naturerecordists
[Top] [All Lists]

4. Re: Surround Sound / Wildlife Recordings

Subject: 4. Re: Surround Sound / Wildlife Recordings
From: "Rob Danielson" danielson_audio
Date: Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:07 pm ((PDT))
Thanks for the tips, Charles.

I couldn't get my core audio card connected to
Java Ambisonics Player, but this app started out
looking very promising. The good news is Video
Lan Player played the DTS format quick as pie!

I'll run quickly through some of my responses.

A. Instantly--- I'm aware that my "head" is doing
something unusual to create space in the
recording. I need more practice processing the
"cues" provided by the array.

B. I would characterize the new mental effort as
a "tightness--" like my brain is struggling to
use very fine differences to infer a larger
wholeness. I don't feel enveloped in air-- but I
do sense a potential space. I feel compelled to
keep my head very still. There's a sense of a
lurking open-ness that extends mostly towards
sounds I attend to.  A fulfilling exception is in
the rear field of the tree frogs in "Northeast
Night Woodland Stream." These sounds  do fill the
rear dynamically from left to right and from left
rear to left front with echoes that suggest some
containment going on. Trees I presume.

C. Next, an impression I've noticed a number of
times with ambi pieces made in wide open spaces.
The sound of sources in the distance drop off
more rapidly than I'm used to with spaced arrays.
Its like there's more contrast within the "reach"
into space.  I not able to make out a "horizon"
(typically bass and sustained lower midrange
elements that come from far great distances).
These  bottom registers  and even those of the
tree frogs feel under-represented.  The locust
strain that rises unexpectedly out of the
distance is very striking.  Usually, robust
sounds like this also carry cues of nearby
reflective surfaces. The sounds that linger in
the space in both of the ambi recordings feel
"dryer" and more separate. The effect has strong
merits as an aesthetic to explore and I can see
why people like it.

D. The grasshoppers are fantastic! The movement
and localization in proximity to the speakers is
very, very precise. I could pluck them from the
air.  When they are fairly stationary in phantom
locations between the speakers, my ears play
tricks. It sounds like some high frequencies are
rapidly oscillating back and forth between
speakers. Its likely my brain stuttering trying
to place cues that I'm not used to sorting out.

Thanks for sharing these works. I've learned a
lot trying to put my responses into words. These
comments are more about my listening abilities
than the recordings probably. :-)

I can post some spaced surround work or maybe
someone else wants to jump in? Rob D.

  =3D =3D


At 2:24 PM -0400 8/27/10, Charles Veasey wrote:
>
>
>For windows, a very good one is Visual Virtual Microphone:
><http://mcgriffy.com/audio/ambisonic/vvmic/>http://mcgriffy.com/audio/ambi=
sonic/vvmic/
>
>For cross platform try Roger Klaveness's Java Ambisonics Player.
>Currently his site is messed up in that the html requires a download to
>view it, so here are both the info and software link:
>
><http://sites.google.com/a/klaveness.info/www/ambplay.html>http://sites.go=
ogle.com/a/klaveness.info/www/ambplay.html
><http://sites.google.com/a/klaveness.info/www/AmbisonicsPlayer.zip>http://=
sites.google.com/a/klaveness.info/www/AmbisonicsPlayer.zip
>
>There are more including a Windows Media Player plugin refer to the Wiki:
><http://www.ambisonia.com/wiki/index.php/Playback_Software>http://www.ambi=
sonia.com/wiki/index.php/Playback_Software
>
>peace.
>Charles
>
>On 8/27/10 3:56 AM, Rob Danielson wrote:
>>
>>  At 10:14 PM -0400 8/26/10, Charles Veasey wrote:
>>  >
>>  >Here are some nature recordings I made with the TetraMic using the
>>  >Motu Traveler and Edirol R-44.
>>  >
>>  ><<http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/cveasey/ambisonicfile.2008-08-29.11=
93700776>http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/cveasey/ambisonicfile.2008-08-29.=
1193700776><http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/cveasey/ambisonicfile.2008-08-=
Message: 29.
Subject: 
1193700776>http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/cveasey/ambisonicfile.2008-0=
8-29.1193700776
>  > >
>>  ><<http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/cveasey/ambisonicfile.2008-08-29.31=
06570230>http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/cveasey/ambisonicfile.2008-08-29.=
3106570230><http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/cveasey/ambisonicfile.2008-08-=
Message: 29.
Subject: 
3106570230>http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/cveasey/ambisonicfile.2008-0=
8-29.3106570230
>>  >
>>  >-charles
>>
>>  Hi Charles-
>>  I've come across these very titles before and was curious to hear them.
>>
>>  Grassy Plains Day Insects: Badlands
>  > Northeast Night Woodland Stream: Algonquin Provincial Park
>>
>>  Is there a 5.1 format I can quickly play on my
>>  surround speakers connected to the audio card in
>>  my computer? I'm thinking of poly file formats
>>  that play with one click using a browser rather
>>  than downloading and loading files into
>>  multitrack apps, using special decoding plug-ins
>>  or streaming coax to a tuner? Hopefully there's
>>  one staring me in the face as I'd very much like
>>  to hear your work. If not, I'll give it another
>>  try to get Ambisonic files playing in Reaper or
>>  Logic v7 or ? Are there clear set-up directions
>>  for the easiest means you can point me to?
>>  Thanks, Rob D.
>>
>>  =3D =3D =3D
>>
>>  >
>>  >On 8/26/10 12:40 PM, Rob Danielson wrote:
>>  >>
>>  >> Hi--
>>  >> I'd love to hear some samples of the surround
>>  >> work people are realizing with these arrays. Rob
>>  >> D.
>>  >>
>>  >> =3D =3D =3D
>>  >>
>>  >> At 7:10 PM +0300 8/26/10, Marinos Koutsomichalis wrote:
>>  >> >
>>  >> >
>>  >> >There are also the soundfield ambisonics
>>  >> >microphones - I' ve work with them outdoors but
>>  >> >always not in extreme conditions. I' m quite
>>  >> >happy with their sound !
>>  >> >
>>  >> >I read somewhere though that Chris recently used
>>  >> >one in his trip to antarctica..
>>  >> >
>>  >> >m
>>  >> >
>>  >> >On 26 =C9=FC=C9"=C9=A1 2010, at 5:51 =C9 .=C9 ., Bernie Krause wrot=
e:
>>  >> >
>>  >> >> Four 4060s aligned in a tetrahedral pattern will provide the
>>  basis for
>>  >> >> ambisonic surround that can be delivered by anything from 3 to ov=
er
>>  >> >> 150 channels. And, yes, the surround provided by an MKH 30 and
>>  two 40s
>>  >> >> facing opposite directions (used by Martyn, Chris Watson, and a f=
ew
>>  >> >> others) provides a wonderful double MS result that can likewise
>>  be re-
>>  >> >> programmed in an ambisonic configuration. The beauty of the
>>  double MS
>>  >> >> configuration is that only three channels are needed.
>>  >> >>
>>  >> >> Bernie
>>  >> >>
>>  >> >> On Aug 26, 2010, at 6:48 AM, Martyn Stewart wrote:
>>  >> >>
>>  >> >> > I actually had a chance to use the DPA surround setup on a proj=
ect
>>  >> >> > and was very impressed with them. I'm told they are the same
>>  >> >> > capsules as the 4060's. I use normally 2 MKH 40 back to back
>>  with 1
>>  >> >> > MKH-30 effectively.
>>  >> >> >
>>  >> > > > Martyn
>>  >> >
>>  >> > > > Sent from my iPad
>>  >> >> >
>>  >> >> > On Aug 26, 2010, at 6:19 AM, clay
>>  >>
>>  >><<dan.cesonrocks%40gmail.com><dan.cesonrocks%40gmail.co=
m><dan.cesonrocks%40gmail.com>
>>  <dan.cesonrocks%40gmail.com>
>>  >> <dan.cesonrocks%40gmail.com>>
>>  >> >>wrote:
>>  >> >> >
>>  >> >> >> On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 8:29 AM,
>>  >> >>corticalsongs
>>  >>
>>  >><<corticalsongs%40yahoo.com><corticalsongs%40yahoo.com>=
<corticalsongs%40yahoo.com>
>>  <corticalsongs%40yahoo.com>
>>  >> <corticalsongs%40yahoo.com>
>>  >> >> >> >wrote:
>>  >> >> >>
>>  >> >> >>>
>>  >> >> >>>
>>  >> >> >>>
>>  >> >> >>>> Any thoughts on using surround sound for wildlife? Are the m=
ic
>>  >> >> >>>> specs
>>  >> >> >>> suited to wildlife?
>>  >> >> >>>
>>  >> >> >>> I would say that all you need is 4 mics to start. As far as
>>  I can
>>  >> >> >>> tell the
>>  >> >> >>> fancy surround mics are all pretty noisy right now, perhaps
>>  thier
>>  >> >> >>> intended
>>  >> >> >>> use was the concert hall or foley stage. If you are recording=
 a
>>  >> >> >>> jungle at
>>  >> >> >>> night, they would be fine, but as Dan pointed out, they are
>>  >> >> >>> probably too
>>  >> >> >>> noisy for most quiet places in North America.
>>  >> >> >>>
>>  >> >> >>> David
>>  >> >> >>>
>>  >> >> >>> __._,_.
>>  >> >> >>>
>>  >> >> >>
>>  >> >> >>
>>  >> >> >> I was thinking three mics would work, if one were Figure-8, pl=
us
>  > >> >> >> front and
>>  >> >> >> rear facing cardiods?
>>  >> >> >>
>>  >> >> >>
>>  >> >> >> There is something called a Tetramic that might be useful,
>>  but still
>>  > > >> >> relatively noisy.
>>  >> >> >>
>>  >> >> >>
>>  >>
>>  >><<<http://www.core-sound.com/TetraMic/1.php>http://www.core-sound.com=
/TetraMic/1.php><http://www.core-sound.com/TetraMic/1.php>http://www.core-s=
ound.com/TetraMic/1.php><<http://www.core-sound.com/TetraMic/1.php>http://w=
ww.core-sound.com/TetraMic/1.php><http://www.core-sound.com/TetraMic/1.php>=
http://www.core-sound.com/TetraMic/1.php
>>  >> >> >>
>>  >> >> >> clay
>>  >> > > >>
>>  >> >
>>  >>
>>  >> --
>>  >>
>>  >>
>>  >>
>>  >
>>  >
>>  >
>>
>>  --
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>


--









<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the naturerecordists mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU