The Musical Influences of Nature: Electronic Composition and Ornithomusicology

Zoomusicology is the study of animal sounds through a musical lens and is leading to a new era of
sonic ideas and musical compositions. This project explores these ideas, with a focus on
ornithomusicology (the study of musicality in bird song) and experiments with how the bird song
could work in electronic music composition. I recorded four different bird species, selected with a
variety of song. The chosen songs were transcribed and analysed by ear and the use of spectrographs.
Using the recordings of chaffinches, dunnocks, robins and blackbirds, I created musical soundscapes
alongside a more traditional styled track. I composed 5 pieces with minimally edited field recordings
so the musical ideas could be presented clearly. This project shows the benefits of using birdsong in
music for the composer and audience.