Field recording

Field recording is the capture of sound outside a controlled studio environment, often preserving the acoustics, activity, and incidental sounds of a place.

Microphone: A transducer that converts sound waves into an electrical signal. Its pickup pattern and sensitivity determine which sounds dominate an outdoor recording.
Soundscape ecology: The study of biological, geophysical, and human-made sounds across places and ecosystems. Recordings let researchers compare sound environments and track ecological change.
The Vancouver Soundscape: A 1973 soundscape study documenting the acoustic environment of Vancouver, led by R. Murray Schafer. It established a model for treating a city's recorded sounds as a subject of study.
R. Murray Schafer: A Canadian composer and writer who developed the concept of the soundscape and founded the World Soundscape Project. His research made environmental listening a systematic practice.
Studio recording: The capture of sound in a controlled recording environment designed to limit unwanted noise and shape acoustics. It offers control over conditions that field recording accepts or documents.
Portable audio recorder: A battery-powered device that records audio away from fixed recording equipment. It lets recordists capture sound at locations without studio infrastructure.
Acoustic ecology: The study of relationships between living beings and their sonic environments. Field recordings provide evidence of how people and environments sound together.
World Soundscape Project: A research and education initiative founded at Simon Fraser University to document and study soundscapes. Its recordings and methods helped define organized soundscape fieldwork.
Chris Watson: A British sound recordist known for detailed recordings of wildlife and natural environments. His recordings demonstrate close, patient attention to remote acoustic detail.
Location recording: The recording of sound at the site where an event or performance occurs. It overlaps with field recording but often serves a specific production, such as film or music.

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