Q: and/OAR?
A: and/OAR is a publisher and retailer specializing in environmental sound and various forms of avant-garde sound art.
One mission of and/OAR is to help raise awareness and appreciation of the sonic environment that surrounds us. and/OAR
encourages a broader understanding and appreciation of all that is "sound", which in turn, can lead to a better understanding
and appreciation of life in general.
The and/OAR Diffusion shop has been an advocate for making hard-to-find sound art as affordable as possible so that as many
people as possible can afford to collect, explore, experiment and support it. In 2003, a/O started the Diffusion shop in an
attempt to initiate a positive new paradigm in online music sales by providing the best prices plus conscientious customer
service and shipping practices.
A: and/OAR is a publisher and retailer specializing in environmental sound and various forms of avant-garde sound art.
One mission of and/OAR is to help raise awareness and appreciation of the sonic environment that surrounds us. and/OAR
encourages a broader understanding and appreciation of all that is "sound", which in turn, can lead to a better understanding
and appreciation of life in general.
The and/OAR Diffusion shop has been an advocate for making hard-to-find sound art as affordable as possible so that as many
people as possible can afford to collect, explore, experiment and support it. In 2003, a/O started the Diffusion shop in an
attempt to initiate a positive new paradigm in online music sales by providing the best prices plus conscientious customer
service and shipping practices.
Q: What does the name "and/OAR" refer to?
A: "OAR" is an acronym for Overheard And Rendered.
Overheard And Rendered was a recording label from 1999 to 2001.
and/OAR was originally founded in 2001 as a sub-label of Overheard And Rendered.
In 2008, the either/OAR and mOAR series were established in order to expand the range of sound art presented on the label,
while preserving the original focus of the main catalog to environmental sound art as well as the inclusion of installations
(related or unrelated to field recording) and site-specific work. In 2012, a fourth series called fOARward was proposed for
sometime in the future.
Also, the and/OAR & either/OAR names were derived from the phrases "and/or" & "either/or" which are often used in English
sentences to indicate "one or the other" or "both". Therefore, the names were partially chosen because of their all inclusive
nature. They are unifying and collective names. Of course the name "mOAR" just means "MORE" from the same source, only
different. In 2012, "fOARward" will see and/OAR venture even further into previously uncharted territory.
"OAR" is also similar to words in other languages that refer to the ear like "ohr" (German), "oor" (Dutch), "oreille" (French),
"orecchio" (Italian), "orelha" (Portugese), etc.
Additionally, in the film industry,"OAR" refers to "Original Aspect Ratio", which is the size and shape that a director intended
their film to be viewed in, or the size and shape that a film is being presented in. This relates to an obvious interest in film that
has made itself apparent with releases such as "Another Kind Of Language: Dedicated to Andrei Tarkovsky", "Yasujiro Ozu -
Hitokomakura" and "Michelangelo Antonioni - Trilogy And Epilogue". Cinematic references / comparisons are also often made
in release descriptions because this is one of the more compelling aspects of the kind of music that a/O presents, and such
mental connections can enhance the enjoyment of the listening experience, regardless of whether the artist intended the
connection to be there or not. However, in the end, it's really up to the listener to decide what connections they wish to make.
A: "OAR" is an acronym for Overheard And Rendered.
Overheard And Rendered was a recording label from 1999 to 2001.
and/OAR was originally founded in 2001 as a sub-label of Overheard And Rendered.
In 2008, the either/OAR and mOAR series were established in order to expand the range of sound art presented on the label,
while preserving the original focus of the main catalog to environmental sound art as well as the inclusion of installations
(related or unrelated to field recording) and site-specific work. In 2012, a fourth series called fOARward was proposed for
sometime in the future.
Also, the and/OAR & either/OAR names were derived from the phrases "and/or" & "either/or" which are often used in English
sentences to indicate "one or the other" or "both". Therefore, the names were partially chosen because of their all inclusive
nature. They are unifying and collective names. Of course the name "mOAR" just means "MORE" from the same source, only
different. In 2012, "fOARward" will see and/OAR venture even further into previously uncharted territory.
"OAR" is also similar to words in other languages that refer to the ear like "ohr" (German), "oor" (Dutch), "oreille" (French),
"orecchio" (Italian), "orelha" (Portugese), etc.
Additionally, in the film industry,"OAR" refers to "Original Aspect Ratio", which is the size and shape that a director intended
their film to be viewed in, or the size and shape that a film is being presented in. This relates to an obvious interest in film that
has made itself apparent with releases such as "Another Kind Of Language: Dedicated to Andrei Tarkovsky", "Yasujiro Ozu -
Hitokomakura" and "Michelangelo Antonioni - Trilogy And Epilogue". Cinematic references / comparisons are also often made
in release descriptions because this is one of the more compelling aspects of the kind of music that a/O presents, and such
mental connections can enhance the enjoyment of the listening experience, regardless of whether the artist intended the
connection to be there or not. However, in the end, it's really up to the listener to decide what connections they wish to make.
Q: What do you consider to be an "environmental recording"?
A: Since an "environmental recording" is a recording of the sounds of a particular environment, this would include various
kinds of captures made with various open-air microphones, as well as non-open air microphones, receivers, & various sonic
sensor apparati like: piezo discs, hydrophones, geophones, shortwave radios, VLF receivers, satellite transmissions, inductive
mics (magnetic coils), bat detectors, etc.
A: Since an "environmental recording" is a recording of the sounds of a particular environment, this would include various
kinds of captures made with various open-air microphones, as well as non-open air microphones, receivers, & various sonic
sensor apparati like: piezo discs, hydrophones, geophones, shortwave radios, VLF receivers, satellite transmissions, inductive
mics (magnetic coils), bat detectors, etc.
Q: Demos?
A: Not at this time.
A: Not at this time.
Q: Radio promos?
A: We receive a lot of requests from DJs for airplay copies, but after some careful consideration, it was decided that the end
result for this extra expenditure does not justify the cost. We do offer "DJ discounts" for all and/OAR releases and certain
Diffusion shop items, so please contact us about this if you are interested. If we don't know who you are or haven't heard of your
program, we might need to see a website and/or any recent play lists as proof your program actually exists.
A: We receive a lot of requests from DJs for airplay copies, but after some careful consideration, it was decided that the end
result for this extra expenditure does not justify the cost. We do offer "DJ discounts" for all and/OAR releases and certain
Diffusion shop items, so please contact us about this if you are interested. If we don't know who you are or haven't heard of your
program, we might need to see a website and/or any recent play lists as proof your program actually exists.
Q: Limited editions?
A: Yes. From 2001 to 2003, and/OAR was a CDR-only label, so edition numbers ranged from 50 to 150 copies per release. Due
to the revolutionary advent of smaller edition CD replication, CD editions now range from 100 to 1,000 copies per title.
A: Yes. From 2001 to 2003, and/OAR was a CDR-only label, so edition numbers ranged from 50 to 150 copies per release. Due
to the revolutionary advent of smaller edition CD replication, CD editions now range from 100 to 1,000 copies per title.
Q: Logo change?
A: Yes. 2010 marks the beginning of the and/OAR's ninth year of existence. So, in advance of the ten year anniversary (in 2011),
a new logo was introduced. This is a significant change from the original name logo which has been used from the beginning.
Below is a memorial for the previous logo also commemorating the past ten years of work.
A: Yes. 2010 marks the beginning of the and/OAR's ninth year of existence. So, in advance of the ten year anniversary (in 2011),
a new logo was introduced. This is a significant change from the original name logo which has been used from the beginning.
Below is a memorial for the previous logo also commemorating the past ten years of work.
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