It's really the sound of the voices, the sound of the words, the sound of the sound that we're interested in. --Anne Dudley
Language is a powerful thing, and the sound of language is its essence. To hear one’s voice is to hear the living spirit. It reveals who we are more deeply and differently than photography. Just think of the last time you noticed someone’s dialect or accent and how the sound of their voice shaped their identity. The human voice impresses itself upon us with such diverse shades of meaning, emotion, and identity that it is like no other human feature.
We are often asked why we specialize in audio. Frankly, we think that the human voice (vox humana) is one of the most distinct and wonderful features of being human.
Each human voice is unique and captures its own time and place. However, unless recorded, voices do not last forever. We choose to record the sound of the human voice so we can hear it and preserve it. Furthermore, we think that it is still worth listening to, as historian Studs Terkel proclaimed. Everyone has something to say of value and meaning. By focusing on the voice, we concentrate on the message.
Indeed, we recognize that audio is a medium that demands both focus and concentration . . . and the imagination of the listener. That is perhaps the medium’s most magical (and challenging) aspect. Anyone who remembers the golden days of radio will attest to it.
No sound--or silence--is innocent
--Alan Hall
