There are numerous levels on which a field recording may be judged aesthetically; I’ve focused here on the four primary parameters that I evaluate when listening to or making recordings. I have intentionally not specified ‘good/bad’ values or ranges for these parameters. My experience is not so much that more or less of any one of these categories is necessarily better or worse; rather, to the extent that you pay attention to them and work with them to get the result you are after, your recordings will be more interesting and aesthetically engaging to listen to.