SD060 RODS

The idea for this library came from two sources. First was inspired by the Baschet Brothers, experimenting with building physical sound objects using threaded rods, which have an unexpectedly rich tonality. The second inspiration came from a TV series I watched as a kid. The Six Million Dollar Man had some great iconic sound effects and I had a theory that the bionic jump sound effect was created using a recording of rebar through a tape echo with the feedback cranked up.

After assembling some props and doing some test recordings my next step was to think lateral, and expand the range of source materials. So I’ve spent the last few months accessing and recording all kinds of rods: fibreglass, aluminium, brass, wood dowells, steel rebar, bronze rods and threaded rods up to 2metres in length – some of which I installed on my giant Tank Resonator waterphone, and others were installed on a smaller bucket resonator.

Movement, handling, hits and impacts, scrapes and deeply resonant movement are provided, with many variations. The result of all this work is a very useful multitrack sound FX library that contributes a unique tonality in each medium or material, and use case.

These sounds were recorded 32bit 192kHz with from 2 to 8 tracks depending on the setup. Using a pair of Sanken CUX100K microphones for extended 100kHz range, an MKH8040 pair for close tight stereo image, an MKH8020 placed inside objects, an MKH8050 for proximity and a pair of Trance Audio Contact Mics. The best variations & mics have been selected from each and can be combined in interesting ways, for example with the contact mics and MKH8020 providing bottom end to the CUX100K and MKH8040 mics.

Rods:
Threaded steel rods – 6mm 8mm 10mm 12mm and up to 2metres in length
Fibreglass rods – a group of 2m length thin flexible rods
Brass rods – rigid narrow gauge
Alumium rods – lightweight
Wood dowells
Rebar – ridig solid steel
Square lightweight steel rods
Tank Resonator
Bucket Resonator

Note preview examples alternate between real speed & half speed