The term ‘acoustic ecology’, as well the understanding of what the practice entails, is quite new when compared to the origin of how the sound of the environment was used as music.

The primary function of acoustic ecology was not driven by an artistic vision, but by the desire to find out more about the world - driven by a scientific aim.

R. Murray Schafer, seen in video below, is the person associated with the creation of not only the approach, but also the name.

In the video Schafer discusses his views on how the approach came to be, its recent developments, and where he believes it is heading at present.