The enigmatic Magpie,
omnipresent, sews whole
this world of paradox
with one forever-evolving song.

About this track: No mixing and no effects in post. Essentially, this is field recording pure and simple, with only one thematic experimental inclusion. A continuous recording of a Magpie singing* was pitched down one octave and slowed down to half its original tempo. This recording was played back through wireless portable speakers in several quite different kinds of locations, so that the pitch-and-time-shifted recording of the Magpie's singing became an actually present element in each location where a new field recording was made. Selected segments from the first few of these 'live spatial mix' recordings were linked together with simple cross-fades. The Magpie's singing persists through each part, physically present in each, stitching them all together, and creating from them a new sense. The work continues as an evolving process and experiment; but this track is offered as an indulgently lengthy sample: a first seeing of a 'first sewing'.

The locations were chosen quite intentionally for the kinds of soundscape, sound events, and sound qualities that they would provide; but, in every case, there were always unexpected and often beautifully synchronistic surprises. I was careful not to obtrude or interfere in any of these places and soundspaces; yet, at the same time, it felt as though the Magpie's song was somehow enigmatically prompting each place, each soundspace, into some form of reaction, interaction, or response.

The recording can be listened to with good headphones or good speakers, at a medium volume, preferably in a quiet environment; quality open-backed headphones are particularly recommended.
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*The original recording from which the Magpie singing was excerpted can be heard here: https://soundcloud.com/hearingbeings/20200831-pine-forest-winterspring-midnight-magpies.

Other related tracks:
https://soundcloud.com/hearingbeings/20220410-experimental-prelude-echo-tunnel
https://soundcloud.com/hearingbeings/20220126-27-thunderstorm-meditation-summer-night

2022 (April to July). Magpie Stitching. First Sewing.

[PL]
Trzecie piętro w pensjonacie jest podwyższone o poddasze, aż po samą kalenicę. Od strony wewnętrznej zamurowane jest okrągłe okienko, które wcześniej chyba służyło do wietrzenia przestrzeni pod samym dachem. Od strony zewnętrznej została wnęka, w której co roku gniazdują pustułki. Pokój na poddaszu często wypełniają wydawane przez nie dźwięki - jedyne, co je oddziela to cienka ścianka. Pustułki krążą w najbliższej okolicy, przysiadają na drzewach, polują i rywalizują o terytorium.
Nagranie powstało podczas kilkugodzinnej sesji, a prezentowany fragment przypada na największą aktywność pustułek.
Zdjęcie zrobione przy innej okazji, kiedy pustułka przysiadła na parapecie okna poniżej wnęki, gdzie zakładają gniazdo.


[EN]
The third floor in the guesthouse includes a raised attic, all the way up to the roof ridge. From the inside, a round window is walled up, which was probably used to ventilate the space under the roof. From the outside, there is a recess in which kestrels nest every year. The room in the attic is often filled with the sounds they make - the only thing that separates them is a thin wall. Kestrels fly around in the vicinity, perch on trees, hunt and compete for territory.
The recording was made during a few-hour session, and the presented fragment is when the kestrels were the most active.
Photo was taken on another occasion, when the kestrel perched on the window sill below the niche where they make a nest.


2023/05/18; 19:45 - 20:05
Zoom F4, AT BP4025

Pustułki przez ścianę / Kestrels through the wall

Cryogenic Lullaby (Song 3)

I recorded this early November in 2023. Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is on the New Zealand, North Island. It´s a warm spring day with sounds of the birds but also farm animals and the occasional vehicle.

Sanctuary Mountain - Day and Evening

Got out of bed at 3.50am.  On the road at 4.46am, arrived at Ballyfad wood at 5.01am, it was then about a nine minute walk to the recording location.  Set up the three recorders, first the Tascam X8 with the Rode Nt4 stereo mic with the Cardioid capsules (52db gain).  Next the Tascam Dr100 Mk2 with the Warm Audio 84's (50db gain), strangely I get problems with these mics if I use them with the MixPre3, but they seem to work beautifully with the Tascam).  Finally I set up the MixPre3 with the MKH8020's, I had not been using these mics for quite awhile as I thought they had gone faulty, but it seems to not be the case.  The weather had been awful for so long, very wet and windy and though the drift of air was not from the best direction I still went for recording even though I could hear a small bit of swish from traffic coming from the motorway.  It was as more about experimenting and checking out the equipment as getting the best recordings, though that would be a bonus.  It was a cool morning, about 5C, near calm, dry and clear.  Left for home at 7.14am, arrived back at 7.31am.   Out of the seven recordings saved from the three long recordings from the three recorders, I like the Warm Audio results the best, they sound so thick and analogue, the levels on screen are very noticeably bigger and thicker than the other recordings, these two are uploaded here.  Recording  4134.

Dawn Chorus (4) 18th of April 2024 - 6.06am - Ballyfad Wood (Warm Audio 84's)

Lots of fallen trees in my home forest after the winter storms but this old pine (yes, photo shows a Norway spruce) never fell to the ground. It is lodged against another pine creating this creaking sound. Nåsten, April 19, 2024.

Zoom F3 + Mikro Usi Pro

Creaking pines

A few green frogs recorded in the village of Saint-Silvain-sous-Toulx (Creuse, France) around a watering place near a vegetable garden. In the distance, to the left, other, much more numerous frogs, subjects of another recording.
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Quelques grenouilles vertes (grenouilles communes) dans le village de Saint-Silvain-sous-Toulx (Creuse, France) autour d'un point d'eau près du potager de la maraichère. Au loin, à gauche, d’autres grenouilles bien plus nombreuses sujets d’un autre enregistrement.
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46,26195° N, 2,18256° E
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(Zoom F3, Sennheiser MKH8040, ORTF)

240413 · 9:00 pm · Grenouilles Vertes · Green Frogs (Creuse, France)

A little further on than the previous recording, a hidden pond with many more frogs.
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Un peu plus loin que le précédent enregistrement, un étang caché avec bien plus de grenouilles.
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Saint-Silvain-sous-Toulx (Creuse, France) 46,26339° N, 2,18290° E
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(Zoom F3, MKH8040, ORTF)

240413 · 10:00 pm ·  Grenouilles Vertes · Green Frogs (Creuse, France)

This recording takes us on a journey, from Südtiroler Platz to Karlsplatz on the line U1 of Vienna's U-Bahn. 

Recorded 11.04.2024
Zoom F3 + 2 x DPA 4060s

U-Bahn Journey - Vienna, Austria

The gentle sounds of wind blowing through the tree canopy and across the forest floor. (beech, pine)

Wind Soundscape - Pine and Mixed Woodland

Large Toadlets/Great Brown Brood Frogs (Pseudophryne major) In a gully feeding into Auburn River, Auburn River National Park. Zoom F1, PUI 5024 mics in a tree-ears rig.

Large Toadlet, Auburn River National Park

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Exploring hearing, the hearable, and the hearer, as an event, a mode, and a dimension of Βeing (τὸ εἶναι).

2022 (April to July). Magpie Stitching. First Sewing.

Hearing Beings

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