Sonic Adventurers: Capturing Nature’s Symphony

I grew up in the countryside close to the Peak District National Park, and as a child I was spoiled with the rich and tranquil sounds of nature. But our planet is noisy, and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to escape man-made sounds. Cars, planes, trains, factories, roadworks... Noise pollution also disrupts wildlife habitats and behaviour. Many animals rely on sound for communication, navigation and hunting and excessive noise can interfere with this. For example, loud noises from ships and sonar activity can disrupt marine animals like whales and dolphins, leading to disorientation, stress and strandings. It also contributes to the loss of biodiversity by driving away sensitive species from noise-affected areas.

And yet below this cacophony of noise, there still exists an underscore of nature's symphonies we barely or rarely hear - sounds that are now difficult to capture in modern industrialised places and increasingly only found in the remotest parts of our natural world. So, as a sound designer who relies on using sounds in pure isolation, I’d like to say thank you to the unsung heroes of my industry.  The sound recordists who rarely get a mention, who make extremely difficult and sometimes dangerous expeditions to record the greatest sounds on earth.  

These sonic adventurers, armed with state-of-the-art recording equipment, venture into the heart of untouched wildernesses, where the only sounds are those of nature itself. From the depths of dense rainforests to the heights of snow-capped mountains, they brave the elements to capture the beautiful melodies of the natural world.

I often dream I’m standing on the edge of a ravine, overlooking a vast expanse of untouched wilderness, as the wind whispers through the trees and my hair, and I hear the calls of unseen creatures beautifully echoing through the valley below. This is the moment Field Recorders live for, the moment they hope to capture the majesty of the natural world in full song.

But it’s not just the gentle beauty of nature they seek to capture, they also brave the elements to record the raw power of thunderstorms, hurricanes, waterfalls and the up-close haunting cries of wild animals. Their work can be extremely dangerous. Venturing into remote wildernesses means facing unpredictable weather, treacherous terrain, and encounters with dangerous wildlife.

But for these sound archivists, the risk is always worth it for the chance to capture the truly extraordinary and sadly disappearing sounds of our beautiful planet.

Thanks to these brave, intrepid explorers, I can access these audio gems from the safety of my studio at Jungle in Soho. So, the next time you find yourself lost in a movie or immersed in a video game, take a moment to appreciate the sounds that bring those worlds to life. Behind every lion’s roar, every rustle of leaves, and every chirp of a bird, there is a dedicated group of people who have journeyed to the ends of the earth to capture the perfect, unspoiled sound. They are the unsung heroes of sound, and their work deserves our appreciation and admiration.

A special thank you to:

Chris Watson: A British sound recordist and musician known for his work with the BBC Natural History Unit and his collaborations with artists such as Björk. Watson has recorded soundscapes in remote locations worldwide, including the Arctic, the Amazon rainforest, and the Australian outback.

Bernie Krause: An American bio acoustician and sound recording artist who has spent decades recording the sounds of natural habitats around the world. Krause’s work focuses on documenting the relationships between organisms and their environments through sound, and he has produced numerous albums and books showcasing his recordings.

Gordon Hempton: Known as the “Sound Tracker,” Hempton is an American naturalist, sound recordist, and activist dedicated to preserving the world’s remaining natural soundscapes. He has travelled extensively to record in remote wilderness areas and has been a vocal advocate for protecting quiet spaces from noise pollution.

Douglas Quin: An American sound designer and field recordist specialising in polar regions and underwater environments. Quin has recorded in locations such as Antarctica, the Arctic, and various oceanic habitats, capturing the unique sounds of icebergs, glaciers, and marine life.

Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud: While primarily known as filmmakers, Perrin and Cluzaud have also ventured into the field of sound recording for their nature documentaries. Their film “Oceans” features stunning underwater soundscapes captured in diverse marine environments around the world.

These individuals, among others, have dedicated their careers to venturing into some of the most remote and challenging environments on Earth to capture the beauty and diversity of natural soundscapes. Their work not only enriches our understanding of the natural world but also serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving these pristine environments for future generations.