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