FieldRecording

Field recording is the practice of capturing audio outside controlled studio environments, using portable equipment to document sounds on location. It encompasses natural environments such as wildlife and weather, as well as urban ambience, crowds, and architectural or mechanical sounds. Field recordings are used in film and television soundtracks, radio documentaries, music production, sound design, archival libraries, and academic research.

Typical gear includes a portable digital recorder and a paired microphone setup (stereo AB, XY, or mid-side), plus a shotgun or lavalier mic, wind protection, headphones, spare batteries, and memory cards. Windshields, blimps, and fur-protected wind shields help reduce noise. Recordists adjust levels carefully to avoid clipping, monitor in real time, and tailor mic placement to shape the stereo image. Weatherproofing, safety, and legal permissions are common considerations.

Files are tagged with metadata (location, date, subject, equipment) and time-stamped, with field notes describing context and intended use. Post-processing is typically modest: light normalization, gentle equalization, and limited noise reduction. Ethical practice includes minimizing disturbance to wildlife and people, obtaining required permits, and respecting privacy and local regulations.

Field recording has roots in portable technologies developed for documentary work and ethnography. Today it supports sound libraries, film and TV production, music composition, and sound art, as well as environmental sound research and acoustic ecology.