Glockenspiel

Glockenspiel

Glockenspiel

I went to the Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel, Oregon and recorded the glockenspiel in this clock tower. I used my Sony point and shoot camera to take a movie. Later I used QuickTime 7 on my iMac to export the audio as an AIFF file. I then used iTunes to convert the file to a mp3.

The cool thing about this is that the figures are carved by local volunteers and everything is performed by people who have a connection with the scene. Braves of the Grand Ronde native tribes sing a song to the Great Spirit. The youngest daughter of Mount Angel’s Zollner Family of the Z Musikmakers plays the violin as her direct ancestors Robert and Katrina Zollner are presented. The Benedictine Monks chant an ancient hymn in Latin and the Benedictine Sisters sing “Regina Coeli Latare”. The village band plays a polka and Mount Angel’s school children sing “Edelweiss” at the end.

Download – (mp3 file, 7.4 Mb, 6 minutes, 160 kbps, 44 kHz)

Pacific Tree Frog

Tree Frog

Tree Frog

This evening I went out to pick up the mail and I heard a tree frog in our front yard. I went in the house, grabbed my Edirol audio recorder and made this recording.

Only 3% of amphibian species live in North America.  In Oregon, we have 12 native species of frogs and toads, and one introduced species.  The Willamette Valley is currently the home for two native species of frogs, and the one introduced species. Pacific treefrogs are the most common frog species found in the Willamette Valley. Their diet consists mostly of small, terrestrial invertebrates. In January, male treefrogs move to breeding ponds and begin to vocalize. I hear these guys around our yard but seldom see them. This one was about 6 cm (2 1/2 in.) long.

Download – (24 seconds, 281K, stereo mp3, 67 kbps (VBR), 22.050 kHz)

Salem Art Fair

Salem Art Fair

Salem Art Fair

Spent some time at the Salem Art Fair. I made this recording with my Apple iPad using an application called Recorder HD.  I had the iPad in my backpack and carried it around in my right hand moving through the crowd. You can hear a vendor playing a hand made flute and catch snippets of conversation.

Later I sat down and painted the above image using the Brushes application on the iPad. Several people stopped to watch me paint and ask questions.

Download – (mp3 file, 2.8 Mb, 3 minutes, 128 kbps, 22 kHz)

Ankeny Wildlife Refuge

Ankeny Wildlife Refuge

Ankeny Wildlife Refuge

Last Saturday I went for a walk in the afternoon at the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge south of Salem, Oregon. I wanted to try out my new Edirol R-09 HD recorder. It has a built-in stereo mic and can record in WAVE onto SD cards.

Here’s a recording I made at the end of the Rail Trail. It includes geese flying over, ducks, frogs, song birds, crows, and insects. It was difficult to get a clean recording because of nearby road noise, airplane overflights, and wind.

Ankeny Geese painted on iPod Touch

Ankeny Geese painted on iPod Touch

Download (8:22 – 11.5 Mb)

Crows Before Breakfast

Crows usually don’t hang out at our house. This morning when I got up I could hear a mob at the top of our fir trees having an arguement. I threw on a hat and coat and stepped out on our back porch with my mp3 recorder and a stereo lapel mic clipped to the front of my jacket. I made a beautiful 10 minute recording standing in the 30 degree F fresh air, but when I got back inside, I discovered that I had plugged the mic into the headphone jack. Dang. By the time I got back outside, most of the group had departed. So what you hear is a much smaller group. This recording was made at 7:30 am on Sunday, December 3, 2006.

Download – (2 minutes, 128kbps, 22kHz, 1.9 MB)