After doing research into Dawn Scarfe’s Bivvy Broadcast work, I decided to do something similar but not overnight as it’s incredibly cold. I remember learning about Locus Sonus in the first year of the sound art course and the live streaming capabilities of transmitting field recordings, similar to Bivvy Broadcasts.
I decided to download the Locus Sonus streamer on my phone and then on my Imac screen record the audio of listening to my Livestream through Logic Pro X. I looked and was deciding on where to go and on Locus Sonus there was a nearby Livestream at Stave Hill Ecological Park, I remembered researching about sound camp, through Micheal Speers in the second year and the dawn chorus yearly broadcast they do. I decided to go explore that area as it is so close to my home.
I cycled to the Ecological park and began exploring and walking through. Essentially a sound walk for myself, live-streamed through my phone, and back at home, it is recorded on my iMac. I also brought with me a Zoom H5 and my Geofòn, as well as my Priezor microphone to potentially record some field recordings afterward.
As I explored the site I began to get even more interested, in the natural haven amongst the manmade cities, and the sounds of birds and other species became so prominent. As well as the battle between nature and man. I could hear planes every few minutes at huge amplitudes fighting with the sounds of the birds and other wildlife.
I walked around the ecological park and discovered many interesting things. Again amongst some walkways, it was close to businesses and lamposts that clearly leaked some electromagnetic sounds. As well as the constant hum of traffic. I decided to copy the words of Pauline Oliveros and the quote “Walk so silently that the bottoms of your feet become ears.” I was attentive to a lot of things. I then found a huge wind turbine that loomed at the top of the hill, and it was quickly becoming dark. There was an elevated wooden chair hidden amongst the trees and i decided to spend the last few minutes of my broadcast there.
After finishing my broadcast I decided to attach my Geofon, which is a seismic microphone to the base of the turbine. I was interested if the noise pollution was affecting the landscape. The large amplitude of planes flying over was so intrusive. I couldn’t imagine the damage it’s causing. I attached my Geofon and discovered this ambient type of sound this resonating pitch, almost like a singing bowl. Amplifying the sounds around me, every time a plane would fly by the sounds would become larger and slowly fade back to its continuous hum.
Afterward, I decided to explore the electromagnetic sounds in the area. Using my Lom Priezor that I’ve handmade to explore the other sounds that the normal human ear cannot listen to. It was an interesting dynamic again, almost as if this little haven is surrounded by the undisputed dominance of man. It’s an interesting site that I want to explore more. It became very cold and dark and I needed to leave. I did see a poster about a listening group curated by SoundCamp that I hope to attend when the next one is.
I think the next step is to listen to the recordings and also do further research into this site, as well as the Soundcamp/Locus Sonus projects.