My soundscape study „Donauwahrnehmung“ (=“Danube perception“) is the result of a three channel recording in and at the Danube river in Vienna, Austria. One channel has been recorded with a conventional air pressure condenser microphone (AKG C480 CK61), a second channel with a hydrophone close to the bank at around 1ft depth (where I estimated the water level to be around 1-1.5m). The third channel was recorded from a piezo microphone fixed at a steel boat bridge where passenger ships land. 

The continuous calm of the gargling water at the hydrophone suspended close to the surface produces the timelessness of a perpetuum mobile and dominates this composition. Added to this comes the equally permanent noise of ships' screws. Acoustically very different, however propelled by the same movement of the stream, the bright, hard, short, almost electronical sounds of the piezo microphone support this timelessness of the stream. Both signals, that of the hydrophone as well as that of the piezo are not cyclical, rather they reproduce the eternal flow of the waters in one direction. The air pressure microphone contributes – being the closest to human perception in this “sensory trio” – mainly wind noises as well as sounds of humans at the bank or on ships that remain marginal given the timelessness of the movements of the waters. In the background, the piezo provides a cyclical beep every 7 seconds that I have no explanation for – perhaps a ship device? In listening to it more closely – after I finished the piece – I found it structures the piece much more than I have been aware of initially. Originally I intended to complement this water soundscape with electronics, but in mixing I found it very complete and liked listening to it, so I resisted, for the moment, the temptation to argue my own ego into this.

I have preserved the synchronocity of the original recording. One recording artefact of a faulty contact in the beginning has been removed. The recording was made on May 5th 2013, 12:25 at 48°16'2.79"N,  16°21'52.01"E, as was the photograph. Duration: 8'01''


Meine O-Ton-Studie „Donauwahrnehmung“ entstand aus einer Drei-Kanal-Aufnahme in und an der Donau in Wien. Ein Kanal wurde von einem konventionellen Kondensator-Luftdruck-Mikrofon aufgenommen (AKG C480B CK61), ein zweiter Kanal mit einem Hydrophon in etwa 0,3m Tiefe, wenige Meter vom Ufer entfernt (bei einer geschätzten Wassertiefe von 1-1,5m); der dritte Kanal wurde mit einem Piezo-Körperschallempfänger aufgenommen. Diesen hatte ich an einer der stählernen Ponton-Brücken befestigt, an denen am nördlichen Rand Wiens Kreuzfahrschiffe anlanden. 

Die geichmäßige Ruhe des Gurgelns am in geringer Wassertiefe hängenden Hydrophon erzeugt die Zeitlosigkeit eines perpetuum mobile und dominiert die Komposition, hinzu kommen allerdings ebenso permanent Geräusche von Schiffsschrauben. In akustisch völlig anderer Weise, aber eben genauso angetrieben durch die Bewegung des Flusses, unterstützen die hellen, harten und kurzen, fast elektronisch klingenden Laute, die der Körperschallempfänger aufnahm, diese Zeitlosigkeit des Stromes. Beide Signale, das des Hydrophons sowie des Körperschallwandlers haben dabei nichts zyklisches, sondern geben das ewige Fließen des Wassers in eine Richtung wieder. Das Luftmikrofon, die dem Menschen am nächsten gelegene Wahrnemungsart in diesem „sensorischen Trio“, trägt hauptsächlich Windgeräusche sowie Äußerungen der Menschen am Ufer oder von Schiffen bei, die angesichts der Zeitlosigkeit der Bewegungen der Wasser jedoch marginal bleiben. Ein regelmäßig alle sieben Sekunden wiederkehrender Piepton aus dem Piezo-Kanal ist mir unerklärlich – vielleicht ein Gerät auf einem der Schiffe? Beim aufmerksamen Hören – nach Fertigstellung des Stücks – fällt mir auf, wie sehr dieses Geräusch das Stück strukturiert, ohne dass mir das während der Arbeit daran bewußt war. Ursprünglich hatte ich vor, diese O-Ton-Aufnahme mit Elektronik zu ergänzen; beim Abmischen fand ich sie jedoch bereits so vollständig und höre sie gerne wie sie ist, so dass ich im Moment der Versuchung widerstehe meinen eigenen Willen darin stärker zu artikulieren.

Die Synchronzität der Originalaufnahme habe ich erhalten. Lediglich ein durch Wackelkontakt entstandenes Aufnahmeartefakt habe ich heraus geschnitten und die Windgeräusche begrenzt. Die Aufnahme entstand am 5. Mai 2013 um 12:25, Soundbearbeitung und Mix in den Vorweihnachtstagen 2014. Aufnahmeort war  48°16'2.79"N,  16°21'52.01"E. Das Titelphoto wurde zeitgleich aufgenommen. Dauer: 8'01''

Donauwahrnehmung

For these recordings a boundary layer microphone (AKG C562BL) and a Tascam DR-60D audio recorder were used.
The full recordings were 24h continuous. The presented samples are extracts from very early mornings when no single sound events ocurred, basically all extracts come from the time between 2am and 3am. They thus represent what could be called "silence", "noise floor" or, in terms of Justin Winkler, the  "Grundstimmung" of the respective places.

Silences 6 - St. Aygulf

Silences 1 - Wien Karlsplatz

These six tracks have been produced by using the six "silences" tracks, one at a time, as filter on white noise. The results ressemble pretty much the original "silence" recordings. To what degree and why they only ressemble is of course an interesting question, but space does not allow for this long discussion here. But your comments will be appreciated.

White Noise Filtered with Silence 1 - Wien Karlsplatz

Recorded July 4, 2017. Some horses were trained there that morning, as usual, which can be heard in the recording.

Warrnambool Lady Bay Beach

Venus Baths is a name for the rock pools the Stoney Creek has formed a bit upstream of Halls Gap. The photo was taken at the exact same spot of the sound recording.

Venus Baths, Gariwerd

Recorded at the narrowest point a few hundred meters above Halls Gap wherre the Stoney Creek breaks through the rocks. The photo is taken at the exact same spot, looking east over the creek and up to the tall rocks.

Stoney Creek (2/2), Gariwerd

Stoney Creek (1/2), Gariwerd

Two young trees crossing each other made squealing sounds rubbing against each other in the wind. Recorded July 9, 2017 with Soundman OKM II and Tascam DR-60D. The photo is taken a few hundred meters further south, looking east from Boronia Peak.

Squealing Trees near Boronia Peak (2/2), Gariwerd

The two young trees crossing each other in the photo made squealing sounds rubbing against each other in the wind. Recorded July 9, 2017

Squealing Trees near Boronia Peak (1/2), Gariwerd

Recorded July 8, 2017. The photo was made a day earlier in the same spot.
Recorded with Soundman OKM II Original Head microphones, and a Tascam DR-60D

Rain in Halls Gap (3/3), Gariwerd

Recorded July 8, 2017. The photo was made at exactly the same spot.
Recorded with Soundman OKM II Original Head microphones, and a Tascam DR-60D.

Bridal Veil Falls, Gariwerd

Rain in Halls Gap (1/3), Gariwerd

Recorded July 8, 2017. The photo was made a day earlier in the same spot.
Recorded with Soundman OKM II Original Head microphones, and a Tascam DR-60D, high pass filtered to reduce the stomping of my feet...

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