Week 5
Polyphony of a Mountain Beck
“A mountain stream is a chord of many notes strung out sterephonically across the path of the attentive listener” (Schaffer, 1977)
Returning to my thoughts on the recording of a mountain stream in week 3 I decided to create a multilayered recording to capture both flow and tonal depth. Using a combination of directional and hydrophonic mics I located and traced the source of a high mountain beck below the summit of Great Dun Fell in the North Pennines.
What I found particularly interesting was hearing rather than seeing the landscape. Having made a conscious decision not to bring a camera with me I was able to focus more on the sounds. Indeed, I may have missed the spring had I not been as tuned in. Then, exploring with the microphones: in small cavities, by ripples over stones and onto the more obvious cascades opened up a range of tones and sound textures I have previously not noticed or ignored. The resulting short soundscape has a much greater range of tone and texture as a result and hopefully more immersive.
A former spring, probably built by miners in the 1900s, marking the point were the beck surfaced.
The sequence starts from an underground trickle and follows the flow to the first rocky cascade downstream.
This is the first sound sequence I have created without video. I used an excellent online instructional video from LinkedIn Learning on using the Essential Sound Panel in Premiere Pro: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/mastering-the-essential-sound-panel-in-premiere-pro/the-essential-sound-panel-in-premiere-pro?u=26116890 I shall return to this as it will assist the further development of my editing competence.
Screenshot of the edit interface. Note the multiple layers in the timeline.
I have recently joined the Wildlife Sound Recording Society: https://www.wildlife-sound.org/ which provides information and meet ups. Speaking with Greg Green, editor of their quarterly podcast he made a number of helpful suggestions.
Ensure I am using the full frequency spectrum to capture “light and shade”
Reference Chris Watson’s work “sound installations”
Layers:
Atmosphere- wide encompassing panoramas
Contextual- weather, trees rustling, background birds, water flowing
Focus: specific birds etc
When recording wind and water it needs to interact to ensure there is definition and depth to the sound. Resonating wind and rain on surfaces, contact mic on the tin roof of the CF shelter- wind and rain vibrations.
Helm wind plan: try the stone shelter on the escarpment? Be prepared in advance.
Get more linked in with the WSRS