This research project will be conducted with field expeditions to the alpine regions of Colorado for audio sample collection over the course of Winter in 2022 and 2023. The technical hardware necessary for the field research aspects of this project includes recording devices for deployment and active use as well as a global positioning system with a compass. The Garmin eTrex 32x global positioning system (GPS) can be used to record waypoints and routes, with time and distance tracking, which guide in relocating the deployed passively recording devices. The current elevation is also provided in the existing capabilities of the device. A thermometer will also be carried and analyzed during trips. Additional gear includes cameras, SD and microSD cards, a tripod, batteries, and storage equipment to protect it all for traversing. Videography and photography will ultimately be used in assisting documentation of field research. Some best practices include checking equipment prior to departure, refraining from changing SD cards in the field, and being prepared with things like backup batteries without overpacking. The use of a waterproof notebook will also be important in protecting the collected data like temperature and elevation and as a backup system for waypoints indicating recording device locations.
Key software components that will be used in editing soundscapes and creating auditory signifiers are Cycling ‘74’s Max8 and MSP and Open Acoustic Device’s AudioMoth Configuration Application. Experimenting with Audacity and Adobe Premiere Pro may also be helpful in adjusting the listenability and clarity of environmental audio clips. Additional iPhone applications that can assist in tracking both hiking and skiing trails, speeds, and elevations include Snoww, Slopes, and the IKON app though these are reliant on the gyroscopes and capabilities of the handheld device resulting in occasional inconsistent results. Microsoft Excel and comma-separated values (CSV) exports will be necessary for the organization of the collected data across multiple devices and platforms.
RECORDING DEVICES
AudioMoth recorders[1] will be deployed to passively record sonic information in alpine regions over periods of time around two weeks in length. This will provide the opportunity for new discoveries in how an environment sounds when the researcher is not present like in extreme weather and without invasions on ecological behaviors. The anthrophony threshold, where human intrusion and industrialization are audible, will be determined with the evaluation of the recorded soundscapes as different locations may include lower frequency impacts. After trials for determination, the AudioMoth will be configured to trigger and write auditory information to the microSD card only when notable environmental frequencies are present with the Open Acoustic Device’s Configuration Application.[2] By using algorithms written as frequency extractions, energy and storage consumption for the AudioMoth devices will be lower.[3] This will also assist in limiting the playback sessions of long-term passive auditory recordings to more relevant and useful sonic information that signals happenings in an environment.
In active field research, Zoom recorders with windscreens on tripods will be used to capture full ambisonic soundscape experiences including the anthrophony. These recordings will work to model how the environment most typically would sound to the average-abled listener for both comparison and reproduction purposes. While noise caused by the set-up and adjustment will be removed from audio clips, the overall ambient soundscape can be captured with the multiple sound channels provided on Zoom recorders. These channels can provide additional options for powered microphones that can receive phantom power from the recording device.
Protecting the audio equipment from the natural elements to be expected in high-altitude climates and ecosystems will be vital in actually collecting any sonic information. AudioMoths are small enough to protect from most animal interference with camouflage and strategic placement but can still at a slight risk of being consumed by larger predators. These audio recording devices can also be shielded from precipitation in 3D-printed or DIYed waterproof cases. Zoom recorders cannot and will not be left for the passive audio collection so being aware of the weather and safely storing the gear are preemptive protection guidelines to practice for field research days.
By using both the AudioMoth and Zoom recording devices, the collection of the soundscape information is more ideally suitable for comparative data techniques and has a higher probability of capturing unexpected ecoacoustics.
MAX8 & MSP
To simulate what sonic cues for events occurring in natural alpine environments could sound like, data will be collected during field research trips. This will include information regarding the time and distance of the taken hike or ski, the elevation of the trail, and any notable air temperature changes at those different elevations and times. Time will be significant in contextualizing recorded soundscape data with the layered sonic cues by transcoding the data gathered to trigger a short segment of audio using Max8. The data recorded is converted from an Excel Sheet into a .CSV that’s values will be rescaled to a frequency number to emit a noise of that pitch.
The Garmin eTrex 32x GPS has ‘track’ recording capabilities which save the time duration of a trip and the distance of trails taken. This ability will be most useful in contextualizing the soundscape recordings captured during field research. Time relationships will enable a more realistic approach to creating true pre-anthropocentric environmental auditory experiences. Max8 can be used to facilitate the syncing of sound clips to a duration relating to something like short hiking trips or longer camping excursions.
Temperature data can be collected within the notes of logged ‘waypoints’ in the Garmin eTrex 32x and in a waterproof notebook while in the field for future analysis. The data will be organized to emphasize interesting changes that occur in relation to elevation and time. An unexpected drastic change in temperature has dangerous potential, making an auditory signifier an opportune guiding force for the average adventurer in deciding further trajectory based on preparation.
Additionally, the altitude of the field research journey and locations of recording equipment can be tracked and stored within the GPS system using ‘routes’ and ‘waypoints.’ The data collected during field research can be organized into Excel Sheets and converted into comma-separated value documents that will be read and scaled by Max8 into a range of frequencies. The goal is to allow the frequencies to be informative to a listener about changes to the environment relevant to their movements.
These sonic cues can ultimately provide an expansion of human environmental awareness practices in promoting the sustainability of oneself and the planet. By making the unintelligible noise within alpine soundscapes heard with informed signifiers, the changes and adaptations of the planet’s ecosystems will become more notable, recognizable, meaningful, and valuable.
[1] Andrew P. Hill et al., “Audiomoth: Evaluation of a Smart Open Acoustic Device for Monitoring Biodiversity and the Environment,” Methods in Ecology and Evolution 9, no. 5 (May 15, 2018): pp. 1199-1211, https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210x.12955. [2] The Team Open Acoustic Devices, “Using Audiomoth with Filtering and Triggered Recordings,” GitHub (Open Acoustic Devices, May 11, 2022), https://github.com/OpenAcousticDevices/Application-Notes/tree/master/Using_AudioMoth_with_Filtered_and_Triggered_Recordings. [3] Peter Prince et al., “Deploying Acoustic Detection Algorithms on Low-Cost, Open-Source Acoustic Sensors for Environmental Monitoring,” Sensors 19, no. 3 (January 29, 2019): p. 553, https://doi.org/10.3390/s19030553.
