I’ve been revisiting an old recording technique I named - “Dragged Mics” - it is what it’s called! I drag two dynamic mics behind me on various surfaces. This one is from my lawn this morning, where the grass was frosty. No edits to the recording. Works great with headphones so you get the full effect of the crazy stereo perspective.

Dragged Mics Frozen Grass

Unprocessed field recording (except for some normalisation).

Recorded with a pair of High End Contact Mics on Sound Devices 788.

All sounds are heard through the metal structure of the railing. Some light finger tapping on the rail reveals the low, gong-like resonance of the steel bars.

Metal Rails at Ocean Front, Beverly MA, with Contact Mics

Unprocessed field recording of the sound of rough sea lashing against the thick steel walls of the RV Celtic Explorer Marine Research Vessel in the middle of the Atlantic, September 2018.

Pair of High End contact mics attached to the walls of the Forecastle Deck. Recorded on Sound Devices 702.

These recordings were made during the Aerial/Sparks artist residency as part of Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture. In collaboration with the Marine Institute Galway.

RV Celtic Explorer - Ship's Hull in Anchor Chamber during Rough Sea - with Contact Mics

A recording from the pond at Skamling near my house. Last week I noticed frogs mating around the pond. Today they were vocalizing in and around the pond.
Recorded with an Aqua Beat Hydrophone into a Sony PCM M-10

Hydrophone Pond Skamling 29:03:2022

Echoes of Us

(listen with good headphones or conventional speakers to get a sense of the full frequency range)

3 extracts from recordings made with JrF c-series contact microphones;

rain bowl - sweden
railings - sussex
railings - stockholm

I'm posting these particular recordings to highlight the low frequency response capable with the c-series contact mics. Frequencies down to 10hz can be detected. All digital recorders have a 10hz limited installed that can't be turned off without hacking the recorder.

resonances recorded with c-series contact mics

Distract Me

Vinden i stålhegnet ved Augustenborg Hallen på Als (kontaktmikrofoner (2 x AKG C411 PP)). Spillet med dejskraber af gummi, tommestok af træ og de bare fingre.

The wind in this steel fence in Augustenborg, Denmark (contact microphones, 2 x AKG C411 PP). Played with a rubber stick, a stick of wood and my fingers.

Vind i stålhegnet ved Augustenborg Hallen

Right around Christmas I was looking into the Schertler DynUni for field recording. Got a pair, but found they unfortunately didn't add anything to the Trance Audio Inducers I already have. So I returned them after a lengthy correspondence with the tech team in Switzerland. A few days after I returned the pick-ups, I received an email from Schertler, about a special and very sensitive Treebug pick-up they made as a custom order back in the day, they found one still sitting on a shelf that I could purchase - And of course I did... I'm going to use it to try to get the sound of treesap rising - that should happen pretty soon... and a bunch of other secret sounds. 
For now, I stuck it on some smal trees behind my house to "see" what it sounded like. It's held against the trunk with a velcro elasticband.
I have done this a lot in the past, and must say this thing is very sensitive...Have a listen for yourself

Trees With Schertler Pick-up

Recording of a crowd ice skating on the river The Rotte. The recordings contain a mixed version of an omni stereo recording and aquarian hydrophone in contactmic modus registrated with a Zoom F6 recorder and a diy piëzo stereo contact mic connected to an Olympus LS-11 recorder. The other 3 tracks are de separated recordings.

Vind i stålhegnet ved Augustenborg Hallen

Thorstein Q. Hemmet

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