Field recording

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Field recording is the technique for capturing the audible illustration of an environment. A "field recording" is the actual recording that is produced by the documenter/artist. Field recordings are usually recorded on portable devices which utilize DAT (Digital Audio Tape) or completely digital (hard disk/Flash) technology, to reproduce an exact audio replica, or soundscape. Other dated, yet popular means for field recording are the analog cassette (CAC), the DCC (Digital Compact Cassette), and the MiniDisc. The latter two are declining in popularity due to the loss of fidelity resulting from their data compression technologies such as Sony's ATRAC. MiniDisc, however, particularly in its contemporary lossless HiMD version, is still used by many.

Field recording was originally a way to document oral presentations and ethnomusicology projects (pioneered by Charles Seeger and John Lomax), but recently it has been expanded to become avant-garde roots for ambient and experimental music. Most noteworthy is the group Deep Forest, who first used ethographical recordings, mixed with syntheziers to create their 1992 debut hit album.