Exploring Sound

Explores the principals of sound, light, and radiation waves, explaining how they travel and carry energy from one place to another.

Explains the basics of sound creation and projection, including how ears function, and includes activities to experiment with sound.

Makis Solomos explores the ecologies of music and sound, inspired by Felix Guattari, for whom environmental destruction caused by capitalism goes hand in hand with deteriorating ways of living and feeling, and for whom an ecosophical stance, combining various ecological registers, offers a glimpse of emancipation, a position strengthened today by intersectional approaches. Solomos explores environmental, mental and social ecologies through the lens of the history of music and current artivisms – especially in the fields of acoustic ecology, contemporary music and sound art. Several theoretical and analytical debates are put forward, including a theory of sound milieus and the biopolitics of sound; the relationships between music and the living world; soundscape compositions, field recording, ecomusicology, and the creation of sound biotopes; the use of sound and music to violent ends as well as considering the social and political functions of music and the autonomy of art, sonic ecofeminism, degrowth in music, and much more.

This open-access book empowers its readers to explore the acoustic world of animals. By listening to the sounds of nature, we can study animal behavior, distribution, and demographics; their habitat characteristics and needs; and the effects of noise. Sound recording is an efficient and affordable tool, independent of daylight and weather; and recorders may be left in place for many months at a time, continuously collecting data on animals and their environment. This book builds the skills and knowledge necessary to collect and interpret acoustic data from terrestrial and marine environments. Beginning with a history of sound recording, the chapters provide an overview of off-the-shelf recording equipment and analysis tools (including automated signal detectors and statistical methods); audiometric methods; acoustic terminology, quantities, and units; sound propagation in air and under water; soundscapes of terrestrial and marine habitats; animal acoustic and vibrational communication; echolocation; and the effects of noise. This book will be useful to students and researchers of animal ecology who wish to add acoustics to their toolbox, as well as to environmental managers in industry and government.

Embark on an unforgettable adventure with Exploring Alaska's Western Prince William Sound. This 320 page guidebook is your key to unlocking the wonders and hidden gems along the Sound’s scenic shores. Surrounded by the majestic Chugach National Forest and the Nellie Juan–College Fiord Wilderness Study Area, the western Sound also embodies 10 Alaska State Marine Parks and Recreation Sites and their spectacular landscapes. This guidebook is a must-have for boaters, kayakers and outdoor adventurers. Perfect for trip planning and on-site navigation, the book includes 163 regional and local maps, and dozens of photographs. Part I of the guidebook delves into the Sound’s captivating natural and human history. Part II serves as a marine travel guide, featuring destinations and travel tips with detailed descriptions of hundreds of anchorages, camping locations, and landing beaches suited for small boat mariners, ocean kayakers, and weekend campers.