| StoreTags: camping, field recording, sampling, outdoor
Author: Leo on July 22 2008 Viewed 686 times. 9 people liked this blog. You can rate it below if you haven't already.
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Last year around this time I took a trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes in Northern Michigan. I will be making a return trip this year. I leave Ohio on the morning of July 26th at 3:30/4:00. I will then drive me and my girlfriend (and possibly our good friend) 5 1/2 hours to Empire, MI. I bought a new car a couple weeks ago, and according to what I've lost in gas so far under the milage I've had so far, I will get there with one 11 gal. tank. I will stop on US 10 for refreshments. I will continue to drive. I have prepared a couple MP3 CDs for the trip, and my lady has her iPod. Last year, we left at 4:30 and arrived at 11:30 AM. I'm hoping that with less stops, breakfast before we leave, and desire to be out of an unairconditioned car, we will get there more in the 5 1/2 range than the 7 hour range.
The campground that we stay at is called Empire Township Campground. The staff there are fantastic, and very accommodating. Last year, there were eleven of us, split across four sites. We are in our early twenties, and the staff was, with reason, concerned that we'd be loud. We were not, despite staying up late. They were so pleased with us, that they encouraged us to come back the following year, which we are doing. However, in fewer numbers. There are four of us this year. This makes the democratic process of deciding what to do on any given day easier, as there are fewer votes, but it also takes down the excitement to some degree. Still, those of us that are going are very excited.
Northern Michigan is beautiful. Rolling hills, huge sand dunes, fields of lavender, berries, and orchards, Lake Michigan, and the forest we sleep in. There are quite a few sites to see, including the dunes, the lake, the island, the hills, and some odd churches, barns, and other historic buildings. There are antique shops that have oddities for sale. There are also some sounds.
I'm taking along a video camera to record the sites. I'm also taking a digital camera. For the sounds, I'm taking my MiniDisc recorder. If I had more cash, I'd buy a solid state recorder, but I've already budgeted the trip, and it isn't in the cards. I have a little stereo mic by Sony that works pretty well, and I plan to record with it. There is this bird up there that makes a sort of screaming sound. Really quite weird. There is an impulse of the forest to be made. There is an airstrip next to the campground, and should we be "lucky" enough to have a plane come through, I will certainly record that. Crackling fire, on and on. But I have concerns. Some things are tricky to record with a little stereo mic.
Waves, a timeless sound of time passing, of leisure and relaxation. They're also a bitch to record. Waves are wind, basically, pushing water. To get the waves, you have to get the wind. I have a little wind screen on the microphone, but it doesn't do anything. It may make things worse. I've experimented with a sock, but that dulls things a little too much. Again, budget is a concern, and I don't know what to do. Any suggestions would be welcome. I plan to take a lot of the sounds I record and throw them up as mixit samples. If anyone knows good ways to block out the sound of wind, or any advice on field recording as a technique, please post it here.
Also, any cool camping tricks or ideas would be welcome. Generally, it is wake up in camp, eat breakfast, go to beach, come back for lunch, go back to beach, come back for dinner, go see sunset, go back to camp, drink, repeat. | |
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07/22/08
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astroboy
oh i thought this blog was going to be about this:
link
my favourite interwebz video of all timesssss!
<3
<3
<3
sorry for OT!
07/22/08
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ignatius
sounds like a great trip. i need one of those type of road trips soon!
07/22/08
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Leo
I'm really excited. That bear video is pretty cute. Luckily no bears where we are headed. Although apparently they have cougars.
07/22/08
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mlbot
if the campsites have grills, throw velveeta cheese still in the wrapper on the grill.
If not, rig some method.
who ever's velveeta explodes first, "wins".
bring enough for a elimation-style competation with your friends.
Also, condoms make for good microphone-waterproofing solutions
07/22/08
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ignatius
Leo said: "I'm really excited. That bear video is pretty cute. Luckily no bears where we are headed. Although apparently they have cougars."
yeah but your GF is going w/you so cougars are off limits ;)
link
07/22/08
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Leo
*scanning* Ugly Betty? I think I saw an episode of something on television pertaining to that. Shit. The cougars would probably prefer her to me. She's sexy. I'm just... weird.
07/22/08
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Leo
Good idea with the condom. I'll have to try that at some point during the trip. Velveeta, eh?
07/22/08
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mlbot
LOL @ Astroboy's video.
that's how i feel
07/22/08
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tylth
can i post a video of a sleeping cat too?
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somebody on here posted another video of a young sleeping cat around here some while ago but i can not find it
also, leo that sounds awesome but i would resign from technical appartus (e.g. anything that is artificialy powered) for the time beeing there and simply enjoy silence and nature and air as it is. there is no need to put borders or frames between you and your surroundings in order to enhance or record the experience
07/22/08
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tylth
and you seem to have such a structured schedule. did you also calculate the amount of urine you are going to drop during the holiday? or the amount of saliva you are going to swallow after regarding the average humidity and the amount of bewerages you are going to consume in advance?
i mean lookit teh bear and teh kitten.. do they think about sleeping? do they need a alarm clock? a fridge? insurance? they don't. they don't because they are living in the present. a present without "there was" or "i am going to..." . there's only " i am"
you know what leo!? you should watch a river a couple of hours while you're there. nothing else. just look at how it's flowing, the rushing, the constant pushing, the beeing, the is -ing. ..oh yeah bees. a bee should twinge you. or a wasp. that would be beautiful. for yourself. what was i going to say? oh yeah little sleBepiUngY aniNmIals aKre cEute.
07/22/08
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adcBicycle
are you sure about condoms? how will the treble get through?
i have not tried recording waves a whole lot, but my guess is that getting close as possible is the best solution... at a distance it's white noise, up close it's spashing water... plus the closer you are the more stereo it will be.
07/22/08
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skab
07/22/08
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jogn
holy crap... that condom idea is ace!
07/22/08
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jogn
And, aren't you guys supposed to be making a lot of noise as you're walking ... you know...to wake the sleeping bears.
07/23/08
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Leo
Wow, skab. That's some good information. Really what I was looking for. Thanks.
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