Éclat: Part 49 – Sound Walk Special

For this slightly unusual Eclat Crew challenge we are going on a sound walk through central Berlin to find and record our own samples! We will dive into the process of listening to and recording the environment surrounding us, and learning more about field recording and found sounds in the process.

Recording your own sounds can be a really interesting way of connecting with your sonic environment and practice focused listening, and also a way to create a more personal and organic sound pallet to use in your own productions. Together we will explore the urban landscape of central Berlin equipped with only our own recording devices (no need to bring a portable recorder if you don’t have one, a smartphone is more than enough!). Sound walks don’t always have to just involve passive listening, they can also be a great way to unleashing your creativity and making some noise!

Guest curator and Eclat crew member Edi (she/her) started recording found sounds and field recordings last year, whilst completing her final university project and thesis on the subject. This project brought her to Greece and Portugal where she spent a month exploring and recording sounds. Back in Berlin, she is currently working on a collaborative experimental acoustic project investigating the sonic characteristics of abandoned spaces in Berlin. Edi also makes her own sound libraries from the found sounds and field recordings she records.

If you aren't in Berlin... take yourself on a sound walk around your own neighbourhood! Or, around your own house! Use your phone, a tape recorder, or a proper field recorder to capture rhythms, tones, ambience, from all around you.

When you get home... download all the sounds that you recorded onto your computer, zip them up, and send them to us via WeTransfer at eclatcrewberin [at] gmail [dot] com! We're going to gather all the sounds together and use them as the source material for our next music-making challenge.

Want some inspiration for what you can do with found sounds? Check out some tutorials below!