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Recording the Sounds of the Natural World
Recording quiet, immersive sounds comes with a challenge: keeping entirely silent
© © Shawn Parkin
Gordon Hempton has spent his whole life recording the sounds of the natural world. But capturing intricate, immersive soundscapes is a challenge: Gordon has to keep entirely silent, sometimes for hours at a time. Tune in to the entire journey at birdnote.org/soundescapes.
This show is made possible by Jim and Birte Falconer of Seattle, the Bobolink Foundation, Idie Ulsh, and the Horizons Foundation.
BirdNote®
Recording the Sounds of the Natural World
Written by Ashley Ahearn and Mark Bramhill
This is BirdNote.
[SOUNDSCAPE]
Gordon Hempton has spent his whole life recording the sounds of the natural world, including what you’re hearing now, from Land Between the Lakes in northern Tennessee. But capturing intricate, immersive soundscapes is a challenge: Gordon has to keep entirely silent, sometimes for hours at a time.
GH: The first things you have to do is wear quiet clothes. So I make sure they are loose-fitting and comfortable. Because I’m going to be inactive during the long time of listening. I also like wearing a hood over my headphones. Sitting at the base of a tree to give myself back support. Raise one knee because it breaks up my human form and makes me look more natural. Hopefully I’ve remembered to have at least a biscuit for breakfast. Because I have been stuck in that situation where I cannot quiet my grumbling stomach. And in that case, there’s no other choice but to simply leave the gear behind, walk away, and come back a couple of hours later hoping that I caught something.
BirdNote has teamed up with Gordon Hempton to bring you six immersive listening experiences - created from Gordon’s natural recordings from all over the world. I’m your host, Ashley Ahearn, and you can head to BirdNote.org/SoundEscapes to learn more. Get ready for an awesome listening experience.
This show is made possible by Jim and Birte Falconer of Seattle, the Bobolink Foundation, Idie Ulsh, and the Horizons Foundation.
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Producer: John Kessler
Managing Producer: Jason Saul
Editor: Ashley Ahearn
Associate Producer: Ellen Blackstone
Assistant Producer: Mark Bramhill
Narrator: Ashley Ahearn
Bird and nature sounds provided by Gordon Hempton.
BirdNote’s theme composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2019 BirdNote May 2019
ID# hemptong-SE-Silent-01-2019-05-28 hemptong-SE-Silent-01
