Research: Haida Gwaii Earthquake audio

Haida Gwaii Earthquake Documented (4:24) seafloor hydrophones picked up the low-frequency rumbles from a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck central Moresby Island in the Haida Gwaii archipelago at 8:04PM PDT, 27 October 2012. The sound of the earthquake, along with the calls of humpback whales in the area can be heard. Source: Neptune Canada and YouTube.

Soundscape Installation: At the Edge of Wilderness

At the Edge of Wilderness (5:00) At the Edge of Wilderness is a 52-minute installation about mining ghost towns in Southern British Columbia, Canada. Photographs and sounds were gathered in 2000 for Industrial Ear, a group show produced by the Western Front in Vancouver. What originally was a five-projector slide and soundscape installation, commissioned by the Western Front with assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts, has been adapted to a video presentation on DVD. Florence Debeugny, Photographer and Hildegard Westerkamp, Composer. Source: YouTube

Soundscape: Barriera de Milano

Urban Soundscape (3:35) An experimental video by Marilivia Minnici that explores the soundscape of outdoor public spaces in the district of Barriera di Milano in Turin. Source: YouTube.

"The district of Milan barrier began to take shape in the second half of the nineteenth century , following the construction of the first toll gates of Turin. It was built from 1853 in order to ensure customs control on incoming goods, the walls separating the village physically inside its walls, consisting of the historic center and the surrounding neighborhoods, rural and predominantly agricultural areas exist until then on the outskirts of town.

The entrance to the city, relative to the walled part, was made ​​possible by the presence of gaps, called "barriers" that ensured the payment of duty . Among the many barriers formed along the perimeter of the walls, the most famous and historically one of the most significant barrier was erected in Piazza Crispi, then along the Royal Road of Italy (now the Corso Vercelli), and named "barrier Milan "(because watching the road for Milan)." Wikipedia Translation.

Soundscape: Viper Rollar Coaster

Riding the Viper (2:49) This is a point of view (POV) of the Mighty Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California (USA). The length of the ride is 3,830' with a Height of 188'. The speed 70 mph. This video gives the viewer a close proximity to the soundscape and experience from the front seat of this coaster. Source: YouTube

Soundscape: Taipei Market

Taipei Market Soundscape (:32) As you walk down the street there is a constantly changing soundscape of recorded music being played by one shop after the other making for a random mix of street sounds. Taipei, Taiwan, spring 2011. Source: YouTube

Soundscape: Bernie Krause short film

Soundscapes (4:59) By Bernie Krause. A short film on the effects of noise and the benefits of quietude. Originally produced by Wild Sanctuary for use by the National Park Service, this public domain film may be freely shared for educational purposes. Source: YouTube

Soundscape: Call for Prayer

Call to Prayer (1:58) The islamic call to prayer in a Dubai Mall reverberates against a backdrop of consumer culture. Source: YouTube

Education: History of Sound (1928)

"What is Sound?" is a historical four part audio lecture produced in 1928 and released by Columbia Records. The presenter is Nobel Prize winner Sir William Bragg FRS a member of the Royal Society. From 1915 to 1919 Bragg served as Technical Advisor on Sound Ranging to the Map Section, G.H.Q., France, receiving the O.B.E. and the M.C. in 1918. Click2Read more about William Lawrence Bragg. This recording was released on 78 r.p.m.

Lecture : "What is Sound"  (10:06) Parts 1 and 2)

Lecture: "What is Sound" (9:58) Parts 3 and 4)

Source: YouTube

Documentary: Graphic Scoring

There's No Sound In My Head (19:44) A documentary by Robert Arnold about Mark Applebaum's Metaphysics of Notation. Although this film is not directly related to the field of acoustic-ecology it is interesting in that it is about the graphic representation and interpretation of sound. According to Wikipedia, "Graphic notation is the representation of music through the use of visual symbols outside the realm of traditional music notion Graphic notation evolved in the 1950s, and it is often used in combination with traditional music notation. Composers often rely on graphic notation in experimental music, where standard musical notation can be ineffective." This graphic mapping seems similar to that of soundscape documentation through graphic representation. Source: Vimeo

Documentary: Bernie Krause Tonjäger

Bernie Krause Tonjäger (4:08) Bernie Krause has recorded and researched more than 15,000 sounds of different animal species. He notes in his new book that the universe of animal sounds is much more multifaceted than is assumed: fish communicate acoustically, monkeys sing in the choir. This documentary accompanies Bernie Krause into the field and talks with him about the unique sound of  natural soundscape. (German language) Source: Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen

Soundscape: The Olympic Wilderness

If Wilderness Could Speak (5:11) If the wilderness could speak, what would it say? At Olympic National Park the wilderness doesn't just speak...it sings! Enjoy the symphony of nature in one of the most acoustically diverse wilderness areas of the country as we follow the wilderness cry from the alpine region of the Olympic Mountains down through the canopies of the old growth forests and temperate rainforest into the raging waters of the wilderness coast. With 95% of its land a designated wilderness, Olympic National Park protects a unique and endangered resource: natural sound. Source: US National Park Service. YouTube

Soundscape Installation: Tree Ring Recording

Tree Ring Recording. (2:13) A record player that plays slices of wood. Year ring data is translated into music, 2011. Set-up includes a modified turntable, computer, and related equipment. Click2Read related article: 

Soundscape: Sounds of Interstellar Space

Sounds of Interstellar Space (1:02) NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft captured these sounds of interstellar space. Voyager 1's plasma wave instrument detected the vibrations of dense interstellar plasma, or ionized gas, from October to November 2012 and April to May 2013. Source: YouTube

Related article: Voyager is Sending Us The Sounds of Interstellar Space (Source: The Daily Beast) Click2Read 

Documentary: Bernie Krause - Sound of Extinction

Sounds of Extinction (1:49) For musician and "soundscape ecologist" Bernie Krause the authentic sound of the wild can be more disturbing than any synthesized film score. 

For 44 years Krause has traveled across the globe recording the sounds of the natural world and has amassed an archive of more the 4,500 hours and over 15,000 individual creatures. But perhaps the most remarkable part of Krause's back catalog of nature's orchestra is that that around 50% comes from now silent or extinct habitats.

Source: CNN

Noise Issues: Road Noise and Barriers

Road Noise Barriers (3:10) On the international day of noise awareness Ingeniería para el Control del Ruido (ICR) analizes the effectiveness of highway acoustic barriers to preserve the acoustic comfort of near by residences. A problem, as noted in this video, is that most of the barriers are installed without having the required height in order to attenuate noise. Spanish with English subtitles. Source: ICR and YouTube

Documentary: Villages use whistle communication

Remote Village Communication (3:30) For centuries, residents of Kuşköy have communicated over rural Turkey's vast distances with kuş dili, which literally means "bird language." Like other forms of whistled communication, kuş dili arose in a region where the rugged ground and sparse population made travel difficult even over short distances. A whistle can reverberate for more than a kilometer, according to Kodalak. "If you can't make your voice heard over a long distance, you could also make a chain with different people relaying the message." Read More (Atlantic Magazine) 

Education: Hearing and Age

How Old Are Your Ears? (1:38) A fun and simple test (use your headphones) to see how old your ears are given their ability to hear various frequencies. 

Noise Issues: Acoustic Impact of Wind Warms

Wind Farm Acoustics (3:03) The TV program "El medi ambient" of TV3 (Catalonian Television) explores the environmental acoustic impact of wind farms. Source: YouTube

Soundscape: Inside the Dzong de Punakha Bhoutan

Inside the Dzong (2:09) The Dzong of Punakha, in Bhoutan, houses the sacred relics of the southern Drukpa Kagyu school including the Rangjung Kasarpani, and the sacred remains of Zhabdrung Nigawang Namgyal and Terton Padma Lingpa. The Dzong is located at the confluence of the Pho Chhu (father) and MoChhu (mother) rivers in the Punakha–Wangdue valley. (Reference: Wikipedia) Source: YouTube 

Research: Codified Space

Codified Space (4:37) "Architecture is a system of signs that structure patterns of social use, but what happens when a building falls into disuse and no longer serves the function for which it was originally intended? Does it continue to transmit its own secret signals? Codified Space metaphorically links eroded signs in a car park with distorted sonic signals - based on diegetic location sounds.A practice based research project supported by Norwich University College of the Arts, UK." Video by Justin A. Scott. Source: YouTube

World Listening Day 2013: Sound Pedaling

Sound Pedaling (17:43) by Antonio Mainenti.  This is a project that Mainenti undertook for World Listening Day 2013 exploring the soundscape by bike with every acoustic element of the bicycle's movement captured by contact microphones. A route map forms a score that takes us on this acoustic journey. Read moreL soundobject.wordpress.com (in English and Italian)

Noise Issues: Underwater sounds

Unsolved Underwater Sound (2:06) This ocean update video addresses unsolved sources of underwater sounds recorded by NOAA. Source: YouTube

World Listening Day: Sounds Of Minneapolis

Sounds of Minneapolis (1:46). The Minnesota Daily staff went about capturing the everyday sounds of the city that are rarely noticed in the soundscape of daily life. World Listening Day, July 18, 2013. Source: Minnesota Daily and YouTube.

World Listening Day: A moment to listen and feel

Un Instante Para Escuchar Y Sentir (1:27). This short video by Enrique Maraver explores a moment of quiet listening and awareness of the soundscape celebrating World Listening Day, 2013. Source: YouTube.

Education: What Makes This Sound?

This is a series of videos that encourage attentive listening and the identification of specific sounds. Simply play the sound and guess where the sound comes from. These are informative challenges for pre-school children to explore. Developed by Christopher William Thorne. Source: YouTube

Listening to Sounds: Part 1

Listening to Sounds: Part 2

Listening to Sounds: Part 3

Soundscape: Passageway

Non Place: Passageway (6:15) This is an urban cinematic exploration of a narrow passageway which links two shopping districts together through nodal entrances at either end. Within this walled setting, social actors subconsciously play out their narratives as they journey in a linear direction through it, towards unknown purchasing resolutions. Video by Justin Ascott. Source YouTube.

Documentary: How dolphins communicate

Dolphins are Talking (2:28) The science behind how dolphins communicate is the subject of this short CNN Science segment. CNN's Chan Meyers interviews Michael Hunt of the Georgia aquarium. Source: CNN

Soundscape: Death of an Iceberg

Death of an Iceberg (2:10) The death of an iceberg is surprisingly loud, according to new research published in the July issue of the journal Oceanography. The amount of energy released during the 20-minute breakup of one of these floating islands of ice in Antarctica is equivalent to the noise produced by about 214 supertankers. Source: National Geographic.

Soundscape Composition: Human Voice

Tom Thum (11:13) Australian beatboxer Tom Thum demonstrates the power of the human voice to replicate a diversity of sounds including insane beats, bizarre sound effects, voiceovers in the style of multiple eras and instruments like the didgeridoo, sitar, trumpet and double bass. All the sounds in this video are made with his voice.

Soundscape Composition: Tokyo City Symphony

Tokyo City Symphony: This is a project in two parts that was created for the 10th anniversary of an urban complex in Tokyo known as Roppongi Hills and posted on line in April, 2013. The theme is "Love Tokyo"

Part One: View a video in which brilliant abstract images are projected onto a 1:1,000 scale model of Tokyo. The video soundtrack is composed of those common sounds heard throughout the city and form a "symphonic" composition to accompany the changing graphics. Click2View Video 

Part Two: Participants can enjoy various motifs of the city: "Futuristic City," "Rock City," and a traditional Japanese "Beauty of Nature" motif by pressing the keys on a keyboard, as if playing the piano. Exploit the possibilities and make Tokyo more dynamic and exciting. Click2 Explore composing your own score.

Source: YouTube and Tokyo City Symphony.

Education: Soundwalk Experience with Children

A Soundwalk Experience (6:47) Lorelei (Sara Lenzi) conducted a soundwalk with children for the 2011 Tempo Reale Festival (Florence). Great experience, kids are so ready to catch sounds and the emotion of listening. Much more than us. (In Italian) Source: Vimeo

Soundscape Installation: Manhattan Bridge Roars and Sings

Making The Manhattan Bridge Roar And Sing (14:26) Watch installation artist Eli Keszler and the So Percussion quartet make music of the city, by the city and for the city. The world premiere of their outdoor work uses lengthy piano wires strung to the Manhattan Bridge. The unique sounds reflect and concentrate urban energy in an unforgettable way. Source: NPR

Lecture: Bernie Krause: The voice of the natural world

The voice of the natural world (14:48) TED Talk - Bernie Krause has been recording wild soundscapes -- the wind in the trees, the chirping of birds, the subtle sounds of insect larvae -- for 45 years. In that time, he has seen many environments radically altered by humans, sometimes even by practices thought to be environmentally safe. A surprising look at what we can learn through nature's symphonies, from the grunting of a sea anemone to the sad calls of a beaver in mourning. Source: TED.

Documentary: Sync

SYNC Music brings us closer to our higher selves, to the harmonized perfection of the Universe. Noise, on the other hand, tears us away from transcendence and leaves us isolated and lost. How is it that two such different experiences both come from the same place, the vibrational qualities of sound. Is one man's noise just another's sound. Source: Tyler McGrath filmmaker.

Soundscape Composition: Landscapes of Sound

Landscapes of Sound (2:52)  Short film and musique concrete soundtrack inspired by the Lake District by Amanda Whittington.

Soundscape: Smoky Mountains - Fall

Fall: Smoky Mountains (2:55) Listen to the quiet soundscape of fall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that includes ridge upon ridge of forest that straddles the border between North Carolina  and Tennessee in the southestern United States. Source: YouTube.

Soundscape: Spring Rain and Birds

Spring Sounds (38:38) This is a single camera documentation of an April spring day in which the sounds of birds and an April shower can be heard. There is no geographical information with this video. It is a nice video to just sit watch as if you were on a screened porch letting the day go by, or having it play in the background of daily tasks. Source: YouTube

Soundscape: Wetland Sounds

Wetland Sounds (:21) A chorus of peepers (frogs) and countless other creatures come to life after a long winter. The spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) is a small chorus frog widespread throughout the eastern USA and Canada. Click2Read more. Source: YouTube.

Soundscape: Barcelona's La Boqueria

La Boqueria (:59) The Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, often simply referred to as La Boqueria, is a large public market in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona with the origins dating back to 1217. Source: Elphin Andy on YouTube.

Projects: Swedish Soundscapes

Cinematic Study (3:13) This is an abstract film study of the different soundscapes of the Swedish cities Lund and Malmö, done for an architectural workshop held at the Lund School of Architecture in 2007. Full credits: Peter Andrén, Axel Christian Borhaven, Magnus Casselbrant, Martin Falck, Sara Hellgren, Lovisa Lindström, Oliver Pershav, Aksel Widoff. Source: YouTube

Soundscape: Jindiji - Tokyo

Jindiji (1:57) A subtle soundscape of the Jindaiji temple area in Tokyo known for its botanical garden and soba noodles. There are over 20 soba restaurants and other shops around the park. This is one of many beautiful videos capturing the land and soundscape of Japan by Hioki Akihaur a.k.a. "hiokinskywalker". Videos are best viewed with headphones and full screen.  Source: YouTube 

Education: Listen To Nature Video

Listen To Nature (1:29) This "Listen to Nature" story was created as a part of a youth exchange project "Speak for Nature" which happened in Kolka, Latvia, from 4th to 13th of August, 2011. The project was carried out by society "homo ecos:" and project "Stories of Footprints" and supported by EU program "Youth in Action", Latvia's State Forests, CANON and "Greenmood" Source: YouTube

Soundscape: Listening to Nature's Orchestra

Listening to Nature's Orchestra (1:13) "Listening to the sounds of the wild through a set of headphones makes you realise how much you have been missing. The natural world suddenly becomes alive in a way you have never seen before. 


In his book "The Great Animal Orchestra" author Dr Bernie Krause says: 
"Every place, with its vast population of plants and animals, becomes a concert hall, and everywhere a unique orchestra performs an unmatched symphony, with each species sound fitting into a specigic part of that score. It is a highly evolved, naturally occurring masterpiece." 



Working with Bernie over the years and playing a tiny part of his book has given us the inspiration to create a sound system that can easily be mounted on a safari vehicle and link everyone to the powerful microphones via individual headphones. The system will now become a permanent fixture on all of our private safaris.

www.kuyimba.com"

Video by Derek and Sarah Solomon. Source: YouTube

Interview: Stijn Dickel on Aifoon

What Is Aifoon? (11:10) Stijn Dickel discusses Alfoon, an arts education that focuses on listening and sound in its research on silence.  Aifoon (Ghent Belgium) stands for ai (Japanese for love) + foon (Greek for sound).  Ten years ago Alfon started its first workshops in schools with the question "How do you experience your way from home to school?" and "How would you translate this experience trough sound?" More and more we are realizing the importance of listening and to listen how other people are listening.

Aifoon also has a mini-European Network with Barcelona, London and Hailuoto (Finland) where it shares and remixes sounds and share and comment on auditive portraits of "the city". Click2Visit web site and The City Rings blog.

Related video: Stijn Dickel: Aifoon Interview (18:46) Dickel is the artistic director of Aifoon, Ghent.

Soundscape: Trains and nature in Karelia

Karelia Train Soundscape (13:11) Although this video was filmed with train enthusiasts in mind, it is also interesting to those who study soundscapes. The interplay between the natural environment and the passing of trains in the Karelia region of Russia is quite fascinating. Karelia is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden. This is a nicely produced video. Source: YouTube

Soundscape: Changeringers Christ Church, Victoria, B.C.

Changeringers of Christ Church (3:49) James Green sets out to find who makes the bells toll at Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The traditional term for bellringers is "Changeringers". On most Tuesday evenings throughout the year, the local ringers practice for two hours, beginning at 7 p.m. The Cathedral bells are rung every Sunday, for about half an hour before each of the two principal morning services. The bells are also usually rung on New Years Eve, Victoria Day and Remembrance Day (muffled). They are rung on request for weddings and funerals (when it is customary to muffle the sound of the bells) and for other special occasions.  Visitors are welcome to climb 71 steps to watch during Sunday-morning ringing, and for the first hour of practice nights. Source: ShawTV and YouTube.

Research: Acoustic Mapping of Fish Schools

Designed For Listening (2:24) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Survey Vessel (FSV) Oscar Dyson is very quiet while underway, allowing scientists to detect faint echoes from fish schools and other marine life, with little interference from ship noise. Source: YouTube

Project: Bologna Soundscape

Project-Teaser (:45) A video teaser about an April, 2013 Bologna Soundscape workshop organized to produce a sound map of the historic center of the city with the help of workshop participants. The result of the mapping to be made available online at archivioitalianopaesaggisonori.it.

Noise Issue: Brazilian Cities and Sound Pollution

Noise Pollution (2:13) This Portuguese language TV news report addresses the problem of urban noise that disturbs an estimated 40% of the population who suffer from sleepless nights. Traffic, emergency vehicles, air flights, and other acoustic events are the blame. In the state of São Paulo, the police receive some 3500 calls every day because of noise issues. Source: Journal Nacional.

Project: Save The TANK

The Tank (3:25) The tank is an acoustical marvel, a spiritually altering experience found nowhere else on earth. A 60’ tall, 30’ across rusted steel water tank – never used – was discovered in Colorado by sound artist and sonic thinker Bruce Odland in 1976. A small group of musicians has been recording there ever since. It is a sonic wonder with a shifting, swirling reverberation longer. 

Note: This video is part of a Kickstarter project to raise funds to save the Tank. It is included in this directory because of its unique acoustic characteristics and uses by sound artists.  Source: Kickstarter