My house has been shaking for the last day or two, with gale force Northerly winds… So today I decided to lug my mics up Hawkins Hill, to record the wind in an extreme location….

 

 

It’s about a 3km walk up to the radar station, so I loaded up my trolley to save my back…

 

 

 

 

 

At each location it was mainly a matter of finding a place to shelter the microphones.. Sometimes I could take a step and be in full wind, blasting up a valley! But step back and be completely sheltered from it!
#workinprogress

 

 

 

1. The best place for free sounds is…
right in front of your microphone!

I believe every sound editor, sound designer and musician should own a field recording setup…
When I was a kid, the only way to access a field recorder was to borrow a Nagra and microphone.
I have recordings I captured on a borrowed Nagra 4.2 that are still useful to me now, 30 years later!
I have recordings I captured on my first portable DAT machine that are still useful to me now, 25 years later!
I have recordings I captured on my first HD recorder that are still useful to me now, 20 years later!
The sooner you start recording your own sounds, the better!

And as the saying goes; “the best camera is the one you have with you”
The same applies to field recording: a handheld recorder is affordable & should be a part of your daily carry

When you make your own recordings you help yourself in multiple ways:
– you learn to record, and gain experience
– you develop an efficient modus operandi and learn from your mistakes
– you capture material that is unique to you
– you capture material that is specifically useful for your projects
– you gain deep memory of every recording you make, because you were there!
– you appreciate how much work is actually involved in researching, recording, editing & creating sound libraries.
– you learn “Free is never free”

You are unique and you are constantly exposed to unique recording opportunities…

RECORD THEM!

 

2. Your own personal sound library…
is the most important asset you will ever own!

Anyone can go buy ProTools or Reaper or plugins…
But no one can record what you record!
No one has your personal library, or experience with it.

 

 

3. We do occasionally give away free sounds…

Subscribe HERE to be notified of such occasions
(one of those occasions is rapidly approaching)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As mentioned previously, I am learning to play Kongzhu, and just got my fourth one!

This is much larger, has a lot more vents/Helmholtz resonators and also has bearings so will make some interesting sounds once I develop the skills to play it! Much practice required…

 

 

vid is cued to shot the parts of one being built

 

 

Making ‘hi tech’ electronic UI sounds is so easy now that’s its almost a no-brainer, but what if you want the gentle click & clack of organic sounds? This new MiniFX Library provides a multitude of options, with the potential of using materiality associated with your projects characters, subject or world. Blocks, bones, claves and stones were recorded by performing multiple take/variations of gentle hits, taps and movement….

 

 

The sound browser featured in the video is XO