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Hello folks,
I just wanted to brag about my latest sampling session! The other day, A good friend and I took a hike up Vancouver's "The Lions" peaks (aprox. 1700") I packed about 20pounds of location audio gear and mics, and headed up the mountain. 3 hours later, we were freaking way up in the sky, so I set up my gear in various spots and started recording. I came apon a babbling brook about 30 minutes from the peak. I brought up a few dif. mics just for fun so I set up a tripod beside the brook with the arm of the stand about 6" from the water. I put a RODE s NT1 mic on the stand and recorded a few minutes of the water quickly flowing. When I got home, I transfered the recordings from my DAT to my computer and catalogued it. I could not believe just how bloody gorgeous my brook recording turned out. I started to lust about the possibilities I might have using this as a pad or ambient element in an electronic track! So, I sliced the recording into a 10 second segment and began pitch shifting it up and down 1 semitone and labling each as such. They are so unreal sounding. These samples don't really have a definate pitch so my idea is to start with the initial 10 second sample and call it a "middle C". Then as the track progresses and changes key, I will use the various pitch shifted samples and change them proportionaly to the accual key of the track changing.. I guess we'll have to see how that goes, wish me luck and happy sampling! Yipee!
Regards,
mIchAEl
P.S. When I'm done, I'll post it for critiquing. Please Critique!

Comments

UncleBob58 Fri, 07/25/2003 - 06:14

Really Fun Stuff!!!

I love doing that kind of thing. My daughter woke me up at about 5:30 last Sunday and I just could not get to back sleep (even though she did!). So I ran my TLM-103 on a long cable into my back yard and caught about 15 minutes of birds, etc. waking up for the day. There is so much rhythm in nature that we never really appreciate.

I looped a piece of it and it reminded me of "Several Small Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pict" off of Pink Floyds UmmaGumma.

Thanks mIchAElpEdErsEn, it's nice to know I'm not the only nut out there!

Uncle Bob

:p:

Nate Tschetter Fri, 07/25/2003 - 06:20

Howdy

Very interesting.

I've been preparing to move and hired a big trash dumpster in a few times. It has the most marvelous sound and I've been tempted to go out there with a couple of mics and bang on it for awhile.

Hmm...they're bringing it one last time on Monday...I'm sure my neighbors already realize my "eccentricities"...

Looking forward to hearing that "babbling brook".

UncleBob58 Mon, 07/28/2003 - 06:36

About 27 years ago, right out of high school, I helped a local music store move down the street to a new location. The owner was one of the biggest jerks I have ever worked for. We were putting pianos down in the basement showroom. The only way up and down was a staircase. We were using a mechanical hand truck w/ three guys, one to operate it and two below to steady the pianos. We hade brought three down and were arranging them in the back of the showroom when the owner decided we weren't getting it done fast enough and decided to bring a piano down on his own. He got it down a step or two and the next thing I heard was a full size Steinway upright going end over end down the stairs! It finished by slamming into one of the buildings support pillars and splitting in two. I just wish I had been able to record it, and the foul language that followed. It was "music" to my ears!

Uncle Bob

:p:

anonymous Tue, 07/29/2003 - 07:15

This is the best forum ever! You guys are pure NUTZ and I'm right there with you.

Nate-Great idea.....I'm still looking for someone with a junkie car that will let me record it bashing into a dumpster.

Uncle Bob-You KNOW I have love for you....if you feel like letting me hear the sounds of your backyard, you got my e-mail.

Mike-Proud of you for lugging that gear up the mountain....I bet that will make a killer ambient in a track and I can't wait to hear it in the critique forum.

Keep it guys, you are the greatest wackos ever. I'm glad to know I'm not the only gung-ho nut out here. :d:

anonymous Thu, 08/07/2003 - 03:03

Hey,

this is all really cool you guys are doing... I can imagine people spotting you recording a brook or a dumpster would frown a bit, but who cares...

Anyway, what I wanted to know is what kinda equipment you guys use to make these recordings? I assume you don't drag your entire DAW or even your entire set of analog equipment with you along with a generator and a few miles of power cable (otherwise your babbling brook recording would feature a nice generator sound bleed...) ;)

Is there portable stuff designed for this?

I'm looking forward to hearing some of your samples!

Rob