It turns out the ZSL have a live food department where they breed exotic bugs to feed some of the animals they keep. What’s even better, they were more than happy to show us around and have a go at recording these bugs. 

Despite its central location within the Zoo and the less-than-ideal acoustics of the room itself, we were lucky on three counts: 

• there were no fans because the bugs require warmth; 

• no heaters either as it was summer, and more importantly, 

• the main bug species was loud.

On top of this, the breeding expert was really accommodating. He gave us a thorough tour of the various species, answered our barrage of questions and even helped us isolate some individuals for recording. 

It felt tropical in there and we were sweating before we even started. The three of us were delighted by the trove though. We exchanged quick glances and got to work without hesitation.

The main species of insect we recorded was the Black field cricket (Gryllus bimaculatis), a common live food for reptiles and pets. This is what they sound like:

Other species included cockroaches and beetles, as well as invertebrates such as woodlice, snails and earthworms.

Michael used his trusty Sennheiser MKH40 (cardioid condenser) for mono insect goodness, Phil brought with him a Neumann RSM191 (Mid-Side stereo shotgun) and a Sanken CUX 100K, renowned for it’s ultrasonic prowess and particularly useful for insects (more on this below). I had packed a pair of DPA 4060s (omnidirectional) mics, because of for their form factor - thinking of getting extreme close ups in small spaces - and because I had an interview recording job in the afternoon. 

I’d also packed a pair of Aquarian Audio H2A hydrophones, and glad I did!

Insects produce all sorts of interesting sounds, from a sound design perspective: buzzing, chirping, tapping, munching, stridulating, thrumming, to name a few rhythmic ones; but there’s plenty of droning, humming or hissing to be had too. They are also useful for suggestive associations when used in backgrounds or ambience tracks.

Courtship is one of the main reasons that insects produce sound, so a little research into their mating habits goes a long way. Other reasons include territorial behaviour, as warning signals and alarm calls, for navigation and even as a defence mechanism through disguise by mimicking. Such is the case of the Ten-lined June beetle (Polyphylla decemlineata) or hissing beetle, which produces a sound similar to a bat vocalisation and was present at the London Zoo. But we failed to record it.

What we did not know and where about to uncover - quite literally - were the sounds produced by beetle larvae, inside decaying soil matter. We buried the hydrophones in one of the breeding boxes that was full with soil and rotting wood, essentially converting them into contact mics. This is what we got:

Why they produce these sounds is still to be fully understood, but biotremology and soil ecoacoustics are growing fields of study. The former is primarily about biological communication via vibrations, while the latter focuses on the study of acoustic and vibrational properties within soil ecosystems.

In this case the ground was soft but out in the field you can get some really experimental sounds by attaching a metal probe to a contact microphone and sticking the probe into the ground. Apparently, this practice dates back to the 70’s when a female member of the Gutai group in Japan began placing microphones underground. In the last couple of decades, UK based sound artist Jez Riley French has been developing these techniques - as well as making contact microphones - for his field recording and creative listening practices.

A great insect to try and record in the summer months are grasshoppers, both individually and as a soundscape. There is something relaxing about the subtle sound of crickets in a meadow. It’s a little more intense in the jungle, but nonetheless useful for our purposes as sound editors and designers.

Another interesting group are aquatic bugs, such as these water boatmen:

With relatively affordable hydrophones (Jez Riley French models, for example) you can record aquatic insects and a whole plethora of other sounds you never thought even existed.

To sum up here are some learnings and tips for recording insects:

• Think inside the box: contact local live food breeders or per stores in your area, which will usually keep insects in boxes. And use boxes to isolate individuals. This applies in the field as well.

• Go ultrasonic: many species of insects emit sounds at ultrasonic frequencies. Record at high sampling rates - 96 kHz or ideally above. Additionally, use microphones which capture sound the human hearing range (20 kHz) - but don’t be fooled if the microphone specs only cover up to 20 kHz, most microphones will record sound beyond that.

• Go underground.

• Go underwater.

• Try and get an ID as much as possible.

I included this last point because as we have explored there is still much to uncover when it comes to insect sounds and communication. Who knows? You could end up recording a behavioural sound that has not been captured before. You can use apps such as iRecord Grasshoppers which covers all species of grasshoppers and connected species in the UK. For German speakers Orthoptera covers many species in Europe. I’m not aware of what is available for the rest of the world but there are reference websites out there such as https://songsofinsects.com/  for North America, where you can investigate.

Happy recording!

Ángel

With relatively affordable hydrophones (Jez Riley French models, for example) you can record aquatic insects and a whole plethora of other sounds you never thought even existed.

To sum up here are some learnings and tips for recording insects:

• Think inside the box: contact local live food breeders or per stores in your area, which will usually keep insects in boxes. And use boxes to isolate individuals. This applies in the field as well.

• Go ultrasonic: many species of insects emit sounds at ultrasonic frequencies. Record at high sampling rates - 96 kHz or ideally above. Additionally, use microphones which capture sound the human hearing range (20 kHz) - but don’t be fooled if the microphone specs only cover up to 20 kHz, most microphones will record sound beyond that.

• Go underground.

• Go underwater.

• Try and get an ID as much as possible.

I included this last point because as we have explored there is still much to uncover when it comes to insect sounds and communication. Who knows? You could end up recording a behavioural sound that has not been captured before. You can use apps such as iRecord Grasshoppers which covers all species of grasshoppers and connected species in the UK. For German speakers Orthoptera covers many species in Europe. I’m not aware of what is available for the rest of the world but there are reference websites out there such as https://songsofinsects.com/  for North America, where you can investigate.

Happy recording!

Ángel

At Sound Ark, we have are incredibly fortunate to collaborate with remarkable people on some truly fascinating projects. This is a fine example.

I first met Simon and Maria, founding members of Ancient Music Ireland, quite by chance. We were gathered in the canteen at Marble Arch Caves, grabbing a quick bite before the start of an unusual concert that I was about to record. Among the group of fine musicians, conversation turned quickly to our respective fields. When I explained my background in film sound, Simon and Maria mentioned they had been looking for a way to present their sounds to the audio-visual production community.

"Look no further!" I said.

A Collaboration Years in the Making

About a year later, Maria got back in touch. After several postponements due to travel restrictions and subsequent lockdowns, I finally made it to their home studio – a beautiful, remote spot tucked away at the end of a valley lane in the Mountains of North County Galway.

I arrived late at night and didn't see much at first. But when morning broke, I realised I was somewhere quite special.

Ancient Music Ireland, A Labour of Love

Simon and Maria have spent over 35 years researching, performing, producing, and promoting ancient musical instruments from Ireland and beyond. Their work is a true labour of love that sits at the intersection of art, history, and sound.

What they do blends experimental archaeology, experimental acousticology, instrument design, and musical performance. Their mission goes beyond music - it's about preserving our shared acoustic heritage: capturing how the world might have sounded thousands of years ago.

Their dedication to authenticity, craftsmanship, and sonic beauty has put them at the cutting edge of their field. And it's something we at Sound Ark feel deeply connected to.

The Recording Process

Capturing the unique sounds of these ancient instruments presented an exciting challenge. Here's a little glimpse behind the scenes:

Pre-Production

• Pre-planned details were crucial: gathering names, photos, and as much information about the instruments and recording location as possible.

• We aimed to record at the highest possible bit and sample rates to ensure maximum fidelity.

Recording Approach

• Controlling the acoustics was key. We wanted a neutral sound, but we also embraced the natural acoustics of the valley and studio where appropriate.

• Instruments were recorded with generous headroom - at least 6dB - avoiding any unnecessary compression or limiting. These are still musical instruments, not V8 engines!

Editing and Mastering

• All "false takes" were kept; what may seem like a mistake could be gold in the right hands.

• We avoided any heavy-handed spectral plugins, knowing that artefacts would become audible especially when samples are pitch-shifted later.

• Great care was taken with editing: checking for unwanted clicks, especially after pitch manipulation, and ensuring clean waveforms at the tops and tails.

Lessons: Producing a Sound Library

From this project, a few golden rules emerged for anyone putting together a sound library:

• Dynamic Headroom: Always leave room below 0dB, especially when planning to pitch-shift samples.

• Spectral Checking: Use detailed spectrogram displays (like iZotope RX) to spot clicks and glitches.

• Phone Discipline: Stay focused. A great trick I use: set up a time-lapse recording of your work session. It’s motivating and keeps distractions at bay.

• Soft Rules for Kontakt Instruments: When building instruments for platforms like Kontakt, ensure dynamic integrity, avoid over-processing, and double-check pitched samples.

Bonus Tip: When pitch-shifting low by large amounts (like -24 semitones), give your samples extra margin at the start. Pitching low can "pull" audio backwards in time, sometimes creating unwanted clicks or truncations at the beginning of the file. This process of re-sampling can cause the beginning of the audio to be reinterpreted or to get cut off, creating a time-shift that results in clicks or truncated audio.

The Result: PALEOSONIC

The result of this collaboration is PALEOSONIC, an extensive sound library and fully playable Kontakt instrument featuring these ancient sounds.

You can purchase it directly from Ancient Music Ireland here:
👉 Buy PALEOSONIC Sound Library + Kontakt Instrument

Whether you’re a composer, sound designer, or music historian, this library offers a unique palette of prehistoric sounds ready to be explored.

Production Credits:

• Production & Cover Design: Maria Cullen O'Dwyer

• Instruments Performed By: Simon O’Dwyer

• Production Advisor - Gerry Owens (Black Bag Music)

• Kontakt Instrument Implementation and Design: Hadi El Hosri

• Recording, Editing and Mastering: Angel Pérez Grandi
  
  

A Toast to Good People and Good Work

These recordings took place amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with all necessary precautions, face coverings, and distancing observed throughout. Yet at no point did it feel restrictive. Quite the opposite: Simon and Maria went above and beyond to create a smooth, enjoyable recording experience. Yet another small example that when we put our minds together - when we collaborate - we can do beautiful things.

As I said at the top, we have been lucky to work with kind, respectful people who are passionate about what they do. I can’t wait to hear these unique ancient sounds make their way into new worlds of storytelling and production.

Cheers to that and to future collaborations!

To finish, here is a little demo and behind the scenes video:

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]]>Recording Prehistoric and Medieval SoundsGearAngel Perez GrandiFri, 08 Mar 2024 14:10:07 +0000https://www.soundarkstudios.com/blog/new-hydrophone-aquarian-audio-a5-first-impressions5261968ee4b06072c3521a8b:5261b612e4b0c5267bb294b8:65e838af5552da357299e57a

I have been a happy user of Aquarian Audio H2a hydrophones for some years but on a recent relocation I lost track of them. Hopefully they will resurface (pun intended), but in the meantime work knocked on the door and I had to get a new pair. I found that what was the H2a is now called the H2d and has an upgraded signal conditioning circuit to improve sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio.

This was gold to my ears. However, speaking to Aquarian Audio’s (AA) customer support about delivery times, they mentioned a new model in the works, which they had started selling to enquiring customers: the Aquarian Audio A5 hydrophone. Five days later and two A5s with custom 30 meter long cables arrived through the post.

On first impressions the A5 feels well built and sounds much more pleasing to my ears. Aquarian’s engineers confirmed it is intended to replace the H series in due course and it’s clear they have tried to improve on it, as you would hope from a new model. They also sent me an unpublished web page, showing the temporary (pre mass production) specifications for the A5. This, together with the actual units and my correspondence with AA, is what I’m basing this article on. Please note I have avoided giving specifications that AA considers temporary, as per their request.

The exterior design has changed considerably compared to the H series. 

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Smaller capsule

Smaller in diameter than an XLR connector – the H2x capsules are larger. This offers the obvious advantage that you can fit the hydrophone through smaller gaps. But it doesn’t stop here as there is a way, through the other end, to access even smaller gaps. More on this below.

DetachEable dumb weight

The stainless steel weight (115 g vs 105 g on Hx’s) is now removable. It has the same width as the capsule (keeping it to XLR diameter) and is designed to screw directly onto it, resulting in a seamless coupling. It is sold separately however, but in my opinion is essential if you want you want your hydrophone to stay submerged and relatively still, particularly in waters with currents.

New cable

The cable has been improved as well. My H2a’s came with the CA-51 ‘low-noise hydrophone cable’. The A5 uses their new CA-52 ‘coaxial hydrophone cable that offers a tighter shield with steeper helix angle, which substantially improves triboelectric noise while slightly improving flexibility’. In other words, it’s a better shielded and more flexible cable. (Shielding is the protection against incoming and outgoing electrical interference, which can translate in unwanted signals in your audio. Made of braided tinned copper in this case). It definitely feels less stiff and I would describe the cable memory as OK; it coils relatively easily considering it’s new and that I have 30 meters of it. AA’s hydrophones usually ship with a choice of 3, 6, 9 or 15 meter length cables. You can also choose a custom length and 30 meters is their maximum recommended length before potential signal attenuation problems. Handling cable noise seems the same or a little improved too, but I have no equal conditions tests to base this on. Note: judging from AAs website the upgraded H2d comes with the newer cable as well.

Smaller connector, with a twist

Instead of soldering the cable directly to an XLR connector (or other connector of your choice, as per H series) the A5 terminates in a low-profile 3.5 mm TRS (tip ring sleeve) output plug; your classic mini jack. This looks well sealed and the low profile design allows it to easily pass through small orifices (their words not mine), essentially through anything wider than 3.5 mm. The mini jack is designed to accept plug-in power (PIP) – aka phantom power – from digital recorders, which all AA hydrophones require to operate. But AA recommend using their PIP to XLR adapter to connect to an XLR input, and for good reason. 

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PIP (Plug-in-power) to XLR adapter

The adapter converts the PIP mini jack to a balanced XLR output. It is sold separately and requires phantom power to work. Again the design is kept low-profile with all the circuitry tucked into a standard XLR connector. Using their adapter as opposed to other commercially available ones will lower the noise, and give it a true balanced output that will work with any recorder. It is installed by simply clicking in the cable’s male mini jack to a female socket inside the XLR adapter. 

Personally, I find the adapter a double-edged sword. If I have to point out a weak link this would be it. Connection points in any audio setup involving liquids usually are, offering an opening to all sorts of problems. But also in this case the connection can come loose and un-click, given enough pull. This happened to me and it took a while to figure it out. Suffice to say I was delighted to know there was no problem with the hydrophone proper. It’s a shame I lost a whole day’s worth of recordings, but in future I know to where to check first if I loose signal again — and you know too.

This considered, AA have done a good job at minimising the “weakest link” by compartmentalising it. In the H series the connector was soldered directly onto the cable so if it caught any dampness, it travelled down the cable. I also got a hint that this modularity will make it compatible with planned cable extensions.

But the most significant changes are internal.

The sound

The new circuitry, is what gives the A5 a different sound. As I said, I cannot give specific figures but I can confirm that the sensitivity is higher than that of the H series. It also has a more sophisticated signal-conditioning board that will ‘give consistent gain, regardless of what it is plugged into’. The sales team told me the useful frequency range is also broadened. This confused me initially because the H2x’s boast a frequency response from <10 Hz to >100KHz and the bandwidth I had seen for the A5 was much narrower, certainly not in the ultrasonic spectrum. So I asked them what they meant by “useful”, useful to who? 

This is what I got:

‘The "useful range" specification is not intended to be misleading, but it does confuse people. We have many users that will use the H2 for monitoring the presence or timing of high-amplitude ultrasound signals, like location pingers or anti-fouling equipment. So we do consider them useful at these ultrasound frequencies. But output is very low. Sensitivity is down 40 dB at 100KHz. The linear range is what you are concerned with. The A5 is actually filtered above a certain frequency, so it is not a good ultrasound receiver. It does sound much more linear throughout our auditory range though. We don't really want anybody to consider these measurement devices. They are designed for general audio recording and ecotour support, so neither will have data sheets similar to what you would see with our scientific grade AS-1’.

To my ears, the linear frequency response up to 15KHz results in a more pleasant sound than the somewhat mid-frequency dominant sound of the H2x’s. In fact, they remind me of the considerably more expensive Ambient ASF-1 hydrophones, which I rented on one occasion. 

Price-wise the A5 is little more expensive than the H series hydrophones, but not by much. Getting the A5’s instead of the H2d’s, cost me an additional USD 50 per unit. This is mainly down to the additional parts, such as the PIP-XLR adapter and the dumb weight, being sold separately. Ultimately, I think this modularity is an advantage. Whilst there is a small amount of assembly required on unboxing, the instructions provided are clear and simple. There is one part I’m missing which was not yet ready to ship with the A5, and that is the contact mic converter. It consists of a moulded rubber cup that fits on the hydrophone capsule giving it a flatter profile, essentially converting it into a contact microphone. I found it really useful with the H2a - albeit not the easiest contact microphone to attach to different surfaces — and I’ll be getting those if they become available. Bear in mind that there is import duty if you are buying a custom length hydrophone direct from Aquarian’s US headquarters, or if you ever need a repair. As an indication, for two A5’s the duties, taxes and fees were GBP 97.66 (summer 2023).

What’s next?

First, it would be great to see the final data sheets for the A5 and how they stack up to other hydrophones, including AA’s H series. Personally, within the Aquarian family I would be interested in using their scientific grade AS-1 model. Beyond Aquarian I would be really curious to try and build one from scratch following DJJules’ World Class Hydrophone Instructables, which I believe some WSRS members are doing or have done already. (If so, an article on that experience would be a great read.)

A word about AA in general 

I cannot speak highly enough of Aquarian’s customer service. They respond quickly, even considering the Europe-US time difference, and mindfully, always going the extra mile to solve any queries. In their website it reads ‘every product design is a balance of strengths and compromises. We strive to provide tools that are relevant to our customers without needless expense.’ It is fair to say i’m pleased with the A5s and in my opinion they honour their mission statement. 

I cannot provide a pound for pound comparison until (if!) I find the H2a’s but in this link you can find two recordings made in a similar location, a sea loch in the Outer Hebrides - with a pair of H2a in 2018 and with a pair of A5s in 2023. The conditions and time of year were similar, in August on a calm sea. Both were recorded from a dinghy, close to shore, and the recorder is also the same, a Sound Devices 744T. They were not made on the same loch though or at the same depth, hence one (H2a, 15 m deep) sounds busier than the other (A5, 3 m deep). I also increased the gain on the H2a recording by 5 dB.

Underwater Sea Loch - A5’s

Underwater Sea Loch - H2a’s

(feel free to use these sounds under the Sound Ark License Agreement).

Here you can see the location where the A5 recording was made. The H2a recording was made on the next loch.

Also see these videos on David de la Haye’s Youtube channel, comparing the H2a to the A5:

Comparing hydrophones part 1 - David de la Haye

Comparing hydrophones part 2 - David de la Haye

Aquarian said they can still make H2a hydrophones for those wanting to match a previous purchase, whilst supplies last. These are also sold at discounted prices by several distributors I checked.

Important note: I’m not affiliated to AA or the distributors.

That’s all thank you for reading!

Manufacturer
www.aquarianaudio.com

Some UK distributors (March 2024)
www.nhbs.com
www.pinknoise-systems.co.uk
www.raycom.co.uk
For rest of the world, go to the AA website under Resellers.

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Two years and one pandemic ago I was approached to record a unique concert in County Fermanagh. Organised by the Cuilcagh to Cleenish heritage project to showcase the music and culture of these water-logged lands, Going Underground! took place in September 2019. The chosen venue was the atmospheric water-carved chambers of Marble Arch Caves, part of the wider UNESCO Global Geopark, our local nature gem here in Fermanagh and Cavan. The challenge involved recording several musical performances and spoken voice, at various locations along the cave system, with a free-moving audience, and a potentially flooded river - after all this is Ireland and rainfall is almost written in law.

Acoustically these natural halls are a delight, except for the one big elephant in the room, you might have guessed it: water. Masses and masses of water sink through the limestone from three different rivers into the cave system. When the flow is low, the noise of the water is akin to a trickle. When the flow is high however, it turns into white noise, our most pervasive enemy as sound recordists, as it covers the entire human audible range. And if the flow is very high some chambers flood and the caves close to the public.

The week of the concert we had copious amounts of rain, and there were talks of cancelling the concert. But we went ahead; after all, if it wasn’t for water none of this (none of us!) would be here. So we embraced it and what a night it was. My favourite aspect of the night, aside from the setting and the challenge it posed as a sound recordist, was to see so many community members, all gathered to enjoy a special evening listening to music; listening to their music.

There was also spoken word, tea, cake, and a wider sense of discovery as the audience moved in small groups around the different chambers, following the sounds. Here is Séamas McCanny setting the tone at the entrance gates:

After Séamas’ dark stories, the crowds were then lead inside the cave in small groups to listen to a talented roster of musicians spanning all generations, including: Cathal McConnell, Shauneen Maguire, The Tumbling Paddies, Ancient Music Ireland, Mullaghy Flute band, The Owens Sisters and Tommy Owens and Eugene Dolan.

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Geeky technical details

In order to cover all the performances in the given time I used what I would decribe as a combination of field recording and live gig recording techniques. Each performer would play to a given group, and I had to hop between groups, usually arriving before a group settled and leaving after their departure so as to to reach the following ‘stage’ before the next group’s arrival. There were 5 audience groups and 7 performances inside the cave, plus an 8th one in the cave’s cafeteria. This meant I had to haul a portable rig to capture everything, as well as to find suitable pit stops where I pre-dropped mics and cables to plug into when necessary. Luckily one of the cave guide’s (sorry I cannot remember your name) helped me carry 2 sets of microphone stands along the way. This is the gear I used:

Portable kit

DIY Binaural head (named Aurora) with OKM Classic matched omnidirectional microphones recording onto a Sony PCM-D50 (see picture below).

2x Sennheiser 8040 Cardioid microphones, 1x DPA 4060 omnidorectional microphone, 2x lightweight microphone stands, recording onto Sound Devices 744t recorder though a Sound Devices 552 mixer.

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Pre-rigged

Heavy duty microphone stands and Shure SM58s and SM57s. These were placed mid-way through the route, coinciding with the biggest group of performers (The Tumbling Paddies) for which I needed that extra number of channels. Their location was quite tricky as there was a lot of water dripping from the ceiling, which was not only a source of noise but also a risk to the gear. Luckily the Shure dynamic mics are well known for their sturdiness.

Despite the not ideal conditions, it was a one-of-a-kind experience and on the whole we all appreciated the results. You can listen to the full concert playlist here, hopefully you will get a feeling of what a great evening was had. Personally, I am grateful to have been given the chance to play a small part in preserving the local acoustic heritage, which is what Sound Ark is all about.

My thanks to Cuilcagh to Cleenish, the performers, the audience, and the Marble Arch Caves staff. Thank you for reading.

This week we experienced something beautiful, as a field recordist, as a family and as lovers of nature. If I was a kid it would have remained hetched in my memory forever - and sharing the experience with two of my kids (ages 6 and 2), their uncle and their grandad, is what made it special.

The plan was just to do a morning walk up to some local cliffs were my in-law had eyed a pair of Peregrine Falcons Falco Peregrinus and their chick doing acrobatics. To the seasoned bird watcher or wildlife sound recordist this might not sound as special as I’m making it but having such a spectacle a 3 mile drive plus a 2 mile walk away from home has to be pretty unique.

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On our way up we found the remains of two kills, one we guessed from a Pigeon, the other with smaller brownish feathers we are not sure - please leaves us a comment below if you have any suggestions.

When we reached the bottom of the cliff we could only see (and hear) the one falcon chick perched up on a dead conifer in the distance. As we got hypnotised by the constant calling and the birds got used to us being there, one of the parents flew to the perched chick and gave it a firm nudge, as if to push her to get flying.

Soon after and quite dramatically as one of the parents soared past the scrape (their nesting place), two more chicks and the remaining parent suddenly took off racuously. That’s when we realised that the Peregrine had hatched, not one, not two, but three presumably healthy chicks. What ensued was pure reverance for these agile flyers. All of us, big and small, had a grounding moment as we observed what looked like the best flying lessons any bird coud hope for.

For us adults, it was a real privilege to witness such animals in their natural environment and to be able to share a precious memory with the children. My in-law has always had a passion for birds and nature in general. When he was a child he kept an Owl in his room without his parents knowing (I know, different times). So i know this day had a particular resonance with him.

For the kids it must have been exciting too. Ever since their grandad gifted them a beautiful 1980’s hand-drawn bird book, our children have shown an insatiable interest for birds. We have enjoyed learning about our local visitors such as Blue Tits, Robins, Swallows and Starlings (more colonisers than visitors these last ones!). But their personal favourites are the Long-eared Owl, the Golden Eagle and... the Peregrine Falcon, because it’s the fastest member of the Animal Kingdom. So for them, especially for the eldest who was more aware of it all, it was one mindful event.

From a Field Recording point of view, the conditions were near excellent; light breeze, a good distance from human hustle, and the rugged cliffs acting as a natural amphitheatre, enveloping the birds’ screeching calls.

I believe the experience it marked us all positively in many, sometimes crossing, ways. And I know that because there was silence, even from our sonourous two-year old. What started as a possible plan to occupy the morning ended up being a vintage day out. As my in-law put it, this is wild nature at its very best. To which I will add: right on our doorstep.

Ireland is noticeably quieter on Sunday mornings - hallelujah! - so I was back at the location early on Sunday to get a cleaner recording, which I did, but the Peregrine family fell silent an hour or so after my arrival. I saw one of them fly off into the valley to the farmlands, so I presume it was hunting time. Mind you the rest (or all for that matter) might have still be lurking quietly on the rocks as their plumage mimetises so perfectly with the colour of the cliffs. In any case, the intensity of the display was nothing like we experienced on the first visit, which strengthens my view that it really was a special day. I had nonetheless a very special encounter with what I believe was an Irish Hare Lepus Timidus Hibernicus, who kept skipping towards me unaware of my presence. You can see this in the video below (at 4m17).

The plan from now until the juveniles leave and ultimately the pair leave for winter, is to keep going back whenever possible to monitor any developments. I recently joined the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group as a volunteer so I will be relaying any relevant information to them. From a Field Recording point of view my aim is to get more call variations, and closer recordings. For the latter I will pursue a license and seek expertise from the Wildlife Sound Recording Society on how to approach what seems unapproachable. From a visual entertainment point of view, I dream of seeing a live kill in mid air.

Ultimately, if it was not clear enough, I am delighted that the experience has triggered such a powerful response in the children, for to value nature is one of the positive gains in life.

The pilgrimage will go on.

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Its been a year since our first trip to the Outer Hebrides in the Winter of 2017, where we recorded the sounds of Julie Brook's mesmerising Firestacks. Six months later in the Summer of 2017, we were lucky enough to revisit this stunning corner of the world, on a follow-up assignment; this is a brief account of the experience.

The main focus of these field recording trips is to document the life-cycle of the Firestack; from building, to firing, to extinction, as well as its environment. An important perspective that Julie has always been keen on capturing is the underwater one - what does it sound like under the surface when the tidal waves engulf the Firestacks?

On the first trip we had the privilege to work with a pair of Ambient ASF-1 Hydrophones, which we absolutely loved. The second time round we used a H27S Stereo Hydophone from Monkey Sound - an artisan contact mics manufacturer based in Spain - as well as our old faithful JrF D-Series Hydrophones. The H27S caught our attention because it comes in one casing. Given the rough seas we faced the first time round, it seemed like a practical feature in terms of retrieving the mic planted in the Firestack after the tide has covered it (Firestacks are around 1.5 meters tall at their highest point). These clips give you an idea of the colour and stereo field of this neat, relatively new, hydro-mic on the market.

You can download longer versions of these recordings here (free to use under the Sound Ark License Agreement).

Here's a few more sights and sounds we recorded - hope you enjoy them on your device as much as we enjoyed them in the field.

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These are cold long days in a remote bay on the Western-most part of Lewis, and that's what makes it so special. There is practically no shelter, the nature is bare and the exposure to the elements constant. There is virtually no noise pollution, very little chatting between the crew and so the day becomes mostly a long introspective moment. It's a positive experience - you are immersed in the surroundings, constantly active, albeit completely still a lot of the time. The hours fly and before you know it (plus a 40-minute hike) you are back at the bothy, lighting the fire and regaining your extrovert self with the help of a dram of Scotch whisky.

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Without a doubt one of the most inspiring assignments we have had the pleasure to work on so far, looking forward to round 3!

What's the most inspirational recording or filming location you have worked in? We'd love to hear your stories, especially if the location was free from noise pollution or on the contrary extremely noisy - you can leave us a comment below.

I received the microphone yesterday and went straight to the closest water feature to give it a test. I will say straight away that I was blown away by the quality. From feel to looks it is apparently clear this is a superior piece of kit. It ships with a default (thick) 10m long cable and I also got a 50m one as the location I'll be recording in is subject to high tides.

To a Field Recordist, the opportunity of hearing something you’ve never heard before or just hearing it like never before, is the ultimate reward. The ASF-1, with its low noise and wide frequency response, enables just that. My experience with underwater recording so far always left me with a feeling that something was missing. Frequencies mainly but also the sensation that water was an adverse and somehow inaccessible medium for sound. This hydrophone completely removes all those barriers. It gives, allow  me the pun, a fully immersive experience. Here's a few downloadable samples:

To sum up, in case it wasn’t clear enough: I’m completely sold. And if I had the money I’d get it straight away, times two. The total cost including underwater accessories would circle around £1500 per mic, so for the moment we’ll stick to renting it from these lovely people. 

PS - a short comparison A/B file with the JrF D-Series Hydrophones can be downloaded here - I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

“Every week we highlight a movie with outstanding sound, whether that’s for it’s importance to cinematic history, it’s creative use of sound or the sheer audio enjoyment factor of the film.”

Delicatessen (1991)

The good weather that has finally reached these isles has kept us off the screens for a few days. But now that our week of summer is over, we can pick up right where we left, with another great sounding movie: Delicatessen (1991) - written and directed by Jean Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro.

Set in a post-apocalyptic 1950's French town, a butcher-landlord serves human meat to its tenants who keep "mysteriously" disappearing. The importance of this small film is very much underestimated as it has had a huge influence on a whole generation of filmmakers from the nineties to present days. The film is plagued with scenes where sound, images and music interweave, creating an atmosphere that is difficult to forget. That synergy is the product of the brilliant collaboration between Jeunet - who gave us Amelie 10 years later - and Caro, whose multidisciplinary talents know no borders as he is credited Chief Sound on this too. The richness and texture of the audio language deployed in Delicatessen is an absolute feast to the ears. Not to be missed. 

Sound Department (15)
Vincent Arnardi... sound re-recording mixer
Marc Caro...sound effects
Laurent Dreyer...assistant sound mixer
Gérard Hardy...sound editor
Larry Hopkins...layback sound mixer
Didier Jouyaux...assistant sound editor
Jean-Pierre Lelong...foley artist
Anne-Marie Lhote...sound editor (as Anne-Marie L'Hote)
Mario Melchiorri...assistant foley artist
Muriel Moreau...dialogue editor
Daniel Orsini...assistant dialogue editor
Julie Pribula...trainee dialogue editor
Jérôme Thiault...sound effects / sound engineer / sound
Jacques Thomas-Gérard...adr mixer
Laurent Zeilig...assistant sound engineer / boom operator

MicMacs (2009)

Following the Delicatessen thread we came to another unmissable film with outstanding sound design. Equally quirky, with that unmistakable 'Jeunet' production design and cinematography, Micmacs à Tire-Larigot (as its strange original title goes), is a black comedy with a good dose of action. Barely a scene goes by where sound is not a major contributor to the story. If it's not centre stage, it's adding a layer of commentary in the background. The characters all have a distinctive way of communicating, some loudly, some quietly, some are also mute, and its the noises they make and the objects they interact with that tell us about them. Even the score is at times full of sound effects. This whole movie is imbued with dynamic musical sounds, resulting in a rich, purposeful and simply beautiful soundtrack. Pure sonic dynamite.

Sound Department (13)
Vincent Arnardi...sound re-recording mixer
Selim Azzazi...sound effects editor
Nicolas Becker...fx foley artist
Sophie Chiabaut...boom operator
Rym Debbarh-Mounir...post-synchronization editor
Gérard Hardy...sound editor
Alain Lévy...post-synchronisation
Pierre Martens...sound recordist
Josselin Panchout...adr boom operator / second sound assistant
Julien Perez...sound re-recording mixer
Jean Umansky...sound engineer
Marilena Cavola...supervising dialogue editor
Jean-Pierre Lelong...supervising foley editor (uncredited)

Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (2006)

Zidane, un portrait du 21e siècle is a one-of-a-kind documentary that follows the sporting icon during a football match, in real time, shot from 17 angles. Whether you like football or not is almost irrelevant. This slow-paced intimate film portrays a guy going about his daily job.

The visuals are mundane and vastly repetitious, and it is only through sound that this movie becomes special. Through sound we feel the gravity of an experience for the individual- it is this that is key. The level of intimacy achieved, despite the subject being one so often portrayed on a grand panoramic scale, is impressive. The brushing of grass on boots, the flashbacks to an algerian childhood of playing in the streets, are all private moments of this players experience that we as an audience have never been privy to before. A football match is such a connecting event, one that brings people together as if becomming one organism. But the soundtrack of this movie reminds us that there is always the private experience- no matter how public or open the action is.

A big shout-out to Supervising Sound Editor Selim Azzazi and team who spent a week in Madrid gathering a blend of field recordings (stadium crowds, players training, spanish crowds) that came essential in post to build this outstanding soundtrack.

Sound Department 
Selim Azzazi...supervising sound editor
Nicolas Becker...foley artist
Nicolas Bourgeois...assistant sound editor
Clément Cartallas...sound operator
Alan Collins...sound facility director: ardmore sound
Vincent Cosson...co-sound re-recording mixer
François Fayard...sound effects editor
Jon Goc...assistant sound editor (as Jonathan Goc)
Jaime Guijarro...assistant sound recordist
Scott Guitteau...sound operator
Alex Hudd...sound consultant: dolby
Erwan Kerzanet...sound operator
Damien Lazzerini...foley engineer (as Damien Bera)
Guillaume Leriche...foley engineer
Hubert Persat...sound effects editor
Cyrille Richard...sound editor
Mathieu Weber...boom operator
Alexandre Widmer...sound editor
Clément Cartallas...assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Will Files...assistant sound designer (uncredited)
Tom Johnson...re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Randy Thom...sound designer (uncredited)

Soundscape field recordings of the Cattle Market in Kashgar (Xinjian, China), which takes place once a week on Sunday. It is known to be one of the largest livestock markets in Central Asia. Recorded in July 2011.

Lonely Planet puts it well: 

"The day begins with Uyghur farmers and herders trekking into the city from nearby villages. By lunchtime just about every sellable sheep, camel, horse, cow and donkey within 50km has been squeezed through the bazaar gates. It’s dusty, smelly and crowded, and most people find it wonderful, though the treatment of the animals often leaves something to be desired.

Trading at the market is swift and boisterous between the old traders; animals are carefully inspected and haggling is done with finger motions. Keep an ear out for the phrase ‘Bosh-bosh! ’ (‘Coming through!’) or you risk being ploughed over by a cartload of fat-tailed sheep."

Here are a few shots to keep you entertained whilst you listen (© Ángel Pérez):

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The Tour de France is the largest sporting event in the world. Spanning three weeks, with an audience of 3.5 billion on television and 12 million on the roads. It is also unique in that you don't need a ticket to attend and you can get really close to the action - sometimes even in the action if you suffer from space awareness deficit. This is what it sounds like at the Alpe D'Huez, one of the legendary climbs of the sport:

A little background:

"Described in the press as the best Tour de France since 1989. This was the third of three incredible days in the Alps before the final individual time trial in Grenoble the next day where Cadel Evans was to sentence the Tour, the first Australian victory in the history of the race. Alberto Contador was on fire that day after blowing up the day before going up the Galibier, when he lost any hopes of winning the 2011 race. He attacked at the base of the Télegraphe and only Andy Schleck managed to follow. They passed clear over the Col du Télegraphe and the Galibier. The peloton went on panic mode and finally managed to wheel them in just before the start of the final climb of the day; the legendary Alpe D'Huez. One kilometer into the climb Contador attacked once again. This time none of the GC contenders managed to follow but 5 km before the finish line he blew up and Samuel Sanchez bridged the gap, dragging with him frenchman Pierre Roland. At this point, 2km before the finish, Roland saw a window of opportunity with the two tired spaniards and cycled clear to a magnificent solo victory."

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And for a bit of fun. Because we love the sport and because the Grand Tour season starts this weekend with the Giro, here's a little warm up:

“Every week we highlight a movie with outstanding sound, whether that’s for it’s importance to cinematic history, it’s creative use of sound or the sheer audio enjoyment factor of the film.”

Hunger (2008)

This title was chosen in honour of it being the annual Irish Film & Television Awards (April 10th), and also Ireland's centenary year. The Irish film industry is a rich and diverse one, and right now is booming, but perhaps it's greatest contributions in terms of sound has to be Steve McQueen's Hunger (2008).

An incredible story that deserved to be told as acutely as it was here, Michael Fassbender puts in the performance of a life time. With very sparse dialogue -apart from one key scene- and minimal music, we feel, hear and experience the hunger striker's ordeal mostly through the medium of sound.

McQueen was adamant that he wanted a visceral realistic soundtrack, one that you could almost smell. Sound Designer Paul Davies and team relied heavily on the production track (recorded by Mervyn Moore and Ronan Hill), to which they added detailed Foley and ADR breaths to achieve that stylised but realistic feel. Every breath, every squeak, every rustle of the sheets was carefully chosen. Hunger is a tough watch but it's precisely the scarce use of music and dialogue that has us focusing on the sounds, and eventually more involved in the story.

American Graffiti (1973)

One for the sixties kids, written and directed by George Lucas. Set in 1962, it follows a group of high-school kids cruising through the town's high street, passing one last night out before they set off to college.

Part of American Graffiti's charm is that it's packed with music of the time (42 songs back to back) but what is notorious about the soundtrack is that all music is diegetic, meaning that what you hear is what the characters are hearing. George Lucas wanted the music to sound as if it was realistically emanating from the sources (car radios, street speakers, diner Tannoys). In order to achieve this, sound designer extraordinaire Walter Murch came up with a technique he called Worldizing, which consists on playing recorded sounds in real world spaces and re-recording them back to tape. 

Lucas and Murch took a speaker and recording gear to a city backyard. They set up 50 feet apart and re-recorded a full 3-hour long radio show, performing moves to diffuse the acoustics of the sound. Back in the studio Murch was able to balance between the dry audio and the worldized recordings, making it much easier to have all that music blended in naturally with the dialogue. It is the equivalent to depth of field in photography, where your subject is in focus and the background is smoothed out. The concept of Worldizing was very innovative at a time when digital reverberation units didn't exist. It remains to this day a unique method of effecting audio in ways that even the most advanced plugins can't quite replicate.

Techy talk aside, this is a very entertaining coming of age movie, with an outstanding soundtrack, that you should check out.

Das Boot (1981)

Das Boot follows the hardships endured by the crew of a German U-boat during the hike of World War II, their sense of duty as they battle for survival mixed with fear and doubts about their purpose.

All these emotions are compressed in the claustrophobic confinements of the submarine walls, and sound becomes the hand on the pressure valve as it is through sound that the crew make sense of the world outside the vessel. The vastness of the ocean, the invisible enemy, the physical and emotional intensity of life inside a submerged warship, all open inspiring creative avenues for sound. The bond between audience and characters is immediate, your feelings and theirs lock in synch through the sound decoding process. And an essential part of that decoding is done analysing silence, or its breaking off. As the writer of the novel put it: a silence imbued with the thrilling tension of a highly strained violin string.

Submarine films offer a perfect dramatic setting for cinematic sound design, and Das Boot very much set a benchmark for the genre - the now classic sonar ping sound effect of the opening titles is proof. As an audience you are quite literally immersed from the word go.

Das Boot Film - Theatrical Intro Das Boot Film movie 1981 miniseries 1985 Wolfgang Petersen Jurgen Prochnow german deutsch U-boot U-boat the submarine Sound Ark

I spent all morning visiting the impressive waterfalls and by the afternoon I was completely overwhelmed by the crowds of visitors. My attempts to record any nature sounds were frustrating and I eventually got stopped by the park guards, who worried that I was trying to catch rare birds for the illegal trade. Fair play to them for being careful. I diligently went through all my gear with them, what each button did and how it worked, arguing that i had the same goal as the photographers with their mega-zoom lenses - If anything I was less intrusive - but they weren't having any of it. An hour or so later, after I had clearly bored them to death, they released me (and my equipment!).

During my visit at the ranger's office, I had time to study the park's map and spotted this trail that lead to a remote waterfall. It was time for some freshening up and - I hoped - a bit of downtime from the masses. I packed the gear and promised the rangers I wouldn't be using it again. On the away walk I restrained myself by thinking about the fresh swim awaiting at the waterfall. On the walk back however, as visitors started to thin out, I couldn't resist the urge. 

Gear: Rode NT4 + Fostex FR2-LE

PS - I will say I'm pleased they stopped me because the trade of wild birds is a real problem with disastrous consequences for the species.