Field Supplies for Sound Exploration
It is no secret that wind can be one of the major obstacles when capturing field sound, especially when using sensitive microphones. Having a dead cat (aka a wind muff, wind jammer, or furry) at your disposable is mandatory.
Building a Simple P48 circuit for your electret mic capsule is as simple as it sounds. I put the following diagram together to help beginners better visualize how everything is connected to the XLR. How to wire up the Simple P48 to an XLR What mic capsules will work? The Simple P48 circuit works with … Read more
Video of a sound experiment using contact mics attached to tree branches while wind is blowing.
I saw this neat set of charts while perusing an old copy of the Hi-Fidelity Mart Newspaper from 1955. I am pack rat and hoarder of sorts. I collect all kinds of things, from different kinds of succulents, to records. While searching for records I often cool articles, stickers, pictures, and other stuff in the … Read more
Headphones Recommended I attached a pair of 35mm Contact Mics (via my DUAL OPA Impedance Buffer) to a metal fence at Gum Grove Park in Seal Beach and waited for some birds to drop by. I was mainly curious if the vibrations from the bird movement and calls passing through the fence would be enough … Read more
Hot air reflow is so much easier than I thought it would be. The trick to getting everything placed correctly is to eat a good breakfast and not drink too much coffee. I am using these OPA “Alice” circuits in the hydrophones, dual impedance buffers, and Sound Urchin XLR products. They use a high definition, … Read more
Most Croakers are gregarious, community animals and make noise by way of oscillating their swim bladder as part of their spawning ritual. The swim bladder is a pocket of air inside most fish that helps keep them afloat and facing upright. Male croakers use this sound to attract females. Being the first day of Spring … Read more
Headphones Recommended – Just a fun little sound experiment with our lizards food. I attached 2 – 35mm piezos to a small tub of meal worms via my Dual OPA field buffer and then into the trusty Mix Pre 6 II – kind of what you would expect, lotsa scratchy little legs in the saw … Read more
