Sonic Studios MP3 PAGE 1

Virtual Reality Ambient Stereo-Surround

Composer, Natural, Ambient, FX, Musicology

SUGGESTION: Download MP3 Files FIRST(right-button 'save target as' on PC); clip files are mostly LARGE 160-240 Kbps 44.1k

Recordings are naturally encoded with full multi-channel ambient surround-sound. Recordings below are all made using DSM™ 2-channel mics using analog cassette, and mostly to digitally DAT, MD, Flash, and HD recording decks. Then transferred as wav file format before MP3 encoding.

Read about the recording equipment used in (plain text) next to the download file listing.

Suggest downloading various tracks of interest, burning a CD to play on any CD/MP3/DVD player. Listen on open air headphones, stereo, and surround multi-channel speaker systems. DSM recorded 2-channel stereo will playback the exact ambient 360 degree surround sound the recordist heard live on all 4, 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 cinema type systems with Dolby Pro Logic II or DTS NEO-6 decoder turned on! No other recording method consistently records live sound like a DSM mic system; listen for yourself!

 

There are many live sound types and interests.

Below choose interesting recording categories to sample

Choose a Category

Click Go to Category

Visit the HOME PAGE

 

DOWNLOAD this page as Acrobat .PDF file

 

For over 13 years Sound-Ideas and associated recordists use 2 & 4 Channel DSM™ stereo-surround mics

Download 5.1 IMMERSION sample files to play(DVD-Audio authoring software required)

NOTE: IMMERSION 5.1 recordings done with DSM 4-CH Stereo-Surround Mic

MIC Recording/Playback Live Ambient Stereo/Surround Tips CLICK HERE

Learn how DSM stereo-surround recordings are made in the FAQ section

COMPOSITION SECTION

Aaron Ximm's "The Quiet American" Project

3-D STEREO AMBIENT RECORDED SOUND COMPOSITIONS

http://www.quietamerican.org

The Serendipity Machine

'Virtual audio magic in a suitcase'

  "These Machines enchant me because they offer the listener an opportunity to hear something unique: the chance conjunction of sounds that is evocative, provacative, lovely or jarring. A conjunction that may never occur again, exactly the same way." Aaron Ximm

"In other words, these Machines reproduce and amplify exactly those elements which are most elusive, that interest me most, in the act of field recording itself."

Aaron Ximm

 

"Perhaps that's why they can surprise and delight me, though I make them and know every sound in their library."

Aaron Ximm

 
Sample composition generated by Serendipity Machine 03.19.02 (skyway). The machine constantly mixes a set of around a hundred clips of unmanipulated recordings to produce a never-repeating, always-changing series of juxtapositions up to three layers deep. Some 20,000 combinations are possible, including moments of silence.

"In these compositions you'll hear how bells sound the time of day, the time of prayer, the time of festival, the time of transhumance.

You'll hear how their temporality shapes space, changing ambience with the season, making distance and dimension. You'll hear how they interact with other time and space-makers, from the sea, insects and birds, to cars, televisions, and musical instruments. Most of all you'll hear how bells simultaneously sound a present and past, as their immediate resonance also rings the longue durée of their technological and social history." Steven Feld

"THE TIME OF BELLS" CD Volume I available at: http://www.earthear.com/catalog/timebellsone.html

NOTES: CD tracks recorded with DSM-6S/EH / WHB/N mic + LiteGUY hrtf baffle + PA-24NJ preamp + PCM-M1 DAT deck (exception: M-S mic used on tracks #1 & #3)

DOWNLOAD 3:53 Min. / 5.6MEG track #6 clip of "MÉAUDRE" ....'an alpine village in the Vercors, southwest of Grenoble.

Belled cows graze along the road, and the evening angelus pours across the valleys, followed by the roar of motorbikes and cars heading home. Later, as the cows move back to the mountains, the grillons, night crickets who sound as brittle as their name.'

The ringing of European city and village bells has long shaped civil and religious time - daily time, seasonal time, work time, ritual time, social time, collective time, cosmological time.

In these six compositions you'll hear how bells sound the time of authority and disruption. You'll hear how hand bells, animal bells, church bells, time chimes, and carillons interact with other time and space-makers, from birds to plaza fountains and cell phones, from walking and running feet to parades and urban traffic, from choirs and bagpipes to brass bands, DJs and amplified sound systems.

Most of all you'll hear how bells ring a deep European history of gathering participants and calling in equal measure for prayer, protest, and carnival.

"THE TIME OF BELLS" CD Volume II available at: http://www.earthear.com/catalog/timebellstwo.html

DOWNLOAD 4:06 Min./6.7MEG Compilation of sound samples from each of the 6 CD tracks.

NOTES: CD tracks recorded with DSM-6S/EH / WHB/N ambient stereo-surround mic + LiteGUY hrtf baffle + PA-24NJ preamp + PCM-M1 DAT deck

www.voxlox.net
www.bosavipeoplesfund.org

music.unm.edu/faculty/ethnomusicology/steven_feld/

In previous releases, Feld’s soundscape compositions from five European countries explored how animal, church, and festival bells shape social time.

The three featured groups highlight the vibrant world of music styles in Accra today. But what’s unique here is the presence of jazz in the mix, whether it is the traces of swing parts you hear in bells jamming with car horns, or the straight-up tribute to John Coltrane and the 1970’s avant-garde played on African as well as Western instruments.

.ORDER CD HERE

Go HERE for Steven Feld's 2/22/2006 EMusician article

Go HERE for www.arts-electric.org 2/11/2007 article

Listen (Download; 2:21Min/3.6Meg) as bells of different sizes, pitches, and timbres make time multiple. Interacting with voices, wind, string, percussion and reed instruments-—including car horns and jazz saxophone—bells ring the vibrant time of traditional, modern, Pan African diasporic styles now resounding in Accra

Now Musical Bells of Accra, Ghana turns to bells as musical instruments.

Time of Bells 3 by Steve Feld and Nii Noi Nortey

"The Musical Bells of Accra, Ghana" Features three never-recorded ensembles working out bell time on six extended tracks.

In Accra, capital city of Ghana, the former “Gold Coast,” one commonly hears musicians instruct that “the bell is the keeper of the time” in traditional drum and dance ensembles. But bells do much more than keep ensemble time.

Latest in the series "Time of Bells 4" CD details at: http://www.voxlox.net/node/48 Due out in Fall of 2007 at: http://www.earthear.com/catalog/timebellsfour.html

Steven Feld shown recording 62 minute ambient audio CD, "Anomabo Shoreline" ocean waves in Accra, Ghana for THE CASTAWAYS PROJECT relased in 1/2007 using headworn Sonic Studios' custom DSM-1S/H + WHB/N 2-channel stereo-surround mic.

Sample MP3 at:
http://67.139.134.253/e6e02567/r/ryanfeld-01.mp3

NEW 2007 RELEASE AT:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/ryanfeld

Liner notes and details at:

http://www.voxlox.net/node/50

 

In photo below, Steven uses LiteGUY HRTF baffle mic to record ambient sound of Accra Trane Station.

NOTES: TOB-3 CD tracks recorded with DSM-6S/EH & DSM-1S/H + WHB/N ambient stereo-surround mics + LiteGUY hrtf baffle + PA-24NJ preamp+ AKG 451 as A-B front pair ( on 4-ch R-4 recorded tracks 1,2,3,5w/ AERCO pre) + PCM-M1 DAT powered by BC-1 + Edirol R-4 powered by BD-8 external battery.

Por Por: Honk Horn Music of Ghana

Steven Feld's latest 2/2007 CD release available

at: http://www.folkways.si.edu/search/AlbumDetails.aspx?ID=3159#

Low bitrate stereo samples of all tracks on the ordering site

 

NATURE WILDLIFE SECTION

WOODPECKER by Robin Barber 2002 6.2MEG 4 MINUTES

Several groups and varieties of birds and flying insects in very quiet early morning meadow.
  • SONY PCM-M1 DAT + MOD-2 mic power upgrade
  • DSM-1S/M + WHB/N headworn 2-ch windscreen mic
  • BC-1C external 25 hour 4C alkaline battery

BARRED OWL by Rip Lyttle 6.2MEG 4 MINUTES

I'm actually proud of this clip caught in Odenton, MD, October 2003, 3:30 am Visit Rip's Bigfoot Research Site
A Few Social Frogs by Gary Aro Ruble 2001 5.29 MEG 4 MINUTES
Small valley lake frogs get real social on a large 'bad lands' ranch east of Livermore, California
  • SHARP MD-MT80 minidisc deck
  • DSM-6S/H + WHB/N headworn 2-ch windscreen mic
COCHINA by Aaron Ximm 2003 750KBytes 0.30 MINUTES
Pigs in a pen + ambient birds, Vinales, Cuba

DOWNLOAD PLATT I recordings/photos by Leonard Lombardo Father's Day June 19, 2005

8.5MEG 6:15 MINUTES

Variety of birds, model hydroplanes, and electric boat sounds recorded at Platt I in a secluded estuary. Model planes were clearly audible at 1/4 mile distance.

 

 

©2006 photo by Leonard Lombardo

Rolling Thunder-Rain #1 6-11-2006

Gentle rolling thunder and rain make this recording both dramatic and relaxing.

The oncoming storm is announced by the rolling thunder, dogs, and birds.

A surprisingly intriguing soundscape with raindrops on GUY's fisherman's style hat.

  Blow'n In
6:57min
Take'n Cover
6:46min
Intermission
13:32min

Recorded using Sonic Studios DSM-6S/H stereo mic + WHB/N windscreen + GUY HRTF baffle + PA-24XP preamp + M-audio Microtrack deck at 24bit/88.2K, then converted to MP3 format

Rolling Thunder-Rain #2 August, 7 2006

Rock'n Rolling Thunder and light rain recorded in exact location as #1 with GUY HRTF baffle now wearing a straw hat, but using different mic-preamp-deck recording system. Sounds of the afternoon with retired logger neighbors tending garden and a logging yarder sounding off in the near distance (the beep-beep sound) enhances the reality of living in a small once very scenic Oregon community that's clear cutting the surrounding forest for profit and real-estate.

Recorded using Sonic Studios DSM-1S/H stereo mic + WHB/N windscreen + GUY HRTF baffle + PA-3SX preamp + Edirol/Roland R-09 deck at 24bit/44.1K, then converted to MP3 format  

It's early evening at Plat I, and a nearly constant breeze is blowing in the trees.

Canadian geese leave the water shortly before another westward overhead flock is heard. Small Plat I birds discuss pending nightfall as distant sound of a very high flying plane paints the sky.

Recorded using personally headworn DSM-1S/H mic + WHB/N windscreen + PA-3SX preamp + Edirol/Roland R-09 deck at 24bit/44.1K, then converted to MP3 format

 
Very low noise recording of ~13 minutes of mostly nature sounds. Played for best effect at moderate low volume in a relaxing quiet space.
AMBIENT SOUNDS SECTION

"I invite you to share this project with anyone and encourage downloading and use of these recordings."

"If you are able to use any of these recordings, please contact me and let me know how you use them. I am very interested in your comments."

MISSION:

"Support for the EarthRecordings.com was provided by the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia and was developed during my sesquicentennial leave. The purpose of this website is to expand my research as a sound designer through field recording. A primary goal of this endeavor is to explore HRTF sound recording."

GEAR:

The majority of the recordings were recorded with Sonic Studio's DSM-1S/H head worn microphones connected to a PA-3SX Preamp, and an Edirol R-09 digital recorder. Most recordings were captured in 24 bits utilizing a 48 kHz sampling rate.

CAPE ARAGO FOG HORNS, WAVES & BIRDS

PLEASURE POINT SEA WALL WAVES

"MOVING WAVES" An Aquatic Journey CD by Milton Sofoulis

Australian relaxation sounds recordist Milton Sofoulis used DSM-1S/M + WHB/N mic with Sharp MD to record water/birds for his first CD.

DOWNLOAD BELLBIRDS Track #4 MP3 sample clip

True very high quality stereo VBR encoded... 6:45 Minute ~10MEG

Click on Moving Waves CD to go to Milton's Web Site

Debbie's 'Si CASA FLORAS' MEXICAN BIRTHDAY GREETING; 927 Kbytes MP3 Recorded w/headworn DSM-6S/H + Sharp MD-SR60

Raw Nature & EFX Samples Recorded by Gary Ruble (alias Doctor Dirt) from Dr Dirt's Volume 1 Ambient Sounds Collection CD

Equipment Used: DSM-6S/H mounted inside WHB windscreen headband on a Sharp MD-MT20 portable MiniDISC deck

Production: Direct digital transfer from MD to .wav, then converted to highest quality VBR MP3 using Cool Edit Pro plugin.

SHAKEDOWN STREET IN DEADHEAD LAND . . . Stealth Ambient 3-D Surround-Sound Stereo . . . Social-Drama + Music + a whole lot more going on; hear it for yourself !!!
LOOK OUT . . . FOR THAT BOTTLE ROCKET . . . FRED! . . . 192kbit - 4.5MEG - 3:08M . . . '91 Fourth O' July Fireworks - Loon Lake Dock -Sonic Studios DSM-6S/M Ambient Stereo Mic + PA-12A DC-Servo Mic Preamplifier + Denon DTR-80P DAT Deck
Oak Hills Golf & Country Club Fireworks Spectacular

4th of July 2001 Sutherlin, Oregon

Click Here

 

JULY 4, 2006 ILLEGAL SUTHERLIN RESIDENTIAL FIREWORKS/GUNSHOTS

 

 

  This year NO public fireworks, so residents purchased their own and improvised with all kinds of skyrockets and firearms set off for miles around the Sutherlin valley area. Sort of sounded like a war zone, but no stray bullets reported to cause a mishap, and no publicized arrests. I guess we mostly had a good time after all!
RECORDING GEAR
Recorded with HRTF baffled mic positioned at the street curb in front of my house from ~ 10:30PM to Midnight.  
    DOWNLOAD 13 MIN ~10 MEG Sutherlin Neighborhood Fireworks MP3  
      SUGGEST TURNING UP THE VOLUME SO MOST DISTANT SOUNDS ARE CLEARLY HEARD.  
Rain, Train, Plane + more - 192kbit/4:08M -Sutherlin, OR 3-D Surround Recording - DSM-1S/L MIC + WHB Windscreen + Sharp MD-MT20 MiniDISC + Umbrella
Oklahoma Thunder Storm by Mark Ragsdale using DSM-6S/M + Sharp MD recorder
Birds, Frogs, Water Sounds . . . 192Kbps . . . 10.1 MEG . . . 7:05 MIN . . . Loon Lake, OR. . . various Headworn DSM mic/DAT decks

2003 Sutherlin "BLACKBERRY FESTIVAL"

Custom/Stock MOTORCYCLES

Idling & Slowly Crusing into the Festival Entrance

Recorded with Headworn DSM-6S/L (mounted in WHB/N) + PA-24NJ Preamp + PCM-M1 DAT Deck

DOWNLOAD . . . 150-240Kbps VBR MP3 . . . 7.5 MEG . . . 5:12 MIN

Oregon Country Fair Ambient . . . 150-240Kbps VBR MP3 . . . 4.9 MEG . . . 5:12 MIN / Sony TCD-D100 DAT+LiteGUY+DSM-6S/H

FX SOUND DESIGNER SECTION

NOTE: While scores of film/video sound designers use DSM mics to record worldwide live resource sounds for high profile projects, few give out this, their 'best kept secret,' as it makes sound gathering easy, consistent, high quality, and very discreet working any location.

Go to the sound designer film credits page to view a (partial) list of DSM customers and some of their film credits where DSM recorded resource sounds have found excellent use.

AIRBORNE SOUND

The Airborne Sound library features luscious stereo-surround sound ambiances, European as well as North American signature recordings, planes, trains, industrial effects and machinery and much more...

Paul Virostek's Airborne Sound has been recording, mastering and providing sound effects for the professional film and multimedia communities for nearly fifteen years.

Paul kindly made available 'free-to-download' airport/ferry city public places ambient sounds..

Sounds for free download as VBR MP3 listed at left.

ALSO FREE USE are MASTER QUALITY +10X larger size 24 bit/48K (wav) sound files available at AIRBORNE SOUND

Airborne Sound's work is heard in feature films such as Batman Begins, Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby, Glory Road, Michael Mann's Ali and others.

In addition, Airborne Sound has collaborated on design projects with Microsoft, Apple, Sprint and Adobe.

click logo for Paul's site
 
Sound samples recorded using HRTF DSM-6S/EH stereo-surround mic

©'93f Creative Sound Design More ON Frank Bry's site HERE and on Franz Pusch's site HERE)

DSM FX click for download page Urban Ambient Sounds of Crowds, Jet Planes, Train, Motorcycle

     
DOGCHILI

Hi Leonard,

Just noticed on your web-page that we were missing on your users list :)

To give you an idea, we've been using your DSM mics now for several years on several projects and like them very much ! On the latest project used I strapped the Sony D100 onto the belly of a dog, and rigged the DSM's onto a dog's head (no animals were harmed at all :).

This got us awesome moaning, whining, groaning, eating, breathing dog sounds.

Try to do that with any other mic !!

Cheers ! -c. d. -interplay entertainment

<< Subj: DSM's Date: 6/21/01 7:16:15 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: xxxxxxx@Interplay.com
To: GuySonic@aol.com
  96kbps (mono mix of stereo) 325K MP3 . . . 27 sec
ROSEBURG AIR SHOW RECORDING
Many air-show flyby sounds are designed into films. Who can forget Star Wars' pod racer sounds at least partially composed of air show flyby resource recordings.
SATURDAY JULY 2, 2006

Recorded not inside the airport grounds, but across the tracks/street at ~500 foot distance third up from runway start. This distance allows recording longer-duration flyby sounds with wider imaging properties most useful for film work.

However great are the recorded flyby sounds, there's occasional sounds of motor vehicles passing in front, and to a lesser degree, overheard sidewalk banter making this recording most authentic sounding, but less suitable as resource for sound design purposes

At least one pod likely used exact same model plane flyby sound. Recognize at least one familiar 'pod racing' sound?

Many sound designers working projects out of Skywalker Sound use headworn DSM™ stereo-surround mics for gathering FX sounds needed for specific projects, then saved in the sound library as an FX resource for future projects.

Recordist used the following:

DOWNLOAD 14 MINUTE AIR SHOW FLYBY RECORDING (~16 MEG)
CAUTION: This recording has VERY soft-to-VERY LOUD SPL dynamics

PIERRE MORIN'S TRAIN RECORDINGS

FREIGHT TRAINS AMTRAK TRAINS
NOTE: Photos for illustratiion purpose only
 

DOWNLOAD Freight Train #1

DOWNLOAD Amtrak #1
DOWNLOAD Freight Train #2 DOWNLOAD Amtrak #2
DOWNLOAD Two Freights
BONUS CAT SOUNDS TRACK BELOW
DOWNLOAD Freight Deep Whistle
DOWNLOAD OREO the cat on the stairs

These trains were recorded along CSX track in Richmond VA. I was on Oakview avenue near the 8600 block between Hermitage road and Parham road. That is about 1/2 mile north of the Amtrak Staples Mill road station. This is a double track main line and quite buisy with about 10 Amtrak passenger trains per day and many freights. Pierre Morin, Recordist

Recorded with WHB/N windscreen DSM-1S/H mic + PA-24NJ preamp into Marantz PMD-660 flash deck.

CPR HUDSON 2816 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE

Recording I made July 6 2007 of Canadian Pacific, hudson type steam locomotive 2816 near Lytton British Columbia Canada. Engine built 1930 for CPR passenger service in eastern Canada.

Retired 1950's. On display at museum in USA for many years. Purchased by CPR in late 90's and restored to operation by BC Rail's steam shop in North Vancouver BC.

Now used for publicity and excursions out of Calgary Alberta.

Picture at left taken two years ago in the same area

DOWNLOAD Hudson 2816 Steam Locomotive left to right slow travel

DOWNLOAD More recently recorded recorded July 9 Hudson 2816 Locomotive right to left 33 MPH faster travel speed.

         
 

Message dated 11/12/2007 Peter Morin writes:
Saturday went for a walk along CPR track on south side of Burrard inlet, east from Willingdon Ave for about 3 miles. Train was the West Coast Express commuter at same area recorded back in June.DOWNLOAD

GEAR: Marantz PMD660
PA24NJ preamp
DSM1S/H + WHB/N mics

Message dated 11/15/2007 Pierre Morin writes:
Recording was made in same area as pictures. I was in the woods about 100 feet from track when making recording. Mics were on a 1 gallon windshield washer fluid jug. (guysonic note: Not HRTF, instead a baffled omni mic effects recording) DOWNLOAD

I have some other similar recordings I did in that area in September with the mics head worn, some with a few small waves in background. DOWNLOAD

BONUS: July fireworks DOWNLOAD
CHINOOK HELICOPTER   DOWNLOAD 2:22 MIN CHINOOK HELICOPTER (~3.4 MEG)  
 

Hello Leonard

I have attached a 192kbps MP3 sound file of a recording of a Chinook helicopter made at an airshow in October 2006 at the old RAF Duxford airfield near Cambridge, UK. This is now part of the Imperial War Museum and houses workshops which restore and maintain many historic aircraft. Flying displays are also held regularly featuring aircraft old and new. I was situated near to one of the commentary speakers and using the DSM-1S/H with the PA-3SX on gain setting 2 feeding the Edirol R-09 at input level 15. It was one of the first recording I made with the system. There is also a collage attached of shots of the Chinook.


Best regards,

Andy Neenan

 
CHINOOK HELICOPTER RECORDED using headworn DSM-1S/H + WHB/N mic into PA-3SX preamp with R-09 flash deck
 

Stereo-Surround Audio for

Television/Radio ENG Event/Interview

Peace March & Rally

Courthouse Steps, Roseburg Oregon USA

March 17, 2006 Third Anniversary of Iraq War

NOTE: This day was also a Friday, with the celebration of Saint Patrick's day starting its own celebration about the time the rally ended See Photo far below and hear a short clip of that celebration.

PRODUCTION NOTES:

All Selections recorded with headworn WHB/N windscreened DSM-6S/H stereo mic + PA-24SP preamplifier into Microtrack 24/96 deck (TRS line setting "L" 24bit/88.2K rate).

Recordings edited using Adobe Audition software featues of clip restoration where needed, amplification/hard limiting of too soft/loud sections, and 'file type' converted to 16bit/44.1K wav, and finally encoded highest quality VBR MP3 for download.