Sound Effects

Screaming children, the crinkle of potato chips bags, co-workers talking over each other on a Zoom call, the quiet creep of existential dread filling every inch of your soul: The soundtrack of quarantine is not exactly easy listening. This cacophony not only makes our homes more stressful, but it makes it nearly impossible to concentrate on just about anything.

Writers struggle to focus in the most hospitable environments, so getting myself into the right headspace with all the distractions of home has been an even greater challenge that usual. I feel a little bit like Sarah trying to make her way to the center of the Labyrinth, except that it’s a story I’m after rather than a baby. (Side note: if you don’t have a blog to write, watching David Bowie terrorize puppets while wearing a Tina Turner wig is worth the $3.99 rental on Amazon.)

Alabaster Caverns State Park. Photo by Lori Duckworth.

Since we’re not sure how much longer quarantine will last, allowing myself to get swept away on the sea of unproductivity for the foreseeable future isn’t an option. Thankfully, the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department created something that can help us at-home workers de-stress and declutter—at least when it comes to our sonic environment.

The Oklahoma State Parks Soundscapes album was released just in time for Earth Day last Tuesday. Each of the dozen twelve-minute tracks captures the magic of a single state park. Grand Lake, for instance, features the soothing sound of lapping water. Robbers Cave’s song is layered with rushing wind, hooting owls, and the clicking of thousands of cicadas. And a gentle rainstorm perfectly encapsulates the serenity of Sequoyah—one of my favorite state parks.

"Soundscapes" of Oklahoma State Parks is free at TravelOK.com.

I’ve used natural sounds before—either to induce sleep or concentration—but I usually end up turning it off. These white noise machines often sound fake, or it’ll throw in a jarring noise that stresses me out more than I was before. So many times I’ve been listening to ocean waves, just on the brink of sleep, and the screech of a seagull stabs my brain into full consciousness. Broken Arrow-based Retrospec Films recorded each track live during their travels for their RoadTripOK show, so every sound on Soundscapes is real. Somehow, they achieved the perfect levels, so it’s like hearing an eagle call from high up in the sky, not one screaming in your face.

Natural Falls State Park. Photo by Lori Duckworth.

Though state parks still are open, basically all of their amenities are closed to the public. Until it’s safe to be around other humans again, Oklahoma State Parks Soundscapes is a great way to spend an evening surrounded by our state’s natural beauty. So turn up your phone, close your eyes, and let yourself be swept away by cool spring breezes, bubbling creeks, and the other instruments in nature’s symphony—after you’re off the clock, of course.

Stream or download Oklahoma State Parks Soundscapes for free on TravelOK.com/Soundscapes and Spotify, or purchased it on just about any other digital platform. Email us at Letters@TravelOK.com to let us know which track is your favorite, and which parks aren’t on the album that you’d love to hear.

Written By

Karlie Ybarra

Managing editor Karlie Ybarra loves to explore her home state—and meet many of its animal citizens—any chance she gets.