Field(recording)trip tips

[Amøbe]

Hey everybody!

Since I can't go bonkers in the club these days, I have begun taking walks around Copenhagen (I can recommend this). This got me thinking that why the hell don't I bring the old zoom along and do some field recordings?

Therefore I thought maybe we could have a thread that suggested some nice walk/trips to make if one were to get some nice recordings back from said trip?

Where do you like to go and turn on a recorder? (bonus points for unusual places and places that also look nice)

[Martin]

Im also interested in some tips on this!
I like construction sites, and malls/railwaystations.

[dubdub]

Has anyone tried these mic addons for your phone? Seems a bit less awkward than walking around with a field recorder, especially around people.

[Martin]

Has anyone tried these mic addons for your phone? Seems a bit less awkward than walking around with a field recorder, especially around people.

I use one, its called shure mv88. I used to have a zoom h1 but lost it and got this instead. One big benefit, apart from the one you mentioned, is that you can more easily go through your recordings and cut out the good parts on the phone + i can send them to my macbook with airdrop. A downside is that you need bluetooth headphones or receiver since you cant plug in to the iPhone when the mic is there.

[Ben Kohonays]

Where do you like to go and turn on a recorder? (bonus points for unusual places and places that also look nice)

Years ago I used to spend a lot of time at a railway station through work, usually till quite late. Some of the contraptions that they bring through after the main services have stopped running in the name of maintenance are a sight and sound to behold.
Years later I was living in a place with a train line out the back, about 100-150 yards away partially hidden by a wood. I remember having a smoke out the back at about 3 a.m. one night and this unbelievable sound approached from the distance, very very slowly getting louder as it got nearer. It was like an alien minotaur with toothache screaming into a tunnel; a vast meshing of metal clothes in a gargantuan washing machine. I didn't have anything on hand to record it, but vowed to try and capture the sound later. I believe it was a line straightener, and they only use them every few months.

Despite waiting around some nights in an attempt to record it I had no success. I also tried to get some information from the rail operator about maintenance schedules, but I think they suspected me of wanting to commit some terrorist act or something and were reluctant to give out any information. If I knew where I could record one, I'd go tonight in a flash.

[Críoch]

I know that sound. It's fucking brilliant!

They have that special train that cleans & buffs the tracks. It's sound is IMMENSE.

Really low sound, thick, hummy & subby as the tracks get wiped & as it moves towards a set distance, that scraping noise happens. Looks mad with all the lights at night.

One of my favourites too. Happens once or twice a year afaik. Local houses next to the line usually get a letter.

[illit_]

I'm a big fan of gates, found some amazing creaks in Bristol only a few weeks ago. It sounded like a brass instrument but you could play it like a string.

[Ben Kohonays]

I know that sound. It's fucking brilliant!

They have that special train that cleans & buffs the tracks. It's sound is IMMENSE.

Really low sound, thick, hummy & subby as the tracks get wiped & as it moves towards a set distance, that scraping noise happens. Looks mad with all the lights at night.

One of my favourites too. Happens once or twice a year afaik. Local houses next to the line usually get a letter.

Yeah that's the one. Low subby rumble of the diesel engine with the high pitched screeching of metal playing a deranged symphony over the top.

[subvers^v]

My kid's electronic toys as the batteries fade...messed up low-bit kind of sounds.

Gives me more ideas than usable sounds though so perhaps it falls less under field recordings, more inspiration...

I have access to a medium sized joinery workshop.
Always meant to bring in the zoom recorder and run it beside different machines during the day. Hydraulic presses, saws, sanders, cnc machines...
Some day maybe ..

[Ben Kohonays]

Therefore I thought maybe we could have a thread that suggested some nice walk/trips to make if one were to get some nice recordings back from said trip?

Have you heard of the Soma Labs Ether? It's kind of a receiver but it's tuned to certain electromagnetic frequencies so you could walk around a town or city and it will pick up frequencies and make noises from them as you get closer or further away to (mostly metal) things, e.g. metal railings, steps, posts, shopfronts etc.
It doesn't actually record so you need a recorder with you (keep it in a pocket on the opposite side or the ether will pick up the recorder) but looks fun.

More info and videos available here:
https://somasynths.com/ether_demo/

[Críoch]

This is worth checking out. Cheap & dirty. Plugs into your recorder mic input.

Black Telephone Pickup Coil with Sensitive Microphone

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000L1OZG8/ ... 2EbJWYEZ9N

[Root]

Therefore I thought maybe we could have a thread that suggested some nice walk/trips to make if one were to get some nice recordings back from said trip?

Have you heard of the Soma Labs Ether? It's kind of a receiver but it's tuned to certain electromagnetic frequencies so you could walk around a town or city and it will pick up frequencies and make noises from them as you get closer or further away to (mostly metal) things, e.g. metal railings, steps, posts, shopfronts etc.
It doesn't actually record so you need a recorder with you (keep it in a pocket on the opposite side or the ether will pick up the recorder) but looks fun.

More info and videos available here:
https://somasynths.com/ether_demo/

I think it's a coil pick up in a plastic box. It's nearly 10 times expensive as without the box

--> https://jezrileyfrench.co.uk/coil-pick-ups.php

[borg]

I think it's a coil pick up in a plastic box. It's nearly 10 times expensive as without the box

--> https://jezrileyfrench.co.uk/coil-pick-ups.php

There's a bit more to it than just the box. I have that JRF coil, and you can't just wave it in the air and pick up things. It's cool for the price, you can put it on your booting devices and stuff, but all in all not very impressive. A set of contact mics would serve you better, I think. It's all a bit same with those cheap coil pick ups. The variety of sounds you can get out of that soma box is definitely bigger, judging from the videos.

[Root]

Okay, good to know. I've got that coil, too. Not using it much. I'm more into contact mics, much more fun to me.

[borg]

Ha! I must admit I had to look for mine, hadn't used it in years. It's not that these machines are oozing out symphonies waiting to be picked up, or the sun starts singing into your soma box. It's modulated and filtered noise mostly... So, yes, contact mics! That's been too long as well...

[tsaro]

I always take, well, took, haven't done this in years, a bag full of rocks of various sizes, nothing too large though, a brush-like thingy made of split bamboo (no idea what that was, or where I got it from tbh), and a spoon (no other cutlery, for obvious reasons).

Playgrounds are fun (though you should probably go late in the evening/at night). Lots of stuff with large springs, and then the metal bars/tubing, slides where you can toss your rocks at/through , same goes for anything made of metal like fences, containers and art installations if you can find any nearby.

Construction sites can be a nice sound source, though you should watch your step if you want to record some stuff there. You could try to ask permission to get a bit closer, though I don't think you'll get anywhere with that strategy most of the time.

[Lost to the Void]

I generally always try to take my recorder with me if I am going on a journey.
Headphones, recorder and a contact mic. Sometime I bring a beater, a drumstick and a zulu knobkerrie with a sock over the end.
I go on day trips around london and just record stuff.

Examples of recent recordings. Metal stairwells (contact mic) for clunky thumps - ended up using them for percussion in a bunch of new tracks.
Fridge compressor. Was in the backstage room at a gig and noticed the drinks fridge was making a lovely pulsing musical ringing sound. Recorded with field recorder, pitched it down, ended up using it as a main melodic pad in a new track.
Flagpole. Contact mic on it, then wacked it with the Knobkerrie. It resonated forever. Used it for a big feedback like building sound in a track, also works great for convolution reverbs.

Park benches are great (contact mic) for deep resonant clonky percussion.

Tunnel walls on the london underground when trains come in (contact mic again) for deep rumbles.

Gates and doors and stuff for squeeking (big doors when slammed can make excellent kick drums, big roller doors or warehouse doors, musuems sometimes have ridiculous doors).

There is so much, especially with contact mics, things you think will be great sound meh, and things you think might be sketchy end up sounding awesome.

I think the most recent samples I made and used were from a footbridge over train tracks not too far from me, it made a noise when I jumped really hard, so I stuck the contact mic on it, hit record, walked to the middle of the bridge and jumped up and down.

Ended up with amazing stuff for fucked up basslines.

[Root]

Yess, I've got the feeling that long metal stick-shaped things that resonate are pretty awesome for contact mic stuff. I recorded different types of handrails in the city and it's crazy what sound come out. Rumbles, Kicks, all sorts of deep wonky stuff.

[Lost to the Void]

Handrails are always a go to when I am out and about.
Wooden handrails are great too, they don`t rind for long, but they clunk nicely for percussion.
Modern art sculptures are made out of metal a lot of the time. I`ve gotten a lot of great stuff from sculptures in the city.

[Fourty Two]

I do sample YouTube strange videos.

Ok, I did some recordings, but tbh I never used them (lost SD card with everything). I enjoyed the heck out of it though.
My favourite was bowing rusty wire on fence with as hoc bow made out of branch and my leather belt that I soaked in a puddle. Proper odd sounds, although only like half of the recording was usable due to wind (that I was combating with piece of styrofoam pipe insulation I found in grass).

Good times