Research: Boat Alarm and Manatees

Boat Alarm Could Save Manatees (4:33) Manatees can't hear the low sounds of boat engines, which is why the animals are frequently injured, a researcher says. A high-pitched alarm could solve the problem as demonstrated in this Wild Chronicle segment from the National Geographc Missions Program. Source: National Geographic Videos.

Phonographer: Chris Watson Underwater Recording

Chris Watson Records Underwater (4:38) In this short spot sound recordist Chris Watson documents his efforts to record underwater sounds that will become a part of an installation for London Wild Bird Watch, which will take at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's London Wetland Centre, 20-22 April 2012. See also: Chris Watson: Phonographer, Source: YouTube

Noise Issues: Copenhagen

Noisiest Pollution in  Copenhagen (4:55) This short TV-story explores the issues of noise pollution in Copenhagen and Denmark, which the program identifies as the noisiest nation within Scandinavian region. Source: YouTube

Soundscape: The Forest Awakens

Forest Awakens. (5:44) This video, filmed by nature photographer Craig Blacklock provides an audio-visual experience of a northern Minnesota forest as spring arrives. The production, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota's Center for Spirituality & Healing, is designed as a take "5" from the stress of daily life. Source: YouTube

Interview: Carlos Alberto Augusto - Sound, Theater and Acoustic Space

Sound, Theater, and Acoustic Space (10:21) Composer and acoustic communication specialist Carlos Alberto Augusto talks to Raquel Santos about sound, space and theatre (in Portuguese). This is an excerpt of an interview for the program “Entre Nós”, Universidade Aberta - RTP2, 2007.  

Carlos Alberto Augusto spent over 15 years in noise pollution control, research and regulation with the Portuguese environmental authority and then went on to study with two great Canadian composers and teachers R. Murray Schafer and Barry Truax. He completed his M.A. at Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada) under Truax's supervision. Source: Vimeo.

Soundscape Composition: A Day in the Park Parts 1-3

A day in the park is a soundscape composition commissioned by Hilary Phillips AVDC Biodiversity Birthday Project coordinator.  The guidelines for the piece were to make a soundscape composition made from sounds recorded in three green spaces in Aylesbury, the idea being to highlight the biodiversity of the Aylesbury Parks (UK). The project was developed by Lawrence Fernando with I-Van Multi Media Project and area youth. There are three videos in this series: Part 1 (9:43), Part 2 (6:52) and Part 3 (4:31). Source: YouTube.

Lecture: Barry Truax - Acoustic Space and Soundscape Composition

Acoustic Space and Soundscape Composition (1:02)  Professor Barry Truax, Simon Fraser University, was one of the members of the World Soundscape Project at SFU when it pioneered the study of acoustic environments and published the Vancouver Soundscape recordings and booklet. Since then this work has achieved an international profile through the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology. Truax’ artistic work has included the creation of soundscape compositions that create musical pieces using environmental sounds. Barry traces this history and plays examples.  As a composer, Truax is best known for his work with the PODX computer music system. He also developed the first ever implementation of real-time granular synthesis, in 1986. This lecture was recorded at Sonic Acts XIII 2010. Source Vimeo.

Soundscape: Communal Acclamation

Communal  Acclamation (2:01) Have you ever heard a city cheering?  This short video provides an interesting example of a communal event amongst dwellers in the high rise Yaletown district of Vancouver, B.C.  The cheering was the result of the Vancouver Canucks defeating the San Jose Sharks in a hockey game opening the way for the Canucks to play in the prestigious Stanley Cup competition. The video demonstrates the power of sound to go beyond the constraints of sight and be shared by a whole community. 

Vancouver has one of the fastest-growing residential downtown areas in North America: nearly 40,000 people have moved downtown in the last 10 years. Nowhere is this urban renaissance more apparent than in the densely packed high-rise condos and converted warehouses of Yaletown now home to many of the city’s trendiest restaurants, bars and night spots, hip shopping boutiques, and celebrity haunts. Source: YouTube.