-Where to record and how to choose locations-

For anyone wishing to record in the great outdoors, a short walk in a more remote area can help you to find, naturally or by chance, a suitable spot to do so. Good acoustics in a place that is quiet enough or features pleasant natural sounds make it ideal for recording in that moment, making the recording unique and the moment unforgettable.

For the ‘Echoes of the Ancient’ project, however, it was necessary to identify locations that could function in the medium term as potential nature studios – that is, places where the space had been carefully considered, and where different artists and technicians could use the location at different times for musical recordings.

In the case of Monchique, Fungo Azul had already carried out several outdoor recordings, but in temporary and almost random locations, without ever having designated any sites as potential studios. For this project, it was necessary to do so. But how? How do we choose locations in an area covering 395 km²? How did we go about it, and what can we say about this process?

Getting to know the area

First and foremost, it is essential to get to know the area. Not only its geography, topography, vegetation cover, habitats, watercourses and animal species, but also its human uses and land-use patterns.

As a starting point, being familiar with the area and consulting the maps, it was easy to begin by ruling out certain areas. The Monchique area comprises four main settlements: the town of Monchique and the villages of Marmelete, Alferce and Casais. A circle with a radius of a few kilometres was drawn around each of these four settlements.

Next, we marked out strips around the four main roads in the municipality, which run from Monchique to Portimão (south), Aljezur (west), Santa Clara (north) and São Marcos (east). These roads are subject to constant traffic noise.

The area consists of mountainous terrain, with a steep slope on the south-facing side, offering direct views across the rest of the Algarve, stretching all the way to the sea. This coastal area is quite densely populated and noisy, and even features a motor racing circuit; as a result, noise reaches the southern slope of the Serra de Monchique, where, depending on the direction and strength of the wind, it can be quite audible. For this very reason, the entire southern slope was excluded from the map.

In this way, we narrowed down the options within the region and intensified our search for potential studios in the remaining areas.

But what exactly were we looking for? What ideal conditions should we be seeking?

What factors might be important when considering a potential studio location?

1. Absence of human noise – whilst a location may be in a woodland or rural area, it is always subject to agricultural or forestry work involving chainsaws, trimmers or tractors. But naturally, there are locations where such noises occur with greater or lesser frequency. We therefore avoided sites near agricultural, forestry or pig-farming operations. We also avoided sites near residential areas, particularly those where agricultural activities or livestock farming take place. Some areas near footpaths with a high volume of walkers were also excluded.

Mapping tools enabled us to identify many potential sites that could be visited and tested to assess conditions on the ground.

2. Good acoustics – whether featuring echoes, reverberations or dry environments, the most important factor was that they should have interesting acoustics; preferably, the studios should differ from one another, so as to offer a choice to those wishing to record, depending on the desired result. This could be assessed by conducting a brief musical performance test on site, after which the venue would be deemed either suitable or unsuitable.

3. Longevity of the location – if this were a one-off shoot, this point would not be important. However, the aim was to find locations that would be used throughout the two-year duration of the project, and which would ideally remain available for an indefinite period for future recordings arising from the project’s outcome. Hence the search for plots of land or sites that did not appear to offer obvious possibilities for transformation, which would render them unsuitable for recording.

Whilst natural phenomena – whether arising from biological or meteorological processes – or fires can alter a site’s acoustics, human transformation can have a very significant impact in terms of acoustics and sound. For this reason, the site visit also sought to assess the potential for the site to be transformed for a new use. For example, areas of forest ready for felling to extract timber, or the restoration of a ruin into holiday accommodation.

4. Place of interest – it is often said that you eat with your eyes first. The appearance of a dish greatly influences one’s appetite and even one’s sense of taste. It is no different with sound. The eyes also ‘hear’. And so do touch, smell and taste.

That is why the atmosphere and ambience of the space were key factors in the final decision. It is not just about the acoustics. The magic of the place, the landscape, the smells, the feel of the rock and the moss – all these things make the site special, where the authenticity of the performance (and the recording) makes the recording something truly unique.

Investment vs. Regret

In the end, we’re left with a decision on which venues to use. And amongst so many criteria, there’s always the doubt as to whether or not the choice was the right one. None of the criteria is absolute.

Human sounds? Unpredictable!

Acoustics? A matter of personal opinion.

Longevity? Unpredictable!

Place of interest? A matter of personal opinion.

But it is precisely these variables and uncertainties that make this whole project so special and the results so fantastic. And that’s why we’re going out there to have a brilliant time…