Call Of The Wild

In “Call of the Wild” Bernie Krause makes the somewhat shocking statement that the loudest car audio system is twice as loud as a gunshot at close range. While he is correct, he doesn’t mention that this system is not installed in an auto meant for human occupancy. Systems like this are built by hobbyists who are competing to create the loudest sound. They are fired off by remote control, with all spectators a safe distance from the vehicle.

After reading the interview with Bernie Krause, I happened to walk to the store for bread. On the way, I listened to the sounds of the street, and then the sounds of the mall, and then the sounds of the grocery store. Each had its own song that I hadn’t noticed before, a song of life. It was beautiful.

I was mesmerized by Leath Tonino’s interview with soundscape ecologist Bernie Krause [“Call of the Wild,” September 2014]. After I put it down, I immediately set out for a walk in a nearby wildlife refuge to hear for myself the natural sounds that are slowly being degraded by human industry and indifference. Following a steep, rocky trail, I came to a bluff overlooking a small creek, where I sat on a ledge and just listened. It was amazing. I recorded one minute of the natural chorus on my phone and played it for my husband when I returned home, but it mostly sounded like white noise. We will both return tomorrow to sit and listen.