Notes from the workbench
Questions between the headphones
These are the questions that come up most often when people start working with found sound. If yours is missing, send it to the workbench.
Do I need expensive equipment to make audio collages?
No. A phone with automatic gain and noise reduction switched off, a pair of closed headphones and free editing software are enough. A dedicated handheld recorder becomes worthwhile when you want quieter preamps, better wind protection or stereo microphones, but it will not make your ideas better on its own. See Gather Sounds for settings.
Which software is good for beginners?
Audacity is free and shows waveforms clearly, which is ideal for learning to cut. Reaper is affordable, light and handles many tracks. Any multitrack editor with fades, EQ and reverb will take you a long way.
Why do I hear clicks at my edit points?
Clicks happen when the waveform jumps suddenly between values. Cut at zero crossings and add tiny fades of 5 to 20 milliseconds. The editing guide includes a listening comparison.
What is musique concrète?
A practice developed by Pierre Schaeffer at French radio in Paris from 1948, composing directly with recorded sounds rather than written notes. His Étude aux chemins de fer, built from railway recordings, is often cited as the first piece.
How many layers should I use at once?
Rarely more than four or five sounding together. Clarity comes from contrast in frequency, timing and space, not from quantity. Try muting each layer once; if nothing is lost, leave it muted.
How loud should my finished piece be?
Keep peaks below about −1 dBFS. Many streaming services normalise playback to around −14 LUFS integrated, so pushing louder rarely helps. Quiet pieces with wide dynamics are completely valid in experimental audio.
Can I use sounds downloaded from the internet?
Only if the licence permits your intended use. Libraries like Freesound show each file's Creative Commons licence. Credit authors as required, and avoid non-commercial licences if you plan to sell the work.
Do I need permission to record people?
Laws vary by country and by context. Ask for consent whenever a voice is recognisable, explain how the piece may be shared and keep a record of the agreement. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do I know when a piece is finished?
When you can listen from start to end without wanting to change anything, and the ending feels chosen rather than abandoned. A good test is to leave the piece for a day and listen fresh.
Where can I hear classic examples?
Start with Schaeffer's Étude aux chemins de fer (1948), Steve Reich's It's Gonna Rain (1965), Luc Ferrari's Presque rien No. 1 (1970), Hildegard Westerkamp's Kits Beach Soundwalk (1989) and Annea Lockwood's A Sound Map of the Hudson River (1982).