Best Sounds ie Rain-Thunder

***only place to download these tracks here: https://rjstefanski.bandcamp.com/album/precursor-ep***

To help close out 2015 and to serve as a preview into my forthcoming LP of original field recordings, I am happy to announce the Bandcamp release of "Precursor". While the LP will foreground dense, conceptual soundscapes, this EP is all about simplicity and compactness: six subjects recorded and presented with little frills - just pure sonic enjoyment. 

"Precursor" is bookended with the healing qualities of water - opening with soothing waves and later closing out with thunderstorms - giving the EP a cyclical narrative. Nature presents itself as the main attraction through the first three recordings with sounds captured on Detroit's Belle Isle Park (waves, seagulls, cicadas) and a remote beaver dam in Northern Macomb county. Human interaction slowly enters the fold with the inclusion of an Islamic call to prayer (along with other urban ambiance) and hundreds of children splashing about on a beach. "Precursor" fades out with the startling clarity of rain and thunder mixed from a few separate storms in mid-Summer 2014, quietly bringing the EP to a peaceful finale. 

Buy on Bandcamp

PRECURSOR [EP] (download available on bandcamp)

Netlabels & podcast creators: Please message me directly through soundcloud for inclusion of my original works in your releases. I am always happy to collaborate, edit existing tracks, or create wholly new tracks for you, just ask & cite accordingly :)

Welcome, this is the home for all my original field recording & soundscape projects currently available on soundcloud. There is a mixture of older (44.1 K) and newer (96 K) tracks, displaying a wide range of sound sources and environments, ranging from natural to urban, soothing to unsettling. Typically my approach is to present an edited collage of sound meant to seem like it could almost be a straight-through take, but is designed with a clear beginning, middle and end. This allows for a layering of different recordings, resulting in a thick haze of sound that rewards close headphone listening. For contrast, a few unedited recordings are available as well, uploaded with essentially no post-production work. Either way, the goal is to present a recording that can transport the listener into another time and situation. Some of these tracks are also available as downloads to producers in need of sfx or DJs looking for creative intro/outro tools. 

R.J. Stefanski ~ Original Works: [3 hrs of compositions for use in netlabels, mixtapes, podcasts]

24bit 96kbs

soothing sounds

sleep

Last Glowing Embers: a new journey into experimental ambient soundscape:
Unlike the clearly nautical "5,000 Fathoms..." or the nature documentary context of "Buried Reefs", this project has a much more open-ended disposition, lending itself to any listening environment you choose (of course headphones recommended for the 1st listen). With no set narrative to focus attention to, I instead dove inwards, burying layer after layer of sound (samples and my own found sound) into thick atmospheres before dissolving into the next movement (the continuous 49 minute piece is designed to slowly transform from one moment to the next, blurring the vanishing point of where any particular sample ends or begins).  There are moments that veer closer to classical music than previous work, while other sections neatly summarize several sounds I have chased in the past. Ranging from subliminal to loud-and-clear, nearly every moment of the runtime contains field recordings captured on either a new Tascam hand-held device or a Crown P-SASS stereo mic (this is noticeable from the opening seconds as a stone skips from the left to right side of the mix). In a lot of ways I feel this project represents the culmination of a lot of hours spent editing ambient music over the past few years, slowly try to find my own voice in skewing together the voices of others. LGE resists easy categorization in the oftentimes stale world of ambient music, especially that aimed towards sleeping or meditation. This project has been edited for nearly 3 months towards lulling the listener into a false sense of calm before disrupting expectations with something like the low bass rumbles of Windy and Carl's "Antarctica" or the loud scrapes of gregorian chanting in Amp's piece. Put on your headphones and enjoy, I look forward to hearing your feedback.
Tracklisting presented as outline, divided into 3 parts or movements:
part I.
a found sounds intro featuring several of my own recordings / Chris Watson "Vatnajokull" / Brian Eno "An Ending (Ascent)" / Sigur Ros "Staralflur" / Christopher Bissonnette "Comfortable Expectations" / Biosphere "The Seal and the Hydrophone v.1" (this sample repeats in slightly different variations throughout the mix) / Eluvium "We Say Goodbye to Ourselves" / Windy & Carl "Antarctica" 
part II.
Diatonis "Persistence of Time" / Daniel Kobialka "Blue Spirals" / Thomas Fehlmann "Treatment" / Oneohtrix Point Never "Sand Partina" / The Seven Fields of Aphelion "Fever Sleep" 
part III.
Arvo Part "Speigel im spiegel" (performed by Angele Dubeau & La Pieta) / Pauline Oliveros, Stuart Dempster, Panaiotis "Lear" / Amp "Receive" / Taylor Deupree "Snow/Sand" / Glitterbug "Into the Light"
part IV.
Ulf Lohmann "Sicht" / Sigur Ros "Staralflur" / Brian Eno "An Ending (Ascent)" / Chris Watson "Vatnajokull" / Biosphere "The Seal and the Hydrophone v.1" / 


Last Glowing Embers [Experimental Mix of Ambient / Found Sound / Neo Classical / Drone]

Download only available thru bandcamp: https://rjstefanski.bandcamp.com/

Headphones Recommended:
Unlike my previous field recordings which have been presented moreso as layered soundscapes with quite a bit of post-production work, this track is a straight-through take of soothing waves washing ashore at Detroit's Belle Isle park. This different approach is designed to present the field recording in its original, sparkling audiophile quality. I am lucky enough to currently have access to the amazing CROWN SASS stereo mic, which captures great audio motion as your subject (here its waves and light boating ambiance)moves from one channel to the other. The audio is then sent to my Tascam DR-07 recorder in audiophile-level 96 kHz / 24 bit quality. 

Feel free to use this recording in your own productions, I only ask you cite me as a source if possible, and please send me a link so I can see how it turned out! Or simply add this track to your favorite sleep / relaxing playlist.

Also stay tuned for more of my field recordings, as I am currently editing an album of original works for late 2014.

Soothing Waves at Belle Isle

Soothing Waves at Belle Isle [96 K Stereo Mic](Relaxing Sounds for Sleep or Meditation)

Download only available thru bandcamp: https://rjstefanski.bandcamp.com/

Headphones Recommended:
After months of attempts to time this field recording just right, I was finally able to capture Hamtramck, MI's Islamic call to prayer in pristine, audiophile 96 kHz audio with the Crown SASS stereo mic. There are a few mosques in the city, this particular recording was taken directly in front of the Al-Islah Islamic Center with the Crown mic focusing on the prayer but also allowing for some light city ambiance too. 
There are 5 different Adhans each day, this is the Dhuhr, which occurs typically around noon or when the shadow of something is twice it's own length.

Islamic Call To Prayer [Field Recording: 96 kHz / 24 Bit / Crown SASS Stereo Mic]

Download only available thru bandcamp: https://rjstefanski.bandcamp.com/

Headphones Recommended:
Recorded in July of this past summer on a very hot afternoon, this collage combines a few different sounds that all share a beach theme. Mainly you hear me walking down the middle of a very crowded beach, with dozens of kids yelling, playing, and splashing about in the water. The sound continues to change as I keep moving down the beach, eventually getting away from the crowd and allowing two other sounds to enter: lapping waves and seagulls from Belle Isle in Detroit (these are 2 different recordings).  The result should sound like what could be one straight-through take, even though its several clips edited together in a specific way. Most of these recordings were made on my handheld Tascam DR-07 and have been maintained at their pristine audiophile levels of 96 K / 24 bit through the editing/uploading process. Feel free to use this sound effect in your own productions, I just ask you cite me wherever possible, or simply add to your sleep playlist for a relaxing 2 minute trip out of everyday life.

Kids Playing at Stony Creek Beach with Waves & Seagulls  [Field Recording: 96 kHz / 24 Bit / WAV]

Download only available thru bandcamp: https://rjstefanski.bandcamp.com/

Headphones Recommended:
My latest soundscape curated from recordings made in 2014 with my new set-up (jumping from 44.1 to 96 kHz): "Calming Waters..." mixes three different perspectives on a beaver dam in Northern Macomb county Michigan, USA for a uniquely immersive listening experience. You begin a bit further away from the actual dam (an impressive structure probably 60 feet by 12 feet, situated right off/under an old railway converted into a bike path), the rushing water is audible but quiet as other woodland sounds like crickets and birds enter the mix. As the soundscape continues, the microphone placement nears the river and the water builds to an almost white noise-level of sound, calming and powerful at the same time. At times you can also hear a bee buzz right next to the right channel (headphones recommended). This soundscape is bookended with clips of deep woods near Houghton Lake, Michigan, but is designed to play out like one straight-through recording with no editing.

Captured with Tascam DR-07 and maintained at original 96 K / 24 bit audiophile quality throughout editing. Add to your favorite sleep playlist, use as a meditation tool, or throw into your own productions (I like to use these as intro/outro for DJ sets). If you do use this clip somehow, please share with me so I can see how it turned out!

Calming Waters of a Beaver Dam

Calming Waters of a Beaver Dam [Field Recording: 96 kHz / 24 bit / WAV]

Download only available thru bandcamp: https://rjstefanski.bandcamp.com/

Headphones Recommended - 
Although I have previously uploaded soundscapes of rain and thunder, this is the first to be presented in audiophile 96 kHz / 24 bit clarity, recorded by both my Tascam DR-07 and a stereo Crown Sass microphone for select sections. This track consists of roughly 10 separate recordings from different locations in Michigan, USA, all chopped up across 16 different channels and is meant to have a clear beginning, peak/middle, and resolution. Most of these storms occurred in summer of 2014.

Precursor EP

Midsummer Thunderstorm [Audiophile WAV] Ambient Rain Sounds Sleep Relaxation Yoga

Download only available thru bandcamp: https://rjstefanski.bandcamp.com/

Headphones Recommended:
As I continue to slowly edit and release new soundscapes of 2014 field recordings, "Lake Takoma" is the first of a few brief stereo mic tests. The bulk of this recording comes from simply setting up a Crown Sass Stereo mic aimed at the main road that circles Detroit's Belle Isle park (near the lake where this track received its name), capturing a few cars every 40 seconds or so from about 30 feet off the road. The stereo mic captured the crossing of the sound from the one side of the mix to the other in stunning clarity. You can really feel the busted muffler in the one car, or follow another as it slowly fades into the far reaches of the opposite side of your headphones that you found it at. To balance out the soundscape I mixed in a separate recording taken from my parents backyard in a small rural town and it features cicadas, daytime crickets, and other odd backyard ambiance including the low rumble of a riding lawnmower idling in the next yard. 

Enjoy as a relaxing sound tool, for sound effects in your own production, or however you please, just let me know how it turns out!

Lake Takoma Stereo Mic Test

Lake Takoma Crown SASS Stereo Mic Test [HD 96 K Field Recording: Cars Passing & Seagulls Belle Isle]

Following late 2015's "Precursor EP" comes a new release and another change in the overall presentation of my field recordings. Over the next 1-2 weeks I will be posting a trilogy of extended soundscapes that share an affinity for a specific geographic focus, occupying a psychedelic space between the more scholarly process of creating sound maps and experimental ambient music. The first installment of these experimental sound maps (which highlight three important places from around my home in Detroit, MI) is infatuated with the power and presence of the many waters of Detroit's Belle Isle Park. Unlike some sound maps which aim for a total representation of a location, these pieces have a more insular approach, opting to provide the listener with a guided tour through specific landmarks.

The scene is set with the bleached out bliss of a hot midafternoon sun on Belle Isle's sandy public beach. Children goof around a few towels over - one boy tries to trick another into saying "underwear" - while down the beach the river lightly laps at the beach, and a little further away some field crickets begin to stir.  Just past the midway point of the river a few boats pass, one lingers in the middle of the stereo field, slowly getting closer and slightly louder before turning away. The backdrop of waves and field noise (crickets and passing boats) is constantly shifting throughout the soundscape, the best remnants from several field recording expeditions. We move a little away from the shore and through open fields towards the notorious Hidden Beach. There we find a small group of people with a few dogs cooling off in the shady canal with some slowly passing fishing boats. We move further inland to the Conservatory Garden Fountain, close enough to hear the water bubble up from the pump beneath the surface. Even though we're so close to the fountain, a gardener using a weed whacker in the distance can be heard.  Our walk continues, leaving the Conservatory and heading towards a historic bell tower just in time to hear a peaceful melody. Finally we move towards the far shoreline, choosing an open field not far from the water to rest. By this point in the afternoon the field crickets have really picked up, competing in overall volume with an array of sounds including police sirens from Windsor and a huge barge which is about to pass through the river. You can hear the aging motors of the barge rattling away as the huge boat slowly passes from roughly 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock (in terms of position to the listener's stereo field).

A number of the recordings from this track were made with the Crown SASS stereo mic, complimenting the movement of passing ships from one side of the stereo field to the other. All sounds recorded and edited by RJ Stefanski in 2015.

Surrounded by Shores [Field Recorded Sound Map 1.1 | Waters of Belle Isle]

R.J. Stefanski / Cathedral in Grayscale.

A new chapter in the evolution of how I manipulate my field recordings, "Cathedral in Grayscale" is a six minute mini-odyssey sitting at the meeting point of ambient, drone, and sound collage. The foundation of the soundscape is a new piano piece blurred with effects and slowly accented with a flurry of new recordings. Winter rain, passing trains, a crowded  shopping market, seagulls, and waves are just some of the sounds that were added in one by one, layering them all into one dense atmosphere. 
The track is further augmented by taking a few field recordings (downtown ambiance, barcode readers, frogs) and slathering them with effects and slowing them down into a blissed out pool of reverb. More piano compositions were also slowed down to resemble stringed instruments, a technique acquired from hours of listening to Stars of the Lid. 
Throughout "Cathedral" the human voice enters through the fog, including AM preachers, astronauts, famous opera singers, and elderly people speaking on surviving the Great Depression. Enjoy on good headphones, any feedback / requests to include in podcasts / etc.. please message me.

All sounds, editing, and artwork RJ Stefanski 2016.

unreleased

Cathedral in Grayscale [original ambient piano composition]

Sonic Portraits: A new series of shorter field recording compositions designed to present a single location through a small number of recordings with minimal editing.  The first installment is culled from three different recordings I made in the middle of a pond in the rural outskirts of Romeo, MI with a Crown SASS-P Stereo Mic into a Tascam recorder set at the HD quality of 96kHz / 24 bit / WAV. 

001 - Romeo Campground Swamp at Night: Three stereo field recordings featuring tons of late Summer crickets chirping away in the middle of a muggy night. Frogs occasionally croak from off in the distance, and towards the end a scary creature that sounds like the squeal of a pig appears.

Campground Swamp at Night [HD Field Recording of Crickets and Frogs in Deep Woods]

Blending elements of a full length LP, an experimental DJ set, and a retrospective compilation - "Selected Field Recording Works..." is the latest journey into sound design from R.J. Stefanski.

This project materialized over nearly a year of molding together soundscapes that span the full time range since upgrading my field recording set up (2013-2016), with a few unreleased pieces and brand new tracks thrown into the mix. A defining feature of this project is the focus on original piano compositions which appear and recede into the distance throughout the forty minutes. I also tried to maintain a full and clear volume across the mix - hopefully presenting these HD recordings in a way that any listener with quality headphones can appreciate. My aim is for this album to meet the standard qualifier for successful ambient music - whether you want to let it simply be background noise or something more substantial to listen to deeply - I hope it achieves whichever you need it for. 

Tracklisting / Outline of Sounds Presented ~

01. Cathedral in Grayscale [00-05]
02. Lake Erie Surf / Cedar Point Track UNRELEASED [05-10]
03. Urban Atmospheres [09-11]
04. Calming Waters of a Beaver Dam [11-13]
05. Green Acres of Detroit [13-16]
06. Midsummer Thunderstorm [ 16-18]
07. The Retired Cosmonaut SIDE B [18-20]
08. NEW Belle Isle Soundscape [20-22]
09. Drowning Butterflies [21-24]
10. NEW Mechanical Soundscape [23-27]
11. Welcome to Gotham [27-29]
12. Winter Freezing Rain and Sleet [29-31]
13. NEW NYC Soundscape Bryant Park & Central Park [31-36]
14. NEW Closing Outro [36-38]

All Sounds Captured by RJ Stefanski on either a Tascam DR-07 or a Crown SASS-P Stereo Mic then edited and maintained at 96 K / 24 Bit Wav files.

Selected Field Recording Works 2013-16 [All Original Ambient Compositions]

Purchase soundscapes & recordings on bandcamp:
https://rjstefanski.bandcamp.com/

A new track in the Therapy series is here, 17 minutes of ocean surf:
https://soundcloud.com/rjsfoundsounds/sound-therapy-sessions-002-relaxing-ocean-surf-relaxing-music-for-sleep-relaxation-hd-wav

After recently realizing I had yet to release any rain / thunder based recordings in 2016, I used the opportunity to begin yet another series examining the different formats available in curating, editing, and presenting original field recordings.  The Sound Therapy Sessions will feature lengthy sonic excursions favoring tranquil moods and the interesting mixtures of related sources within a specific location, theme, or concept.
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STS 001: Quiet Rain, Thunder & Waves
Obviously my favorite sound to build a track with - the rain for this particular piece was recorded on April 1, 2016 in Romeo, MI. Recording nature sounds near my parents home vs. Detroit allows me to avoid as much car/airplane/etc interference as possible. I try to make sure each new thunderstorm track I put out has a different feel then the previous examples - so with this version I decided to foreground the light, relaxing white noise of a light to medium rain (as compared to my usual focus on loud thunder). Over the course of the opening 6-8 minutes there are more and more layers of simple rain mixed in, all together from four separate recordings from two storms taped on an enclosed back porch. 

Slowly the rain forms into waves that ebb and flow throughout the stereo field. These were taped later in the summer of 2016 at Belle Isle Park in Detroit, MI. Around the same time a pair of boys playing and laughing on a trampoline in a Hamtramck backyard can also be heard.

Combining two soothing examples of the sound of water in nature with an extended run time and HD quality fidelity makes this track ideal for contemplative listening on good headphones. Enjoy.

All sounds, editing, and artwork by RJ Stefanski. December 2016

Sound Therapy Sessions

Sound Therapy Session 001 - Quiet Rain, Thunder & Waves [Relaxing Music for Sleep & Meditation]

If you wish to download this in full HD lossless quality, follow this link:
***Purchase on Bandcamp in WAV***
https://rjstefanski.bandcamp.com/track/relaxing-rain-and-loud-thunder

One of my first edits from my library of found sounds: "Relaxing Rain and Loud Thunder" is designed as a brief intro into my perspective on contemporary field recording. This is actually a few different storms, recorded in different times in various places piled up on top of each other to create a uniquely soothing three and a half minutes. Use good headphones and listen loud, but be ready for those loud cracks of thunder! More of my rain recordings:
https://soundcloud.com/rjsfoundsounds/city-storm-pt-03-rolling-thunder-hd-field-recordings
https://soundcloud.com/rjsfoundsounds/city-storm-pt-05-sudden-downpours-of-relaxing-rain-with-rolling-thunder-hd-field-recordings
https://soundcloud.com/rjsfoundsounds/rj-stefanski-midsummer-thunderstorm-field-recording-96-khz-24-bit
https://soundcloud.com/rjsfoundsounds/r-j-stefanski-20-x-2-05-romeo
https://soundcloud.com/rjsfoundsounds/rj-stefanski-city-rain-falling-on-umbrella-hd-field-recordings-nyc-96k-16bit-wav
https://soundcloud.com/rjsfoundsounds/sound-therapy-sessions-001-quiet-rain-thunder-and-waves
All Sounds Property of Ryan John Stefanski 2013-2020
New artwork / image by R.J. Stefanski July 1 2020.

self titled single

"Relaxing Rain and Loud Thunder"

Bandcamp Download

Relaxing Rain & Loud Thunder (Ambient Calm Field Recording for Sleep, Relaxation Meditation, Yoga)

Stream an original ambient piece here:
https://soundcloud.com/rjsfoundsounds/the-retired-cosmonaut-pt-ii-hamtramck-1914
Stream relaxing rain sounds here:
https://soundcloud.com/rjsfoundsounds/24-mins-of-tranquil-rain-thunder-pt-twofield-recordings-for-sleep-relaxation
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My 8th mix, "Anchor States", represents my second attempt at making a "sleep" collage. Unlike my mini anthology of ambient, this project uses beats but still maintains a peaceful, soothing atmosphere. The tone here is a bit more orchestral and sounds less electronic on the surface, even though many of these warm, organic drones are made with computers. Ambient main-stays Biosphere, Gas, and Stars of the Lid make appearances, as do lesser known artists like Loscil, Manual, and The Sight Below. All together you get a unique 53 minutes to zone out, relax, or fall asleep to. 
Feat:
Loscil - Endless Falls / H.I.A. & Biosphere - Cannon Hill / Tal - Tal’90 / Biosphere - Spindrift / Andrew Thomas - I Am Here Where Are You & A Thousand Pinholes in a Black Paper Sky / Gas - Untitled 3 (Konigsforst) / The Sight Below - At First Touch & Shimmer & Further Away / Ulf Lohmann - Java / Stars of the Lid - Requiem for Dying Mothers, pt.1 & Anchor States, pt.1 & Even (Out)+ / All - Alles Fliesst Nichts Bliebt / also w. Sufjan Stevens, Animal Collective, Manual, and various field recordings /

Anchor States [Ambient Sleep Mix w. Loscil, SotL, Sight Below & more]

If you feel hot, listen to this to cool you down. 

Thunder Sounds

"Winter Weather Advisory" is a continuous 39 minute journey into a frostbitten landscape of ambient clouds, stately swells of piano and strings, and of course, theme-specific field recordings. The mix is bookended with found sound of boots crunching on snow and was somewhat intended as a soundtrack for a night time walk into a blizzard. Tracks were chosen that fit this cinematic, somewhat gloomy atmosphere: with titles like 'Fluffy Tufts" and "Then It's White", and artists with names such as "Voices from the Lake", everything complimenting the tundra vibe. The tracklisting is as follows:

Foundsound intro / Voices from the Lake "Circe" / Pole 'Karussel" / Yagya "Snowflake 5" / Mohn "Einrauschen" / Sigur Ros "Von" / Cocteau Twins "Fluffy Tufts" / The Field "Then It's White" / Sigur Ros "Med Sud..." & "Straumnes"  / Biosphere "Shika" (The Sight Below Rmx) / Markus Guentner "Express Yourself" / Voices from the Lake "Mika" / Yagya 'Snowflake 6" / Voices from the Lake "Circe" / Foundsound outro 

Winter Weather Advisory [Ambient Blizzard Mix for Sleep / Relaxation]

Brooklyn NYC + Detroit | Message directly for inquiries about sampling recordings, bookings, collaborations, or questions | Since releasing a series of diverse mixtapes in 2011, Stefanski has slowly turned his focus to his own ambient productions, often built entirely of original field recordings. He has released a wide array of original soundscapes ranging from brief, high-def clips of thunderstorms to extended sound collages, each project sharing a hazy, psychedelic glow. Before moving to Brooklyn, Stefanski curated the chill out room for infamous Detroit after-hours rave BAK DØR. After relocating he released an LP of short field recordinged ("20 X 2"), a podcast for an experimental NYC label (Metamorph) and an album for Bivouac's "60 Minute Cities" series. His relaxing rain soundscapes are some of the most popular on soundcloud, with one clip nearing 14 million streams as of late 2020. More recently Stefanski expanded his productions with visual components, including a new website which hosts the unique travelogue "The San Diego Tapes" and photography prints for sale.

~FEEL FREE to use my field recordings/original tracks in any of your own works, I only ask you cite me as a source and please send me a link of the finished product.  MESSAGE ME for questions, I won't see questions in comments.

#ambient #fieldrecording #soundscape #relaxing #fieldrecordings #sounddesign #meditation #soundeffects #drone #yoga #studying #study #newage #experimental #audiophile #foley