• My Noise is an amazing free website where you can mix your own soundscapes. From a medieval library to a town in Senegal, from a primaeval forest to a Japanese garden, the variety of soundscapes that you can create and control on this website is stunning. And it is all the work of one man, the sound engineer and audio enthusiast, Stéphane Pigeon.

  Stéphane states, “I have never used generative AI to create sound for this project. The audio content on myNoise is entirely human-made, and free from generative AI. I never have used a prompt to create audio on this website.”

  Discover a world of immersive and customizable soundscapes that can enhance focus, relaxation, and sleep. Choose from noise generators, nature sounds and ambient music to create your perfect audio environment. Explore our vast library of interactive sound generators and find your audio haven!

• Here on Substack, there are many great writers speaking up for Nature. Unfortunately, most are just preaching to the choir. What we really need to do is encourage youth to get off their screens and learn to appreciate nature to a point where they understand that standing up for nature is vital for their future. So when I hear about a PhD candidate working with and learning from indigenous people in an effort to bring deep listening into the education system, my heart hums, and (of course) my ears perk up.

  Under the supervision and guidance of Indigenous knowledge holders of Karulkiyalu Country, my PhD research, explores ways to embed this Indigenous approach to deep listening in Australia’s education system.The project builds on previous work showing positive results for student and teacher wellbeing, as well as an increased understanding of and desire to care for the natural world.

Learn more about the research being done by Acoustic ecologist Andrew Skeoch at The Conversation.

• The Grounded Mic takes a position on connecting with Nature that advocates for taking the time to sit still and listen deeply. However, as this research by a team from the University of Tubingen shows, simply paying attention to birdsong while walking in nature can boost wellbeing.

  Our study’s results are a good message for everyday life. You don’t need a visit to bird-rich environments to make you happy. It seems more important to focus on the birds that are already there, listen to them and enjoy them.

• And finally, put on your headphones, sit back and close your eyes. Take the time to listen to this recording by Jan Brelih, as rain and a thunderstorm move through the Himalayas.

  Light rain and approaching evening storm on the top of a 3200m remote mountain meadow surrounded by ancient pine trees.

Welcome to the first edition of Sonic Fields, which will be a fortnightly collection of links to articles related to soundscapes, field recording, and other audio-related subjects that I find engaging. This first edition features some older pieces that I stored away in my Notes app. for future reference, but are still worth taking a look at. Don’t miss the last entry!

In no particular order:

- A new tourism initiative hopes to entice even more people to Northern Ireland by using the online phenomenon ASMR - or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.

See how sound therapist Tessa Ann has contributed to this project in this BBC article: Creating an ASMR soundscape for 330 million-year-old caves. And visit the Marble Arch Caves website for more information on this location.

- One of the greats in field recording, George Vlad, shares some terms and techniques at Earth.com in the article: Defining and redefining terms in field recording. Yes, trees have ears, and he has triggered me for another microphone construction project…

- A few months ago, Jessica Groenendijk caught my attention by introducing a book with the curious title, “The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating”.

NATURE'S BLUE HOUR

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating

This is the first of a new series of posts in which I will review Nature-themed books, both fiction and nonfiction…

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6 months ago · 14 likes · 10 comments · Jessica Groenendijk

I have watched (with the aid of a magnifying glass) the actions of an aquatic snail’s mouthparts on the glass of an aquarium, but at the time, it never occurred to me that sound might also be produced. So now, I have another audio recording project ahead of me that includes trying to record both aquatic snails and slugs as they eat, and perhaps even the sound of their slime trails being laid. And I am now 10th in line for the sole copy of our public library’s edition of the book, which Jessica has made sound totally irresistible.

- Who, who, who doesn’t have an interest in owls? In my mind (and in my ignorance), owls have always been northern birds—never colourful, always drab (except for in the eyes, or in the plumage of the snowy owl), but thanks to John Moore, I have been enlightened. Honestly, while these tropical owls are still drab, they do have some fascinating vocalizations. Check out the owl calls from Chiang Mai, Thailand, in the following post, and scroll down that page to explore more of his work:

Collections and Reflections

Owls in the woods and in music

Some more owls I’ve recorded around Chiang Mai with the description of their call given in my bird book…

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4 months ago · 4 likes · 1 comment · John Moore

- John Moore has also been sharing snippets of his collection of ethnic folk music that he has collected in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. It all starts in the episode below. These are rapidly vanishing—if not lost —styles of music, and the series is well worth listening to.

Collections and Reflections

Snakes have swallowed the singers 1

The other day I was asked why I gave up recording and documenting traditional music of ethnic minorities, which had been my main interest for several years. I had travelled over a wide area in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos and made over 700 recordings of music from over thirty ethnic groups. None of those I recorded were professional musicians; I recorded …

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4 months ago · 2 likes · John Moore

- And I can’t think of a more fitting way to end this first edition of Sonic Fields. Melissa Pons has an article at Earth.fm that shares the quieting effect that simply being observant and listening to Nature (field recordings included) can have on a person’s life. Forget formal styles of meditation, and visit Homeostasis, and ponder why she isn’t writing and sharing on Substack.