Soundscapes
Why the Sea Is Rarely Just Background Sound
Learn how to hear the sea as musical material: follow water, wind and distance to tell an active sonic setting from…
The collection
All listening
Read across coastal soundscapes, traditions, scenes, instruments and songcraft. Each piece takes one focused question and keeps place-specific music distinct from broad coastal stereotypes.
Instruments
Fiddle or Concertina: Two Different Ways to Carry a Tune
Compare fiddle and concertina in a coastal dance tune, then shape bowing, bellows and phrasing to suit the tune’s…
Traditions
Before the Recording: Songs That Travelled by Sail
Songs that travelled by sail moved through work, memory and portside exchange; learn how tunes crossed shores while…
Songcraft
The Postcard-Coast Myth: Why Sea Songs Are Not All Nostalgic
Sea songs are not all nostalgic: learn to hear coastal lyrics as memory, humour, conflict or everyday detail, and…
Soundscapes
A Listening Walk for a Windy Afternoon
A coastal listening walk helps you notice shifting wind, surf, birds and harbour sounds with a simple, no-equipment…