Tag Archives: field recording

Water Under the Bridge

Posted on by

The old iron railing on the footbridge which I crossed on my walk this week will be familiar to those who saw my posts a couple of weeks ago about my previous walk on this route. I wasn’t originally going to include the sound clip below because it’s just water flowing under the bridge – but then on listening to it again, I changed my mind!

The sounds of that flow have three distinct stages: the first part has a lot of bubbly texture to it, including trickles and tickles, gloops and bloops, splashes and plashes (in preference to more technical language), the second is more even with those highlights less noticeable, and the ambience of the third stage has greater weight on the right hand speaker but with a gloopy base returning in the background – and then the sound fades to my footsteps climbing a dry leafy slope.

cwm-dulais-16

Water Under the Bridge

My Walk this Week – Reversing the Scene

Posted on by

My walk this week is the same but different to one I posted about just a couple of weeks ago – I walked the same route but in reverse, starting where I finished previously. This is a simple technique commonly used to provide a different perspective on familiar things, but I am sure you will recognise some of the features.

There were other differences of course – this version of the walk took place on a bright frosty morning whereas previously the light had been more muted. Unfortunately I forgot the windshield for my Edirol sound recorder, so there will be less to a soundscape this time round. However, starting in the valley as I did, there was very little wind anyway.

cam dulls

Starting the Walk – Water and Gate

Aberavon Seafront – Reviewing the Walk

Posted on by

My walk this week at Aberavon in south Wales started very gloomy with a strong sea fret masking the views. But it was still and quiet and one or two people were out and about in spite of the weather. As time went by, however, the mist lifted somewhat and a slightly clearer view over the bay to Swansea was revealed. It really was a most enjoyable walk and I went into the Health and Wellbeing fair (which was my original reason for going there) in a very healthy state of mind.

Swansea Bay from Aberavon

Continue reading→

The Sea, The Sea

Posted on by

The sound clip I have included with the images below may be said to sound like wind in trees, but apart from the fact that it is not and the images would also suggest otherwise, I think there is a difference. I don’t deny that the sounds can be very similar but I like at least to imagine that there are subtle elements of each that would allow me to differentiate between the two. However, I’m not sure I would bet on it – every sound in any environment will always be different according to the circumstances at the time of listening or recording but attuning your ear to those individual elements can be a challenge.

Whatever, I love the sound of the sea, the sea in the clip below and feel confident that the waves breaking amidst the general water and wind ambience can be distinguished as such. See what you think!

sea fret

Clearly a Sea Fret

Continue reading→

Seeing Snippets with a Photographic Blinker

Posted on by

I like to think that I would spot different details or snippets of my surroundings regardless of the photographic blinker provided by a camera. But I also think that using a camera over the years has helped me to put a mental frame around aspects of my local environment that has allowed me more easily to focus on certain details.

On my walk this week along Aberavon seafront I took many photos, both detail shots and wide angle. Thinking of using them and my field recordings for a StillWalks video of this time and place, it was important for me to view the bigger picture as well as the details. The “bigger picture” shots below reveal that the sea fret that had lifted a little for a while, had descended again to mask the details in the distance.

sea wall snippet

Continue reading→

My Walk this Week – Early Morning Seafront

Posted on by

How early is early? For my walk this week along Aberavon seafront in south Wales, it seemed more like nigh time when I started out – it was certainly dark when I left the house but it wasn’t very early, about 7.45. That is perhaps to be expected at this time of year and I guess the murky weather I met with on arrival at the seafront could also be considered normal in this part of the world.

I wasn’t the only one about though, despite the dark sea fret covering the beach.

Aberavon Beach

Seafret and Bird

seafront sculpture
seafront bird
seafront walkers
sea fret
seafront sculpture – detail

Way Barred at the Final Gate

Posted on by

The title of this post is literal rather than metaphorical. The sixth and final gate on my walk was accompanied by a cattle grid and so the way, at least for animals, was indeed barred. I started the posts for my walk this week with some images of walls and so as I approach the end of the walk it seemed appropriate to include the walls I found at this last stage.

The sound of this gate is also included below.

cattle grid

Barred Way

Continue reading→