this is the first of a two-part edition of framework:afield, entitled the tonic garden – a sonic survey of soothing sounds, produced by mark vernon and ian middleton in scotland. for more information see http://www.meagreresource.com.

notes from mark:

This programme was originally created for ‘Bedside Radio’, a series of programmes made for hospital radio produced by Mark Vernon during an 18-month period as artist in residence at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland. It was designed as an ambient radio piece with patients suffering from insomnia or tinnitus in mind. The voice interviews were initially intended just as research in this survey of soothing sounds but the descriptions and reasoning behind the choices ended up becoming an intrinsic part of the work itself. Field recordings and bespoke music are combined with voices to create a kind of aural survey polling the sounds that were found to be the most relaxing. The Tonic Garden reflects the range of sounds suggested by staff and patients at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Radio Royal volunteers and the public at large.

http://www.frameworkradio.net/