First up i’d like to formally introduce myself, I’m John and a musician from London, England. You can find out more about me by going to the contributors page.
Now onto the sound. For my first sound here at audiocookbook.org I wanted to start quietly. The recording is of a bucket containing lots of snails. 137 of them to be precise. They were collected by my flat-mate who was trying to stop them eating all the vegetables she had just planted in our garden. Recording them was not easy because they are very quiet and also surprisingly fast escape artists as you can see from the photo. Although the recording is a little noisy (due to high gain settings) you can hear their little shells clattering together and there slimy suction action as they make a bid for freedom. Please note no snails were harmed in the making of this recording and they were set free after their 5mins of fame. Recorded with a matched pair of Oktava MK012’s and a DAV electronics BG1 preamp.
Snails in a bucket
Creepy sound – great picture!
Nice one, John. You’ve got to suffer (or get dirty) for your art, right?
This really made my morning. You guys are wonderfully insane. “What’s that strange noise before the chorus?” – “A bucketful of snails” :-)
Stimulating. I love this clip. I’m definitely infiltrating my garden today, gathering snails. It’s amazing that something so natural sounds so electronic!? I wonder what it would sound like if you attached several contact microphones around the plant pot too? Would you hear their slimy bodies moving?