I expect that anyone willing to pay for a nature recording already fully ap=
preciates how pervasive noise is.=0D
=0D
Peter Shute=0D
=0D
=0D
From: =
.com] On Behalf Of Gregory O'Drobinak=0D
Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2012 10:52 AM=0D
To: =0D
Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] the frustrations of engine noise=0D
=0D
=0D
=0D
Peter:=0D
=0D
Using a shotgun mic will not necessarily give one a 'purer' sample of the=
=0D
offending plane/vehicle. The spectrum and fine temporal detail will be diff=
erent=0D
from mic to mic, hence using a different mic to get the 'fingerprint' for n=
oise=0D
reduction may give you results that are less than ideal. There could also b=
e=0D
issues with the reference sample due to the shift in time when the sample w=
as=0D
taken resulting in further spectral and temporal differences. Not everyone =
can=0D
record in more than 2 channels in perfect phasing to have a 'reference' cha=
nnel=0D
available for noise matching.=0D
=0D
Best thing to do is ignore the noise or do something different if you can't=
get=0D
rid of it via conventional EQ, Izotope, or whatever.=0D
=0D
Perhaps we should have a "National No Machines Day" or better yet, a week! =
But=0D
expect to get some flack from hard core urban noise addicts about that one.=
I=0D
find that most motorcycles, especially Harleys, are the worst offenders. Ev=
en if=0D
fuel was $20.00 a gallon, you'd have plenty of motorcycles out & about. Too=
=0D
bad.=0D
=0D
Oh, and don't forget about the insane people that 'boom the hood' with thei=
r=0D
multi-kilowatt bass amps and twenty subwoofers in their vehicle. I had one =
of=0D
those sadists pull up behind me yesterday at a traffic light and it was=0D
intensely painful. Bass of that level can travel for miles.=0D
=0D
What we really need to do is to cultivate a true appreciation for silence a=
nd=0D
become less complacent if we are to reverse this onslaught of machine=0D
harassment. Gordon Hempton's idea of 'One Square Inch' is a good start, but=
=0D
that's just the tip of the iceberg. We need quiet (or no) machines, and the=
y=0D
need to be kept within certain boundaries.=0D
=0D
We also need to educate people to listen to the natural environment. I have=
been=0D
involved in several nature soundwalks in the woods and have presented conce=
rts=0D
of nature sound recordings. This was done here at the Dunes National Lakesh=
ore=0D
in conjunction with Chicago Phonography and the The World Forum for Acousti=
c=0D
Ecology midwest chapter. We are making some inroads, but progress is slow. =
The=0D
people who have participated have really enjoyed these activities and their=
=0D
consciousness has been heightened as a result.=0D
=0D
So perhaps your comment about leaving the noise in the recordings to educat=
e=0D
people about the noise has great merit. In fact, we should have a moratoriu=
m on=0D
the sale and distribution of pristine nature recordings and only sell or=0D
propagate 'flawed' recordings with the info attached describing the offende=
rs.=0D
That way people will be forced to take care of the problem since, until the=
y do=0D
rectify the noise situation, they will not get any more pristine recordings=
to=0D
reflect their efforts.=0D
=0D
Expect to get a great deal of opposition to this idea, however, from the fo=
lks=0D
on this list that profit from the sale of such pristine recordings. There w=
ill=0D
be many arguments and counter-arguments about this philosphcal position and=
I=0D
may be burned at the stake for being a heretic. But life is short. Let's ge=
t on=0D
with it.=0D
=0D
Best regards,=0D
=0D
Greg=0D
=0D
________________________________=0D
From: Peter Shute <<pshute%40nuw.org.au>>=0D
To: "<naturerecordists%40yahoogroups=
.com>" <<naturerecordists%40yahoogro=
ups.com>>=0D
Sent: Mon, July 2, 2012 6:38:36 PM=0D
Subject: RE: [Nature Recordists] the frustrations of engine noise=0D
=0D
Would it be helpful when trying to remove such noise to have a purer sample=
of=0D
it, say recorded simultaneously with a shotgun mic?=0D
=0D
And is it a good thing to totally avoid noisy recordings? How are the publi=
c=0D
going to become aware of the problem if all we ever produce are noise free=
=0D
recordings? Obviously for some purposes noise is unacceptable, but the stuf=
f we=0D
put on Soundcloud, etc, should be ok.=0D
=0D
Peter Shute=0D
=0D
From: <naturerecordists%40yahoogroup=
s.com> <naturerecordists%40y=
ahoogroups.com>]=0D
On Behalf Of vickipowys=0D
Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2012 9:04 AM=0D
To: <naturerecordists%40yahoogroups.=
com>=0D
Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] the frustrations of engine noise=0D
=0D
Hi John,=0D
=0D
For jet plane noise, if they are high flying, you can try a low pass=0D
filter EQ (a simple procedure). Or to completely remove the jet=0D
noise you can try a brick wall filtering approach, i.e. completely=0D
remove all frequencies below, say, 1000 Hz, and replace that section=0D
with audio from a quiet location, just the section below 1000 Hz.=0D
For chainsaws and motorbikes their noise is worse because it goes up=0D
and down in pitch. Maybe the newer version of Izotope may be able to=0D
track the noise and remove it? I only have the older version of RX.=0D
=0D
Don't give up recording! Perhaps take your next holidays at a remote=0D
location :-)=0D
=0D
cheers,=0D
=0D
Vicki=0D
=0D
On 02/07/2012, at 10:57 PM, John Crockett wrote:=0D
=0D
> Greetings all,=0D
>=0D
> Trying to record soundscapes around southern Vermont has become a=0D
> very frustrating experience. I have hours of recordings, and only a=0D
> few minutes without some kind of engine noise: mostly jets, but=0D
> also prop planes, chainsaws, atvs, cars and trucks and motorcycles,=0D
> skidders, and who knows what else. It appears that we are in a=0D
> direct flight path for Logan airport in Boston, so that accounts=0D
> for a lot of it. These are sounds I have effectively screened out=0D
> in a lifetime of living here. I have always thought of this place=0D
> as quiet. But turn on the recorder and suddenly all that engine=0D
> noise comes to the fore. Not quiet at all.=0D
>=0D
> It makes no sense to me to get in my own noisy car and drive all=0D
> over the countryside trying to find quiet places. How contradictory=0D
> is that! I'm not having any luck finding quiet places anyway. This=0D
> noise has become such a frustration that I am sorely tempted to=0D
> give up recording altogether, having only barely begun.=0D
>=0D
> How have others dealt with this frustration? How have you worked=0D
> around it? Anybody have an airplane noise canceling microphone?!=0D
> Should we be hoping the price of oil goes through the roof?=0D
>=0D
> best wishes,=0D
>=0D
> John=0D
>=0D
> John Crockett=0D
> Westminster, VT=0D
>=0D
> Let us live in harmony with the Earth=0D
> And all creatures=0D
> That our lives may be a blessing=0D
>=0D
=0D
=0D
=0D
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