Bioacoustics is an interdisciplinary science; it concerns aspects of communication through sound in animals, including humans. Within language evolution research, bioacoustics is particularly relevant to address questions about the origins and evolution of speech. Areas of bioacoustics research include the perception and production of acoustic signals, their transmission in the environment, and the neural and anatomical correlates that determine and influence communication. Here, we review the tools needed to conduct bioacoustics research, from initial methodological choices to instrument choice, based on critical features needed for data collection in the field. We discuss key methodological choices in sound recording and processing raw data from a data collection campaign. We provide recommendations for the recording and use of acoustic signals. We discuss analysis techniques, focusing exclusively on rhythm in animal vocalizations. We conclude by stressing the potential for multidisciplinary collaborations, and highlighting key areas where these collaborations could happen.