REQ: Studio.com Nature Music : Experimenting with Field Recordings to Compose a Meaningful Song
NATURE MUSIC: EXPERIMENTING WITH FIELD RECORDINGS TO COMPOSE A MEANINGFUL SONG
Transform the way you listen and create music. In this class, marine biologist and sound artist Heather Spence takes you to the field and studio and teaches you her soundscape-driven composition process — a process that will help you redefine your relationship to music and create meaningful work in your own style. Follow along with her complete process as she composes an entire new song, explaining everything along the way.
TAUGHT BY
Profile picture for Heather Spence
Heather Spence
Marine Biologist & Sound Artist with a PhD in bioacoustics. Featured by National Geographic and National Academy of Sciences. Over 200k soundscapes recorded.
What you’ll learn
Heather Spence's complete process for composing music based on listening to and recording nature
Practical low-cost approaches to field recording in air and water
Techniques for active listening to transform how you experience nature, your personal soundscape, and music
Interpreting soundscapes
How to find musical elements in nature recordings
Tempo and Time Signature discovery
Visualizing recordings using spectrograms to find and examine sounds
Applying music production effects to nature recordings using scientifically informed approaches
How to use unique rhythms from nature
Strategies for highlighting raw nature recordings within a musical composition
Using plug-in effects and automation to add missing musical components
Jamming and improvisation strategies to "duet" with your nature recordings
Crafting catchy musical segments and roadmapping them into a complete song structure
Layering sounds to create dynamic and textural contrast
Finding the right mix of soundscape authenticity and accessible musicality
Combining both "Thinking" and "Feeling" approaches to composition
How to find the shape and purpose of the composition
The Science of Sound
CLASS OVERVIEW
Discover the music in nature & how nature can shape your music
Dr. Heather Spence is a marine biologist and sound artist with over 200k soundscapes recorded. Known as the "voice of the ocean," her unique blending of science and music has led her to be featured on National Geographic and funded by the National Academy of Sciences. In this class, Heather Spence teaches you everything she knows about writing songs based on the experience of listening to nature. During class, Heather brings you into the field and into her studio, and shares with you her entire creative process from start to finish. You'll follow along with Heather as she listens and records nature sounds, explores and jams with them in the studio, and crafts a brand new song. Along the way, Heather explains everything that she's doing and thinking in detail - every idea, decision, tool, and technique. She'll go through the exact microphones, software, and instruments she uses, with tips on making the process your own, drawing on your own perspectives and expertise. By the end of the class, you'll know everything you need to write nature-based songs. You'll develop a toolkit of listening and composing skills you can use in your own practice and everyday life.
APPLY WHAT YOU LEARN
Follow Heather Spence’s proven process, step by step
In the class, Heather Spence breaks down her nature-driven songwriting process into clear, actionable steps. Follow along with Heather Spence’s process step-by-step and create your own nature recordings and nature-based song. You can also watch Heather Spence’s process in full first and then bring the ideas, tools, and techniques into your own projects. By following Heather Spence’s proven process, you'll discover the world of sound all around you:
Who’s this class for?
1
Sound artists looking to find their unique voice and make music with meaningful messages and impact
2
Experienced songwriters and music producers wanting to escape writers block, get out of a rut in music making, or seeking new and different techniques for music creation
3
Field recordists, scientists, and nature lovers who want to get a behind the scenes tour of Heather's composing process and inspiration for creating music
Transform the way you listen and create music. In this class, marine biologist and sound artist Heather Spence takes you to the field and studio and teaches you her soundscape-driven composition process — a process that will help you redefine your relationship to music and create meaningful work in your own style. Follow along with her complete process as she composes an entire new song, explaining everything along the way.
TAUGHT BY
Profile picture for Heather Spence
Heather Spence
Marine Biologist & Sound Artist with a PhD in bioacoustics. Featured by National Geographic and National Academy of Sciences. Over 200k soundscapes recorded.
What you’ll learn
Heather Spence's complete process for composing music based on listening to and recording nature
Practical low-cost approaches to field recording in air and water
Techniques for active listening to transform how you experience nature, your personal soundscape, and music
Interpreting soundscapes
How to find musical elements in nature recordings
Tempo and Time Signature discovery
Visualizing recordings using spectrograms to find and examine sounds
Applying music production effects to nature recordings using scientifically informed approaches
How to use unique rhythms from nature
Strategies for highlighting raw nature recordings within a musical composition
Using plug-in effects and automation to add missing musical components
Jamming and improvisation strategies to "duet" with your nature recordings
Crafting catchy musical segments and roadmapping them into a complete song structure
Layering sounds to create dynamic and textural contrast
Finding the right mix of soundscape authenticity and accessible musicality
Combining both "Thinking" and "Feeling" approaches to composition
How to find the shape and purpose of the composition
The Science of Sound
CLASS OVERVIEW
Discover the music in nature & how nature can shape your music
Dr. Heather Spence is a marine biologist and sound artist with over 200k soundscapes recorded. Known as the "voice of the ocean," her unique blending of science and music has led her to be featured on National Geographic and funded by the National Academy of Sciences. In this class, Heather Spence teaches you everything she knows about writing songs based on the experience of listening to nature. During class, Heather brings you into the field and into her studio, and shares with you her entire creative process from start to finish. You'll follow along with Heather as she listens and records nature sounds, explores and jams with them in the studio, and crafts a brand new song. Along the way, Heather explains everything that she's doing and thinking in detail - every idea, decision, tool, and technique. She'll go through the exact microphones, software, and instruments she uses, with tips on making the process your own, drawing on your own perspectives and expertise. By the end of the class, you'll know everything you need to write nature-based songs. You'll develop a toolkit of listening and composing skills you can use in your own practice and everyday life.
APPLY WHAT YOU LEARN
Follow Heather Spence’s proven process, step by step
In the class, Heather Spence breaks down her nature-driven songwriting process into clear, actionable steps. Follow along with Heather Spence’s process step-by-step and create your own nature recordings and nature-based song. You can also watch Heather Spence’s process in full first and then bring the ideas, tools, and techniques into your own projects. By following Heather Spence’s proven process, you'll discover the world of sound all around you:
Who’s this class for?
1
Sound artists looking to find their unique voice and make music with meaningful messages and impact
2
Experienced songwriters and music producers wanting to escape writers block, get out of a rut in music making, or seeking new and different techniques for music creation
3
Field recordists, scientists, and nature lovers who want to get a behind the scenes tour of Heather's composing process and inspiration for creating music