Having a Lark

The night can feel slow and timeless. With no light to guide us, the landscape appears the same (and usually, dark) across time. The soundscape, for the most part, is often surprisingly similar. It is a period of rest, of peace, and of meditation. Join us on our journey from dusk to dawn, through a track that we hope will feel as dazed and peaceful as the night.See full episode notes, links for downloading the song, transcripts, and more at https://www.ramitsingal.com/havingalark/1-6-into-the-night

There truly is nothing like the monsoon. According to Khushwant Singh, it is, for Indians’, their “most exciting impact with nature”. Manipal is on the receiving end of the monsoon for almost 4 months of the year - during which period it gets close to 10 times as much rain as London through the year! And the monsoon does its own bit to provide a bit of magic and suspense to birding.See full episode notes, links for downloading the song, transcripts, and more at https://www.ramitsingal.com/havingalark/1-5-monsoon-magic

Conflict and battles are a fact of life in a bird's world, just as they are in ours. But unlike several conflicts portrayed in culture; nature doesn't deem these battles as those between good vs evil, and the frequency of confrontations is certainly higher as all living things fight to protect territory, raise offspring, and find food! Lets go for a walk in the Himalayas, listen to birdsong and experience the occasional hullabaloo caused when a predator turns up.See full episode notes, links for downloading the song, transcripts, and more at https://www.ramitsingal.com/havingalark/1-4-mountain-drama

We already know birds are musical, but how do they compare with our idea of music as we know it today? Can bird calls be used as musical elements, or be used to compliment musical elements? We experiment briefly with what is possible with birds, their calls, and of course, music. See full episode notes, links for downloading the song, transcripts, and more at https://www.ramitsingal.com/havingalark/1-3-birdstep

Now that neither of us live in Manipal, both Preetham and Ramit often spend a lot of time reminiscing about the days spent birdwatching there. This episode takes us to a place where we want to be, and we hope to take you there with us. So come and join us for a morning of birdwatching in Manipal and immerse yourself in the sounds of the region.See full episode notes, links for downloading the song, transcripts, and more at https://www.ramitsingal.com/havingalark/1-2-morning-raga

This is an introduction to our podcast, Having a Lark. Two birdwatchers, one who records bird calls and the other who makes music, combine to explore the possibilities that emerge when music intersects with the sounds of birds. Can music help bring out emotions in bird calls? Can bird calls tell a story with the help of music? Can bird calls become music, and vice versa? We introduce you to who we are and why we began exploring this space.See full episode notes, transcripts, and more at https://www.ramitsingal.com/havingalark/1-1-introduction