North Carolina Ambisonic Soundscape No. 57

Hand-built furniture is difficult to come by these days. Though, there are still teams of dedicated individuals that continue to pursue the lofty goals of making such invested furnishings for all to enjoy and keep for generations. 'Factory' then, seems to be an inappropriate term in many ways. Perhaps, 'craft house' or 'workshop' is more on-point. In COCOCO's world, a highly-skilled team of professionals combine decades of experience in the design, construction, tailoring, upholstery, and finishing of refined (and comfy) pieces of furniture. The highly reflective floors, walls, and girders of this dynamic workspace give all who enter and immediate understanding that all around them focused effort and attention is being poured into labors of love. The firing of pneumatic nailers and staplers, clamps and compressors, tack hammers and mallets rap and thwack away in the building of robust wooden frames and support structures as well as adding the finishing touches to specific designs and models. In the middle of the shop cushions are being tucked and stuffed, shaped and formed into all types of comfortable compliments, breathing life into each piece. Amongst rows and racks of every fabric you can imagine, the upholsterers choose, measure, mark, cut, stitch, and apply beautiful coverings, bringing each piece full circle in its construction. Both automated, mechanized machinery and a well-worn array of hand tools create a rotating symphony of furniture making tones. As the craftsmen and craftswomen build, talk, and move throughout the shop, the pride and energy committed to one of the heritage trades of the state rings loud, crisp, and clear.

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100 Soundscapes of NC - Sociocultural - COCOCO Workshop (Binaural)

North Carolina Ambisonic Soundscape No. 56

Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway is a treat for the sense. You see incredible vistas, smell by way of the breeze the flora of the seasons, and hear the mixture and blend of humans and nature intermingling in very familiar way. As the seasons change in the Blue Ridge mountains, the differences can be heard through both the weather and wildlife as well as the vehicles and visitors. Heavy traffic during the autumn when the leaves are changing, more motorcycles faster cruising speeds in the spring and summer, and lighter loads at the overlooks in the winter. Year-around however, avid cyclists are trekking all up and down the BRP, a mainstay for the scene. The birds will change in type and density, snow melt will trickle down rock faces straight onto the roadside, and winds that sweep up and down the mountains varying in intensity and the temperatures and pressure systems fluctuate. If you are lucky, you may even get to experience that magic of rolling fog filling the low-lying valleys around the parkway, quieting the landscape in a wonderful way. Across the world, humans are driving in and out of protected parks, becoming regular patrons of some of the planet's most inspiring and beautiful wildernesses. The BRP is unique in that it covers such a great distance and invites anyone to traverse it openly and at their own pace and convenience. Spending a day moving from overlook to overlook, taking a few (or more than a few) minutes to enjoy the splendor of the Appalachians, gives one a greater sense of our relationship and impact on the land around us. You hear so much in such a convenient way, that driving the BRP is almost a lesson in and of itself. No matter how you embrace it, it is an opportunity to get out and explore a brilliant soundscape of North Carolina.

100 Soundscapes of NC - Sociocultural - Blue Ridge Parkway (Binaural)

North Carolina Ambisonic Soundscape No. 58

The tradition of Christmas Town USA in McAdenville is well-known across the state and beyond. For nearly 70 years the town has held a Tree Lighting celebration on December 1st to commence the illumination of the entire town with millions of lights only to be followed up two weeks later by the Yule Log parade, where an annual yule log is lit in an outdoor fireplace and chimney at the local park. These two events highlight the grand reverence and joy that residents and visitors share for the Christmas season and serves as one of the most, if not the most, endearing celebration of the holiday in the state. Speeches are given, music is performed, prayers are made, and countdowns rally the festive patrons into collective jubilant cheer. The juxtapositions are not lost. Lights brightening the dark of night, the yule log burning warmly in the cold winter evening, the quietude of a beloved small town dancing with the pockets of joyful celebration scattered around it. More than the other soundscapes of this collection that feature an event or festival, the focus here is truly on the people. To be a bystander in the crowd, an attendee of the jollification, to follow the parade up the streets and into the park, that is what is at the heart of this sound scene: people, and holiday hygge. With an abundance of laughter, light, jingles, and of course hot coffee and/or cocoa, a mind can be calmed and a soul made merry. Brave the traffic, and you will be rewarded.

100 Soundscapes of NC - Event- Christmas Town USA (Binaural)

This is the sample for Clockwork by Eiravaein Works, a SFX library of utterly rich cyclical mechanized sonic splendor. From gears to wheels, chimes to dials, hammers and springs and barrels, it is a showcase of 13 fantastic timepieces.

Clockwork

Clockwork Audio Library

This is the sample for Knotty by Eiravaein Works, rope, twine, cord, cable, binding, and strap of all manner of material and fiber have been tied in knots, handled, strained, stressed under load, and cut through to unleash their intricate characteristics.

Knotty

Knotty Audio Library

This is the sample for Vaeyan V by Eiravaein Works, the 5th, final, and largest installment of our variety libraries offering even more audio investigations and curious field recordings, giving you a mixed bag of professional audio assets that don't quite fit in anywhere else.

Vaeyan V

Vaeyan V Audio Library

This is the sample for Zody by Eiravaein Works, an unabashedly joyful and sincere journey from an infant to a toddler, wandering through many phenomenal moments, including the discovery of their inner voice.

Zody

Zody Audio Library

North Carolina Ambisonic Soundscape No. 60

When the sun goes down and no moon comes up, the depth of the darkness around the shores of Lake Waccamaw is almost palpable. You feel it in the space of the air around you, a feeling that is reinforced by the vibrant sounds that start to take over a greater share of your mind as the weight of addressing the many elements of a normal visual scene is considerably lighter. The chirring is powerful, the lapping of the water is soothing and crisp, the croaks and vocalizations of frogs and toads are choral, and random movements of creatures both in the lush foliage and the smooth waters alert and surprise as they disrupt the lacustrine drones. With the lights of the recorders covered in order to not distract the wildlife and no moon to cast even the faintest glow along the water, there is only blackness. As you wait for your eyes to adjust so that you can note any degree of form or shape in the brush off to either side of the catwalk, you realize that your ears are adjusting much more quickly. The soundscape is rich and peaceful and allows the mind to ponder what it might sound like throughout the year as the seasons roll through their obligatory rotation. Somewhere in the inland distance further away from the water, a small band of coyotes howl and yip as they amble through the night. With the northern, eastern, and western edges of the lake all being well-populated, you won't necessarily be fooled into thinking you've escaped to some haven of watery wilderness, but when the neighborhoods are quiet and the night is exceptionally dark, even if just for a few minutes, you'll come terrifically close.

100 Soundscapes of NC - Geographic - Lake Waccamaw (Binaural)

North Carolina Ambisonic Soundscape No. 59

Almost every square mile, kilometer, acre, and hectare of our planet has been traversed, settled, or built upon. It is an exceptional task to locate a natural space that is consistently and continuously void of human-generated noise or disturbances. In many ways, this means that our regular daily activity in, around, and through nature has become part of the natural soundscape, moving from the separate to the auxiliary, if not yet fully assimilated. Throughout the many wild spaces of North Carolina there are plenty of areas that we have made more accessible through conscious development and careful work. Of those areas, many still are protected and designated as state parks; 39 of them to be exact. While they come in many shapes and sizes, each with their own unique features, Lumber River stands as an incredibly balanced example of abundant and variegated wildlife contrasted with the many recreations of its human patrons. Due largely to its geography and topographical features, this park has the signature feel of a far more outlying preserve, but with the human activity of a more accessible space. In one minute you might hear the hoots and calls of barred owls, herons, turkeys, and warblers, while in the next the howl of a hound dog and putter of a fishing skiff break through scene. The laminar waters of whirl pools and eddies make for a docile and dreamy scape out on one of the launches or docks, but only until the next avid hiker or trail runner passes by. As tucked away as the park is, the wavering hum and occasional blurt of distance road noise is mostly unavoidable. Yet, in this particular place, it all just seems to work. One would expect the strong sounds, sights, and smells of nature, but also simultaneously the setting up of campsites, paddling of kayakers, and the not-so-infrequent shout or laughter of all those who enjoy their time in such a densely thriving place.

100 Soundscapes of NC - Geographic - Lumber River State Park (Binaural)

North Carolina Ambisonic Soundscape No. 62

Some destinations have no instructions on how to get there. We often rely on lists and directions, guides and reviews to lead us to places we aim to discover or explore. But in doing so, an important element of exploring, or even wandering, is lost. Novelty. In many ways it is a trade-off, and a fair one at that. Security and added safety of knowing where you are going and what to expect for a severely lessened or eliminated sense of surprise when you arrive. We have become exceptionally skilled at being satisfied with this level of experience, valuing the assurance of predictability over uncovering the unknown. The Pot Branch river along with its adjacent walking trail and beautiful waterfalls are known by those of the area around South Mountain State Park and for others whom know how to bend search engines to their will. But for the moment, there is little information on the trail of the surrounding area beyond confirming that it exists and a few pictures of the waterfalls. Driving to the closest parking destination has a high probability of leaving you with little to no signal on your phone. There are no signs indicating the trail, no trail markers once on it, and no clear directions to the falls or the wonderful forest path that cuts over and along ridges, across streams and fern carpeted embankments, and allows for sightings and crossing paths with the wild fauna if you are vigilant. Trekking to Pot Branch is a bit of treasure then, in a universe where we often do not step beyond our front door without thorough certainty of where we are going, how we will get there, how many resources we'll need to expend, and what the experience will be like when we arrive. A treasure, and a breath of fresh, argillaceous air. The waterfall is intimate and secluded, but once in front of it, booms and roars with the turbulent flow of a passing jet. In so many ways, it is a place of respite and reflection, natural sonic balm for an overly pressed mind.

100 Soundscapes of NC - Geographic -South Mountains State Park (Binaural)

This is the sample for Kieuk by Eiravaein Works, a sound effects library of laughter ranging from tiny chuckles to raucous belly laughs. Female and male performances of varying ages, oozing with character and detail.

Find it here: eiravaein.com/products/kieuk

Kieuk

Kieuk Audio Library

A boutique audio design studio.

Field recording, sound design, Foley, post-production, re-recording, mixing, musical composition, and soundscape development.

Feel free to reach out!  We'll get it done, and we think you'll be excited with what we bring to the table.

Demos here and website below.

Kieuk Audio Library

Eiravaein Works LLC

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