Field recording of urban sonic environments: a framework for qualitative analysis

Field recording is the most common method used to capture the acoustic qualities of an environment with one or more microphones. It proved to be particularly useful in supporting qualitative researchers in engaging with the sonic situation they study, providing opportunities to playback and re-listen to the recording and also to share them with others. In this article, we introduce a framework to support the qualitative analysis of urban field recordings taking into account the personal experience of the recordist, the use of written notes taken during recording, the editing, playback and airing of the recordings. By testing the framework in the context of a study on the sonic environment of Montreal’s entertainment district (Quartier des Spectacles), we discuss how it can be used with flexibility to address different research goals and to explore multiple approaches for the qualitative analysis of field recordings within social sciences.