About

I began this blog in the fall of 2012 to chronicle my journey of learning to listen and record natural sounds. I’m a field biologist by training, and have spent most of my life outside, camping, hiking, backpacking, cross-country skiing. And although I avoid noisy places, like most people, I had never really stopped to listen to my surroundings. My background is in the social behavior of mammals, so naturally I was drawn to their sounds, but I’ve also learned a new appreciation for the sounds of birds and insects.

 

And water. Have you ever listened to how each stream has its own sound? How a stream with a sandy bottom sounds very different than one with a rocky bottom?  Or how the sound changes as you move up or downstream?

 

What I’ve learned so far is that hearing is one of our most important senses. Through sound we monitor our environment – sounds alert us to danger, help us find food, help us communicate. Sounds can fire us up or calm us down. Bird noises in particular are one of our best indications of what is going on around us – alarm calls tell us to pay attention, a dawn chorus tells us it’s time to get up. Yet we have filled the world with the sounds of our machines, and in many cases, rather than try to reduce the noise, we tune it out or mask it with yet more noise. It is getting harder and harder to find places free of the sounds of human machines. Peace and quiet are becoming things of the past.

 

So, come with me on this journey and explore some sights and sounds of wild North America.  Most of my recordings focus on the American West – but I hope it doesn’t stop there!  My goal with this blog is to encourage you to stop and listen, if just for a moment, at some of the wondrous sounds of the wild.  I hope the sounds and stories evoke memories and awareness, so that there will always be quiet, wild places.

 

I discuss the equipment I use and other aspects of nature sound recording under Equipment.

 

My recordings of nature sounds from the southwestern US are available in Recordings.

 

I have also put together a page on Facebook about listening to natural sounds here. Please Like and Follow, and join the discussion!

 

Click here to contact me

Disclosure

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC, Bookshop.org, and B & H Photo Associates Programs, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide means for a site to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to either Amazon.com or bhphotovideo.com.  I do this not only to reimburse some of my time for creating this blog, but also to provide information on products that might be useful to sound recordists.  I receive no remuneration for any products mentioned.


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All material copyrighted by Christine Hass or Wild Mountain Echoes, except where noted.


All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only.  I make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any links from this site.  I will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information, nor will I be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of this information.


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32 thoughts on “About”

  1. Sam Wolf

    Hi, Chris. You have some great recordings, and I’m in need of nature sounds for background atmosphere on an album I’m creating. Once purchased, do you have any problems with re-use of your recordings?

    Reply
  2. Richard King

    Hi Chris, I’m a sound enthusiast who works in the film biz and I also do lots of research and exploration just to satisfy my own curiosity. I’m looking for good locations to record echoes and wanted to get your thoughts. If you’d care to respond I’d really appreciate any spots you’ve come across
    Thanks!
    Richard

    Reply
    1. Christine Hass

      Hi Richard, In spite of the website’s name, I really haven’t recorded many echoes. I have inadvertently picked up coyote howls and elk bugles echoing off water and landscape, which I think was caused as much by the evening temperature inversions as the landscape, but I haven’t tried to record in anything like a natural echo chamber. But now you have me intrigued, and I will keep it in mind if any opportunities arise. Have you found any good areas? What sort of echoes did you record?

      Reply
      1. Richard King

        Hi Christine, I’ve scouted a large number of spots in Angeles Forest north of LA which produce very distinct 1-2 sec echoes – not repeating but one distinct echo. Also looking at dam faces…..Would love to hear of any thoughts which you may have

        Reply
        1. Christine Hass

          I’m guessing there would be some great spots in the canyon country of southern Utah. Chevelon Canyon on the Rock Art Ranch in northern Arizona might be a good spot (I blogged about it in “Canyon Voices”). The echoes of the water on the canyon walls created some interesting sounds. I didn’t try creating any echoes, though. If you contact the ranch owner (google it) he might be able to tell you more. Those single echoes on SoCal sound very cool. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like that.

  4. Steve Bless

    Great to find you and your blog online, Chris. Miss the AZ forests but lots of great wild sounds up here among the Glacier NP woods and waters. Got any coati troop conversations? 🙂 Steve B

    Reply
    1. Christine Hass

      Hey Steve, I’m actually doing a lot of work with coati vocalizations right now, so I hope to have some sounds up soon. I miss the Montana forests!

      Reply
  5. Jeanmarie Haney

    Hey Chris – I just found your blog thanks to your post on Facebook! I am enjoying your writing! – Jeanmarie

    Reply
  8. Bill Graham

    I am delighted to discover your blog site via Nature Blog Network. I am also a field biologist (marine), blogger, and a beginning collector of sounds. This last summer I did a Bernie Krause experiment comparing sounds in separate mini-ecosystems in a forest setting. The differences were amazing. It was then that I realized the power of soundscape studies and the impact of human noise and activities like logging and grazing. If you are interested, I’ve written two posts about sounds in Nature and the value of quiet at https://bit.ly/SW4Skj . I am also a regular visitor to the SPR where, like yourself, I hope to do some soundscape work this winter. .

    Reply

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