Thursday, February 28, 2013

30th meeting report

thanks to everyone who joined us for our contact microphone-making session yesterday. everyone managed to leave with their own functioning mic, and we even had some time to try them out and make some initial experiments - pretty good going for only two hours. here are a few images and some extracts from the recordings we made. at the bottom you will also find, as promised, details of the playlist of recordings we listened to during our meeting, with links for more information on each artist. for those of you who were with us: please don't hesitate to contact any of these artists if you have any questions of comments about what you heard, i'm sure they would all be more than happy to hear from you!



these are extracts from recordings made on the handful of audio recorders we had at our disposal. these ranged from hard disk recorders to digital dictaphones to even one microcassette recorder. you can listen through, or try creating your own mix. this first recording was made with the microcassette recorder, and the strangeness of its sound comes not only from the medium but also from the compression as the sound was transferred from cassette to computer.


of course one of the most attractive things in a room full of people with contact microphones is a piano.


although we also had some percussion on the room's ventilation covers.


these are the sounds inside the sound system's amplifier.


and the sound of a chair being rolled across the floor.


and at least one person made it out of the room to record the bathroom sink.


and of course the toilet.


and the playlist:
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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

30th meeting, Wednesday, February 27th, 2013

MoKS presents:
helikoosolek:tartu
with Patrick McGinley
Wednesday, February 27th
6-8pm
Eesti Rahva Muuseum, Tartu



RSVP via the facebook event here!

This month, after January's concentration on microphone specifications, polar patterns, and usage techniques,  we will continue our explorations with the construction of our own simple contact microphones.

A contact microphone is a microphone that records audio vibration passing through solid objects, rather that passing through air, as with a conventional microphone. Contact microphones can be used to explore hidden or unheard sound in any resonant structure (such as wire fences, walls, support cables, ventilation...) or can simply be used to directly amplify musical instruments (as a pickup for an acoustic guitar, for example). In our short meeting we will have the materials for each participant to construct a simple functioning mono contact microphone with minijack output, for use with any recording device. We will also discuss further more advanced construction options that can be continued at home, make some initial recordings with our new microphones, and listen to a playlist of recordings from the international field recording community made with such microphones.

Participation is free, and participants will be able to keep their microphones. Materials and space are limited, and will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis, so please come early. Please bring your own sound recorder and headphones if you have them.

helikoosolek:tartu is a regular gathering for the exploration of sound in all forms.  The meetings comprise presentations, concerts, workshops, discussions, and field trips pertaining to sound and its consideration in art, music, architecture, ecology, philosophy, social and cultural interaction, and any other context that presents itself. Participants are encouraged to propose activities or discussions on topics of their interest, or to present projects of their own for feedback.  Sessions take place on the last Wednesday of each month, from 6-8pm at the Eesti Rahva Muuseum.

helikoosolek:tartu is organised by MoKS and supported by Eesti Rahva Muuseum and Tartu Linnavalitsus.

http://helikoosolek.blogspot.com
http://www.moks.ee
http://www.erm.ee
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