book for me. That subject deserves its own book. This one deserved a more narrow focus.