1. Discuss your experiences with building your microphones. Was this process more or less what you thought it would be? How did your microphone rig work on your Drift walks? Were you able to capture both overall ambiance and extreme closeups? Describe your ideal microphone and recorder setup, with unlimited time and money.
I actually looked forward to building my microphones. I’m usually a fast learner and thing like that come easy to me. So when it actually came to doing it I had everything working out smoothly until the actual soldering the metal together. The solder machines weren’t getting hot enough so it was melting anything. It took a long time before I actually got my second wire on, but when I did it was a huge relief. The microphones worked great on my drift. Sometimes the felt to block the wind would come loose, but it was an easy fix. I was able to capture both overall ambience (construction) and close ups (waterfall).I guess my ideal microphone would look a little nicer than orange duct tape wrapped around felt. I would like it a bit more professional. I would I have something to block out more of the wind. I didn’t have a big problem with that, but I still could hear it.
2. How was your experience with operating the MiniDisc recorder? How does this recorder compare to other audio equipment you've used? In an ideal world, how would your recorder of choice function?
The MiniDisc recorder gave me no problems. I turned it on and out I went. Like I said it takes a minute and then I pick up quickly on working most electronics. I have never really used any recording equipment except a camcorder or a karaoke machine. It probably had more steps to follow, so that recording turned out. In an ideal world my recorder would have four buttons; record, play, skip and delete. Everything else would be automatic.
3. Discuss the audio-editing software you chose and your history with this application. If you used this software for the first time, explain why you chose this particular application and how you think it helped you to accomplish your creative goals (or proved detrimental). Will you use this software again for future projects?
I used Audacity to edit my sound recordings, because it was the application I heard most about in class. I never used any audio-editing software before, but once I got used to it, it was easy to complete the rest of my editing. I thought it would be a difficult task to complete editing all my drifts, but the software was easy enough to get the job done. I will definitely use this software again.
Monday, October 20, 2008
10 Questions of my Drift
1. Were there any allies or smaller roads I could have taken?
2. Were there any areas less concentrated on construction?
3. Is there an interesting area to capture several different angles of trains?
4. Were there any interesting beat down buildings in the area?
5. Are there any animals around besides birds?
6. Are there other interesting waterfalls besides in front of the art museum?
7. Where can I find interesting views on my drift?
8. Is the same area good enough to use again?
9. Is there an area where less cars drive threw?
10. Is the cold going to make my drift more difficult?
2. Were there any areas less concentrated on construction?
3. Is there an interesting area to capture several different angles of trains?
4. Were there any interesting beat down buildings in the area?
5. Are there any animals around besides birds?
6. Are there other interesting waterfalls besides in front of the art museum?
7. Where can I find interesting views on my drift?
8. Is the same area good enough to use again?
9. Is there an area where less cars drive threw?
10. Is the cold going to make my drift more difficult?
Drift 1 Assessment
1. Describe two situations that aggravated, bothered, shocked or otherwise stressed you during Drift 1. (Please note that the situation CANNOT be technology-related.)
My most annoying situation during my drift 1, was catching all the automobiles going by. Everywhere I went, cars, buses and motorcycles would pass by in the background. I understood I was in the middle of the city, but I preferred no car or bus engines zooming by in the majority of my recordings. Another thing that annoyed me was the long walk where I felt I wasn’t getting anything worth blogging. My first recording of the train was amazing, so it downsized everything else I recorded after.
2. Describe, with details, two situations during Drift 1 in which you felt unusually peaceful, at ease, or contemplative.
When I sat down on a ledge near the O’Donnel Park Office (across the street from the Milwaukee Art Museum) I was taking a break from the hot sun and walking for almost 2 hours, when all of a sudden birds started chirping. It was the first sign of real nature on my drift. I live in rural area, so I’m used to more natural sound of animals, trees and grass without construction and automobiles. Also another time I got caught in the moment was when I recorded the train. Something about it was beautiful even though there was the screeching of breaks and clanking of metal. Like I said in my Drift1 blog, it reminded me of when you trace the rim of crystal glass and it makes a beautiful sound. I was so caught in the moment that I didn’t realize the guy honking at me to move out of the way.
3. Describe three surprises or unexpected situations you encountered on your Drift and in the days that followed. The surprise could stem from your expectations that conflicted with "on the ground" realities, cultural or social issues of which you were previously unaware, feelings and reactions that you did not expect to have, appearances and soundings of things you did not expect, good or bad outcomes of "on the spot" decisions you had to make, or the discovery of "deeper" realities in the materials you brought home. (Again, skip anything technology-related!)
On my drift it surprised me that nobody really cared what I was doing. I thought people would be staring at me or tell me to get lost, but nobody seemed to even notice. I also had an “on the spot” decision to make when I was recording some decent sound of a construction site when I heard the drawbridge start to chime on Young St. I stopped the recording and went right next to the drawbridge to get the sound and it turned out pretty cool. I even used it as one of my clips on my blog. Another thing that interested me was the sound of the waterfalls I recorded. I did three different ones and they all turned out different. Two of them were nearly the same, but at different distances. I could tell the difference, but they were both a solid sound with no tones or variety. The one that I keep and put on the blog had a verity of tones from the vent and waterfall which I didn’t notice until I listen to all the recordings. It was a little bit of a surprise.
4. Describe your favorite experience, situation, place, or recollection from your Drift. Be specific about what happened, how you felt, how you reacted, and why you think this particular experience affected you so much.
My favorite experience was the train. I stood there for a long amount of time recording as much as I could, so that I would have the perfect recording. The sound was just amazing and I never listened to a train like that before, which is why this event affected me so. I heard the train coming so I went under the bridge and figured I would get some interesting sound there, but it actually muffled the train and the only thing I could hear were cars. So I went to the side of the bridge and began recording again. Soon the train put down its brakes and that’s when the really interesting noise came. I couldn’t stop recording and like I said before, that’s when a guy was honking at me, but I thought it was just part of the train. Finally, I looked over to check my surroundings and realized this guy has been honking at me for the last 45 seconds and at the end of my recording you can here an “Oh” of embarrassment come out of my mouth.
My most annoying situation during my drift 1, was catching all the automobiles going by. Everywhere I went, cars, buses and motorcycles would pass by in the background. I understood I was in the middle of the city, but I preferred no car or bus engines zooming by in the majority of my recordings. Another thing that annoyed me was the long walk where I felt I wasn’t getting anything worth blogging. My first recording of the train was amazing, so it downsized everything else I recorded after.
2. Describe, with details, two situations during Drift 1 in which you felt unusually peaceful, at ease, or contemplative.
When I sat down on a ledge near the O’Donnel Park Office (across the street from the Milwaukee Art Museum) I was taking a break from the hot sun and walking for almost 2 hours, when all of a sudden birds started chirping. It was the first sign of real nature on my drift. I live in rural area, so I’m used to more natural sound of animals, trees and grass without construction and automobiles. Also another time I got caught in the moment was when I recorded the train. Something about it was beautiful even though there was the screeching of breaks and clanking of metal. Like I said in my Drift1 blog, it reminded me of when you trace the rim of crystal glass and it makes a beautiful sound. I was so caught in the moment that I didn’t realize the guy honking at me to move out of the way.
3. Describe three surprises or unexpected situations you encountered on your Drift and in the days that followed. The surprise could stem from your expectations that conflicted with "on the ground" realities, cultural or social issues of which you were previously unaware, feelings and reactions that you did not expect to have, appearances and soundings of things you did not expect, good or bad outcomes of "on the spot" decisions you had to make, or the discovery of "deeper" realities in the materials you brought home. (Again, skip anything technology-related!)
On my drift it surprised me that nobody really cared what I was doing. I thought people would be staring at me or tell me to get lost, but nobody seemed to even notice. I also had an “on the spot” decision to make when I was recording some decent sound of a construction site when I heard the drawbridge start to chime on Young St. I stopped the recording and went right next to the drawbridge to get the sound and it turned out pretty cool. I even used it as one of my clips on my blog. Another thing that interested me was the sound of the waterfalls I recorded. I did three different ones and they all turned out different. Two of them were nearly the same, but at different distances. I could tell the difference, but they were both a solid sound with no tones or variety. The one that I keep and put on the blog had a verity of tones from the vent and waterfall which I didn’t notice until I listen to all the recordings. It was a little bit of a surprise.
4. Describe your favorite experience, situation, place, or recollection from your Drift. Be specific about what happened, how you felt, how you reacted, and why you think this particular experience affected you so much.
My favorite experience was the train. I stood there for a long amount of time recording as much as I could, so that I would have the perfect recording. The sound was just amazing and I never listened to a train like that before, which is why this event affected me so. I heard the train coming so I went under the bridge and figured I would get some interesting sound there, but it actually muffled the train and the only thing I could hear were cars. So I went to the side of the bridge and began recording again. Soon the train put down its brakes and that’s when the really interesting noise came. I couldn’t stop recording and like I said before, that’s when a guy was honking at me, but I thought it was just part of the train. Finally, I looked over to check my surroundings and realized this guy has been honking at me for the last 45 seconds and at the end of my recording you can here an “Oh” of embarrassment come out of my mouth.
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