The day dawned bright and sunny, and I grabbed my recording gear and walked up to the magnificent Blue Mosque, which is only a few minutes stroll from our hotel.

Istanbul has many magnificent Ottoman mosques dotted around its skyline, and the Blue Mosque, or Sultan Ahmet Camii, is regarded as one of the finest. Inside its walls is a pleasant garden, and here I let my recorder capture the morning birdsong.

It was a peaceful place at a quiet time of day. I’ve uploaded nearly 15 minutes, which I hope you’ll enjoy – I’d be interested in your responses.

Click here to listen

On this recording can be heard ubiquitous House Sparrows, plus other species characteristic of this eastern extreme of Europe: a Robin, Hooded Crows, Caspian Gulls, Laughing Doves and a Chiffchaff (thanks Veljo for identifying). Notably there is an Alexandrine Parrot flying overhead (a cage-escapee population frequents Istanbul’s parks), and you can even hear occasional horns from shipping on the Bosporus!

Here are our Top Ten popular misconceptions about nature recordings!

Nature recordings…

1. …are just birdy noises

Well yes, plus insects, frogs, animals, the elements…

Our ancestors knew their place in the world by listening to nature. Scientists speculate that in the distant past, humans first learned to sing by listening to birdsong, and then refined that into spoken languages.

So what have we lost when nature seems just a meaningless background noise? Perhaps we can learn again to appreciate the music of nature – after all, to fully enjoy jazz, classical or any art music, we have to spend time and learn about it.

The more I listen to the natural world, the more complex and marvelous I find it. Not only does each species have its unique songs, some of them extraordinary, but the whole symphony of nature is finely crafted. All the sounds fit together like an orchestra, creating a music that changes continually throughout the day, responding to the weather, and from season to season. Every habitat sounds unique, every place in the world singing its own songs.

The musicality of nature, once heard, will delight you for life.

2. …are new-age

I can understand people thinking this. For the last 30 years, music companies have been pumping out ‘nature CDs’ because they sell (let’s face it, anything will if it’s priced low enough). We’ve heard some truly appalling stuff. Those stories about making a ‘rainforest waterfall’ by recording a bathroom tap? Or taking one bird sample and just looping it in the studio? True. Those kinds of crappy CDs are out there.

Which is a shame, because it not only degrades the work of skilled recordists, but it trivialises nature. Nature is dynamic and alive, and if a recording captures that, you will fall in love with what you hear, rather than move on when you’ve had your fix.

3. …are boring

Pardon? Is our marvelous, living planet boring someone? If nature isn’t interesting, what on earth is?

Nature is universal. Nature is essential to life. There are many ways of connecting with nature, and listening is one of the most enjoyable. The more you listen, the more you will hear. Every one of our recordings is full of diversity and activity. Just grab a pair of headphones and listen for how many species you can hear calling at any one time.

Boredom has been described as a lack of engagement. We reckon that if someone finds nature boring, they’re just not really listening!

4. …are good because one day these species and habitats will be extinct

You’d be surprised how often we are told that our recordings are great because “one day we won’t be able to hear these sounds any more”.

We find this attitude shocking, really disturbing. It expresses an undertone of resignation to the inevitability of extinction. It is a kind of warped affirmation. The more we shock and numb ourselves with the concept of extinction, the more familiar and accepting of it we become.

It also implies that humanity will continue normally as nature collapses around us. That might happen in a Hollywood movie, but in reality, it is actually humanity that is in peril now. Nature is adapting, we’re not.

Our recordings may be useful scientific documents in the future, but that is not why we publish them. We do it because we want to share and inspire. Voyeuring on extinction isn’t a part of our vision.

5. …aren’t sexy

Are you kidding? Why do birds sing? They want to attract a mate! “Come on, let’s fluff some feathers!” Frogs too, and insects, animals… Our nature recordings are full of sex!

But we know – our recordings aren’t the latest hip, cool thing. We’re talking fashion here aren’t we? Which raises the question; is nature really unfashionable? Sadly, that may be true in the mainstream of our culture, and the new-age’s ‘romanticising’ of nature doesn’t help.

We guess our customers must have grown beyond the tyranny of fashion, because for them our recordings really are ‘cool’… Perhaps even a little sexy!

6. …are easy, anyone can make a nature recording

Yep, and anyone can play the guitar too, or piano, or tuba… Like playing a musical instrument, sound recording in the wild is a wonderful pastime. We heartily encourage you to grab a microphone and get out there! You’ll discover a lot more about the natural world than you thought.

You’ll probably also discover that making good recordings takes more than just good equipment; it requires skill, persistence, field experience and a fair dose of luck.

In some instances, it also requires a bit of courage. There have been many times in Asia I have walked alone through dense forest in the pre-dawn darkness, to get on location before the dawn chorus. Bumping into an elephant in such circumstances is not a good idea. On one occasion I found out how quickly I could dump 10kg of expensive sound recording gear and run, when a king cobra slid across the path ahead of me.

7. …are a bit creepy

Its funny, but people who find our recordings a little scary are not usually concerned about elephants or king cobras. They’re thinking bugs. Flies zipping past the microphones seem to inspire images of dark jungles full of creepy-crawlies.

I feel this is largely a fear of the unknown, or at least unfamiliar. The more time I spend in jungles, the more amazing I find them, and the more comfortable I am to be there.

One of the most relaxing experiences of my life was to be in a tropical rainforest in the depth of night. All I could hear was insects chirruping all around me. It was hypnotic, mesmerising, and after a few hours in pitch blackness, I was floating. You can listen to what I heard on our ‘A Walk in the Rainforest’ album, and as you do, think bliss not bugs.

8. …are nice and relaxing

Well, yes, listening to nature sounds is very soothing on the nerves. But to think of nature as only ‘relaxing’ is to limit our emotional responses. Some birdsong is exhilarating, electric, it sends thrills up the spine. The calls of big Woodpeckers in Asia could not be called relaxing listening. The sound of Hornbills flying overhead is awesome. Tawny-crowned Honeyeater song can be sublimely beautiful, and as I’ve mentioned, a chorus of nocturnal insects deeply meditative.

Life is more than just relaxing, and you will find all your emotions reflected in your response to nature.

9. …all sound the same

Really? Purchase more than one of our albums. Compare them, spot the differences. Better still, go out into a wild place, sit and listen as different birds and animals come and go, and sounds change throughout the day. Listen to the vocalisations of one species, and learn its repertoire of calls and songs.

The more you listen, the more you’ll hear…

10. …are a replacement for the real thing

We reckon our nature recordings are very enjoyable. If you are meditating at home and want to create a more natural environment, or travel to work immersed in the sounds of a rainforest, then they are great. With headphones on and your eyes closed, you can easily imagine being out there.

But our recordings can never replace your experience of being in nature. We hope though, that the next time you are out there enjoying the morning birdsong, your album listening will prepare you to hear so much more.

This is where nature sounds may offer a unique listening choice.

The sounds of nature have an utterly different, well… nature. In contrast to music, we are tuning in to the world beyond the human realm. We are listening to the voices and songs of our planet. These sounds – birdsong, insect calls, wind and water – must surely be the definition of sounds that are vital and alive.

Can listening to nature sounds enhance our concentration and study performance? By relaxing us, while not engaging our intellect, it seems nature may be our ideal study partner.

To my knowledge, little research has yet been done to support this suggestion. However I was recently fortunate to have a discussion with a psychologist at Monash University in Melbourne, who had undertaken a simple study with some of her students.

She asked participants to fill out a questionnaire, and subjected them to moderate performance stress about doing it. Groups were given this task whilst different soundtracks were played to each in the background; music, nature sounds and even silence. Participants were not only graded on their questionnaire responses, but subjectively how they felt.

The results were fascinating. Silence was found to be the least conducive to concentration. Participants reported feeling uneasy in a room with no ambient sound. (What does that say about all those exams done in quiet rooms?). Music was found to be more relaxing, with classical music rating better than contemporary pop music – no surprises there. Interestingly, musical tastes were not found to be a significant factor. Many people who normally enjoyed pop music, did indeed find song lyrics to be distracting, particularly while writing.

The fascinating response though, was that nature sounds had an almost universally positive effect. Participants listening to natural sounds reported feeling the most relaxed and comfortable, regardless of their usual listening tastes. And coincidentally, they also demonstrated it was the most conducive to mental concentration.

This is probably not a surprising result. Many of us would probably respond that “yup, that feels right”. But why should nature sounds relax us? Why would birdsong and insect chirrups seem to do something to the insides of our head?

For me the reason is simple, if not easy to quantify. When you think about it, the human brain has evolved over millenia. During those eons, our ancestors would have lived totally immersed in the sounds of the natural world. We’re not just talking about a few sparrows outside the cave entrance, but a natural landscape stretching to the horizon, vibrant with life. They would have heard a symphony of nature at the beginning of time.

Our predecesors would have lived with these sounds all day, every day of their lives. Before human language, before music-making, even before we were fully human, the sounds of nature would have comprised our ancestor’s sound world. It is difficult for us to get a sense of what this existence would have been like, as our modern lives are so littered with distractions and urban noise pollution. We may get a glimpse of it when we visit wild places today – we get out of the car and the sounds around us are quiet, spacious, alive and full of subtle meaning.

The soundscape of nature has been the one in which the human mind developed. Thus it is likely to be the sonic environment which most facilitates a calm and clear state of mind. This is consistent with many people’s feelings that natural sounds are harmonious to the ears. Like fresh air, they sharpen our minds, encouraging both relaxation and attentiveness.

As I mentioned earlier, my work over the last 15 years has been to make and publishing recordings of pure nature sounds. In my travels to wild places to record these sounds, I have often stood in the forest with my microphones, reflecting on the way that the natural sounds around me bring me alive. I feel tuned in, clear headed. I’m sure this is the receptive state of mind most conducive to learning.

In our modern urban lives, good nature sound recordings can recreate a sense of being in such places, surrounded by nature’s sounds. Indeed, with a good pair of headphones, you can close your eyes and almost imagine that you are there. A good recording will contain a sense of space and distance that one can listen into.

There are many good nature recordings available these days. I’d suggest bypassing those that have a particularly ‘natural history’ approach, such as species identification tapes. Equally, be cautious of new age style productions – in my experience, some are pretty woeful, being made by recordists without good field experience or equipment. There are mass-market companies that pump this stuff out at budget prices, but you often get what you pay for. Your ears will tell you what is good.

At Listening Earth we have many free sound samples available on our website to give you an idea of the kind of nature recordings we offer. Our albums all play for over an hour, with continuously running audio. You’ll hear some of the most beautiful sounds we’ve recorded in our extensive journeys to wild locations. And they are easy to purchase, being available as digital downloads or on CD.

Of course there is more to successful studying than just what you listen to. Exercise, good eating, quality rest, social interaction and down-time are all important to a balanced state of mind. But when you do sit down to work, and choose what to listen to, try a good nature recording, played at realistic listening levels (ie; quiet), on the best headphones you can lay your hands on. You may like to put it on repeat, a good recording will not tire or bore you. Play around with listening to nocturnal or diurnal recordings – listening to birdsong late at night may seem odd at first, but it may encourage your mind into staying a little bit more awake!

Learning is something that we continue to do throughout our lives. It doesn’t stop at school or university. So consider what you listen to, because listening is as profound as anything you do. Choose wisely. Your choice of listening when studying or working may become your performance enhancement secret! Not to mention that it makes studying a lot more enjoyable.

Since then, I have gone on to develop a keen interest in music, and how it affects us mentally and emotionally. As a practising musician, I have become aware of how music is actually a part of nature, that it is a resonance of our physical world. This enquiry has lead me to the work that has occupied me the last 15 years or more; the recording of pure nature sounds in wild places around the world, and publishing these beautiful soundscapes through our label Listening Earth.

Can our choice of background listening actually enhance or detract from our performance in studying? Well, it can certainly distract us – just imagine trying to study while listening to loud talkback radio! So it seems reasonable, and consistent with experience, that suitable listening can help put our mind in a calm and receptive state for learning.

What are the most suitable listening choices? We naturally think of music. We want music that will not be distracting as we focus on absorbing complex information and new ideas. So we can discount radio, talkback certainly, anything with an announcer, as speech will be distracting to our concentration. Similarly, songs with lyrics will clutter our linguistic mind by having us subconsciously singing along. That rules out a huge slab of contemporary popular music, leaving us with instrumental music.

Understandably, many people to think of classical music. There is great variety in classical music, however we can make one simple observations in regard to what may be suitable listening while studying…

Something fundamental happened to western art music around the beginning of the 1800s; it became an expression of drama and conflict. Think of almost any of Beethoven’s pieces; they are full of dramatic statements, explosive dynamics, musical arguments and counter-positions, titanic forces, conflicts and resolutions. Consider the image of the classical virtuoso wresting music from their instrument, fingers flying and hair awry. It is an ethos of music that continues to the present day, with our driving rhythms, visceral use of volume, cultivation of texture and noise as music, and the theatrical posturing of musicians. The drama of our human life is centre stage.

Previous to the 1800s though, in the renaissance and culminating in the baroque period, music was seen as reflecting a divine and natural balance – a harmony of the cosmos. Music was valued for its expression of internal grace and poise. This may explain why the music of Bach, Mozart and Vivaldi has come to be associated with relaxing listening (even ubiquitously through the commercialisation of the so-called ‘Mozart effect’).

However, a twist in our understanding of this old music has emerged in recent years. As modern musicians have researched the musical instruments and performance practices of the time, they have found that the music was not historically all that ‘nice and relaxing’. Indeed, an authentic, period-instrument orchestra with gut-strung violins and valve-less woodwinds sounds decidedly edgy, and capable of some furious and exhilarating music making. A few decades ago, Mozart’s music was known through orchestras playing ponderous and over-romanticised interpretations, but modern scholarship is revealing his compositions to be sprightly, Bach’s harmonies to be decidedly challenging, and Vivaldi’s violin writing to be demonically exiting.

Recently we have witnessed a return to the desire for sweet, romantic sounds in the phenomenon of ‘new age’ music. However in pruning music of its drama, using conservative harmonies, and often electronic sounds from digital keyboards, much new age music simply becomes soporific, saccharine, and devoid of vitality or creativity. There is literally no ‘gut’ in it. No doubt this is why it has become so derided.

As an aside, it is worth noting the marketing of some new age music, particularly the presentation of rational justifications as to why the music ‘works’ – a precise number of beats per minute, use of embedded tones to stimulate altered mind states, and so on. All this seems close to classic pseudo-science to me. It sounds impressive, scientific even, but is essentially unprovable. However these ideas are colourful and emotive, painting a picture of sound doing wonderful things to our grey matter. It accords with the prescriptive model of our medical age: a sonic equivalent of take two pills a day to make things better. So I am skeptical, to me these claims just read like very clever marketing.

In conclusion then, it seems that what makes music vital and engaging, are the very things that distract us when we want to concentrate and work or study. Yet with all the ambient acoustic distractions of our urban environment – traffic noise, people talking, etc – we often need something playing while we try and concentrate, if only to mask the world outside.

This is where I believe the sounds of our natural world have something unique to offer us.

Read on to part 2