Jeffrey Silverstein recently contributed an article to the Splice blog on several ways to utilize field recordings as a songwriting tool. For one, they establish a unique sonic fingerprint for an artist—a distinctive sonic element untethered from traditional instrumentation. “There’s literally an infinite number of sounds available in the universe. I like the idea that people listening to my music most likely won’t be able to determine what I’m doing and how I’m doing it,” Leah Toth (aka Amelia Courthouse) told us. And while a lyric or guitar riff can abstractly hint at an idea, a field recording can directly connect you to a specific time, place, memory, or moment.
Creating field recordings is also more accessible than most instruments, all you need is a phone or another recording device, and some creativity in what you do with it. For Karima Walker, it’s a practice that has allowed her to more confidently identify as a musician. Despite never feeling proficient at one instrument, she’s come to recognize the power involved in viewing her ear as a compositional tool. “You start to think about the language of arrangement in shaping sound. It almost feels more comfortable for me to identify with something more abstract,” she shared.
Field recordings also get you out of the studio and moving, immersing yourself in your surroundings. “You aren’t looking at the recording, you’re looking at the world. You’re asking more of your ears than it does your eyes,” M. Sage described. It’s a chance to practice ‘shoshin’ or ‘beginners’ mind’—having an attitude of openness and wonder to what you’re listening for.”
Finally, field recordings can be effective song starters. They can spark inspiration or a specific idea. They can give you a foundation to work from as a compositional tool. They also encourage experimentation. “When I’m not directly in a space where I’m wanting to capture sound, I keep a list of things that I’m hearing that I want to return to. We just moved into a new house. There are these new sounds happening around me. Where we live, every night we hear coyotes. That’s something I can’t just plan on or perform, or something I can plan to return to when preparing to record,” Walker shared.
