Allotment project

If you’ve arrived here, thank you for showing interest in The Allotment Project.

For those interested in hosting a performance of some or all of the music, there are some extracts of the pieces below. These will increase in number over time as I mix and master final recordings.

Here is some information about the project:

I am asking anyone with an allotment or garden or window box to record sounds they hear whilst enjoying their space. Anything from birdsong, conversations, spades breaking the ground to other wildlife, secateurs snipping, and more! I am asking people to record on mobile phones or any other technology they have available such as a cassette recorder. Then I’m asking them to send them to me.

When I have a substantial collection of ‘allotment sounds’ I will mix them with ambient electronic soundscapes to create some pieces or ‘areas’ of music. Delightfully, there has been quite an interest in sharing sounds of the allotment with including Adam Frost from, amongst other things, BBC’s Gardeners’ World.

During 2024 I will produce a CD of the finished pieces and a companion CD with the original allotment recordings on. This will coincide with a small number of performances. All music and sounds will be available for download with a free digital copy for anyone who has contributed.

I also have some ‘sonic strategies’ for gardeners of all kind to engage with in the form of a printed pamphlet of ideas and instructions that enables them to incorporate their sounds into their own soundscapes (no formal music training required).

Please send your files via www.wetransfer.com to john@handmadesound.co.uk