Soundscape Research //
Acoustic Monitoring Research at Nature Reserve „Prënzebierg“ — Lu, 2016
The Bachelor Research paper „Dokumentation und audio-technische Analyse der Klanglandschaft in der luxemburgischen Minette Region im Sinne der Soundscape Ecology“ is about a d.i.y. acoustic monitoring array, consisting of three independent recording systems (Hand-held-Recorders). These monitoring systems were placed on three different positions in the Nature Reserve and recorded the soundscape of each position for 24-hours in three-hour-samples. These 24-hours recordings have been made on two different dates during the summer of 2016. The recordings were analysed, compared to each other, and documented by audio-technical procedures and aural determination. The findings show that anthrophonic influences from remote industries, highways, railroad and air traffic are omnipresent and sound together with the vocal communities of this area.
„Prënzebierg“ — Lu, 2017
The findings and recordings of this Bachelor work have been translated into a three-channel sound-installation in terms of ecological sound art and was exhibited at the „Kunstfabrik Groß-Siegharts“ in Lower Austria from July to September 2017. See "devices and installations"
Ambisonic Soundscape Research at the National Park „Donau-Auen“ — Au, 2019
This research was executed as part of a master thesis at the University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten in Summer 2019. This is a scientific soundscape study at the National Park Donau-Auen in Austria. This work presents an investigation into the soundscapes in this National Park with the help of Ambisonic recording and reproduction techniques. Here, the spatial sound quality and the quality of the sonic landscapes are examined by means of listening tests using the first-order Ambisonic procedure. The results show that spatial recording and reproduction methods complement the assessment of a soundscape with essential additional spatial information. Furthermore, the soundscape quality of each location could be demonstrated. It was found that the presence of anthrophonies is proportional to the well-being of the listeners and that they are omnipresent in the acoustic ambience. A short article of this work was published at the Donau-Auen Blog.
https://blog.donauauen.at/nachlese-ambisonic-soundscape-untersuchung-im-nationalpark-donau-auen/
„Nahampoana“ — Ma, 2017
is a binaural soundscape composition recorded at the Nature Reserve „Nahampoana“ in southern Madagascar 2017. For this composition 10-hours of binaural recordings have been made over one night at one specific spot. These recordings are raw and have only been shortened as regards their duration for the purpose of a digital and physical release. These recordings were made with a Soundman OKM II and an improvised Do-it-yourself artificial head.
This work will be released as an online release and as CD-R in spring 2021.
Ecosons Etude I. — Lu, Nl, 2020
is a set of two electroacoustic soundscape works created as part of an ecoacoustic music study. For this artistic research the „acoustic niche hypothesis“ (Krause 1987) is an important tool to investigate the field recordings and to evaluate an artistic and scientific soundscape assessment of natural areas.
For this work two different landscapes in Central Europe have been chosen: the National Park „De Biesbosch“ in Netherlands and the „Mëllerdall“ region in Luxembourg. These works consist of temporary field recordings and ecological studies. For this artistic research the composer did sound walks around these areas and documented the acoustic environment with field recording and deep listening techniques. The audio recordings were modified by computer music techniques, such as, for instance, spectral extraction, overlapping, and filtering techniques.
The idea of these compositions is to underline the cocktail effect in acoustic environments, potential obstacles of communication and the interaction between human and environment.
„Mellerdall“ is a stereo fixed-media piece and tells the story about the interaction of bird calls and highway noise in the area of eastern Luxembourg (Reisdorf, Berdorf). The recordings were made with a Sennheiser MKH-416 microphone and a Zoom F4 Field Recorder in September 2020.
„De Biesbosch“ is a stereo fixed-media piece and shows a very special biodiversity and human-environment interaction, while a Kayak trip in the National Park „De Biesbosch“ in southern Netherlands. The recordings were made with a Zoom H4n in August 2020.
Listen:
https://dankwart.bandcamp.com/album/ecosons-tude-i
Ecosons Etude II. - „Winter shades“- ecological radio artwork — Lu, 2020
Commissioned by Radio Ara and radia.fm, a radio artwork was realised in terms of an ecoacoustic music research. This project is supported by Knut Aufermann, Sarah Washington and Sandra Laborier and was released online at radia.fm and ara.lu on the 18th of January 2021.
In a visually shaped world, little attention is often paid to the acoustic environment. However, hearing is a vital sense that serves not only for recognition, categorisation, monitoring and surviving, but also for the perception of sound-aesthetic phenomena and eco-sensitive obstacles in real space. Thus, with the help of sound art, abstractions can be guided into real space, and certain focal points can be reformulated from the real to the abstract world.
With the help of a directional and a contact microphone, various soundscapes in south- and north-western Luxembourg were recorded in December 2020 and January 2021, and the sound signature unique to each location was crystallised. In essence, it seeks to examine the correlation between biodiversity quality and soundscape quality, as well as to highlight the essential characteristics of naturally left and human-modified spaces. In this way, the listener is left to draw his or her own conclusions and is thus made to think and listen.
Director, Field Recordings and Sound Design: Sam Erpelding
Speaker: Katrin (MacBook Pro - British english voice)
Performers: different Soundscapes around south- and north-western Luxembourg
[Pétange, Lasauvage, Prënzebierg, Garnich, Grass, Clemency, Bauschleiden]
„EcoSons Étude III“ - N 49.554710° O 5.867405° — Lu, 2020 (work in progress)
is a sonification project and tries to achieve a new understanding for acoustic indices in soundscape research. This project tries to sonify the acoustic indices of a specific soundscape in a residential area in Luxembourg (N 49.554710° O 5.867405°). For this, the Acoustic Complexity Index, Acoustic Diversity Index, Acoustic Evenness Index, Bioacoustic Index, Normalized Difference Soundscape Index and Spectral Entropy are computed and sonified by audio-synthesis techniques (Additive Synthesis, FM, Effects). This sonification shall help to understand and to interpret these indices in a new way with the help of artistic research. This is a prototype and still a work in progress.
// work in progress //