Sonic Journal EP26: Early May Woodland at Dawn

A favourite woodland spot nestled into the side of the Malvern Hills is the location for this episode dawn soundscape. I've heard Cuckoo here for many years, and so it brought a smile to my face when again i heard that distinctive call. It is May 4th 2025 and I am trying out a 2x2 channel recording rig comprising of a binaural head plus a pair of Schoeps CMC6 (cardioid) mics spaced, as a comparison between the 'spatial' nature of the binaural and the warmer feel of the Schoeps. This audio is the Binaural stereo pair, but I may post the CMC6 pair in the future, lets see.

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now also featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look and listen: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/

Thanks for listening :)

#woodland #owl #springtime #cuckoo #nature #soundscape #meditation #fieldrecording #nofilter #binaural #dpamicrophones #malvernhills

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Sonic Journal EP25: First Blackbird of spring - at 0445am

Early March, and each year there is one thing I look forward to hearing early in the morning, the sound of solo Blackbird song. This tends to start around 5am, gradually creeping earlier as we move into the season. I will open the bedroom window to let the Blackbird song in, and sometimes I record the song too, using a little A-B T bar rig with a small clamp, taking in the distant early morning traffic murmurs and general dawn soundscape. If I'm lucky the Blackbird will sit on the porch roof and sing, often for almost an hour.

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now also featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look and listen: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/

Nice one:)

#blackbird #nature #soundscape #meditation #fieldrecording #nofilter #dpamicrophones #smalltown

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Sonic Journal EP24: Light rain, gentle thunder - the calm after the storm

During a roof top binaural atmos recording session in 2023 the June weather took a unexpected turn, and from gorgeous bright sun came Intense marble sized hail, almost from nowhere, then back to calm as if nothing had happened. Although the rumbling thunder persisted as a telling reminder.

> Thanks for listening!

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now also featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/

Nice one:)

#bass #thunder #meditation #nature #soundscape #fieldrecording #nofilter #binaural #dpamicrophones

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Sonic Journal EP23: Bike Mic v2 - Hill Climb

This episode is a slightly augmented version of a squelchy hill climb which i captured while out on the trails in a muddy January earlier this year / 2023. I wanted to continue the experimentations i started back in Episode 8, focused on placing miniature microphones on a mountain bike in an unobtrusive way to enable sound capture of a reasonable quality. This time i introduced a stereo pair of mics mounted on the handlebars, in addition to the single mic placed behind the lower seat post. I'm quite happy with this test as it enabled my voice to be clearly captured, some spatial feel of what was around the bike, and the mechanics. Wind was there at points although manageable. Of course this isn’t the end of the Bike Mic journey, but certainly a step in a good direction. Enjoy!

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or Tweet me https://twitter.com/Reefunit_ And Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look and listen: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/ —

Nice one:)

#soundscape #BikeMic #MTB #fieldrecording #Mud

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Sonic Journal EP22: West Iceland - Sketches in Spring (2022)

While on trip to Iceland in late May 2022 I didn’t plan on making many recordings but, as always, packed a little travel rig so managed to press record on a number of occasions in and around walking, driving and generally exploring the Snaefellsnes peninsula. There are many wild animal species to be seen and heard around this time of year in the west, including Whimbrel, Snipe, Arctic turn, White tail Eagle, Eider Duck and Artic Fox (which we did see once, briefly!). And of course, i was more than excited to record some geothermal action at a very remote natural hot spring while looking out over fields and snow topped mountains.

> 5 audio sketches, included in this continuous soundscape:

• Búðir coast, nr Búðakirkja church, a little after midnight;
• Arnastapi camp ground, mid morning;
• Öndverðarnes coast, early evening;
• Berserkjahraun lagoon, mid afternoon;
• Geothermal Springs a little north of Snaefellsnes, early afternoon. 

> Thanks for listening!

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or Tweet me https://twitter.com/Reefunit_ or follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now also featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/

Nice one:)

#soundscape #nature #Iceland #Snaefellsnes #FieldRecording

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Sonic Journal EP21: Seven days of hills mini project - extended commentary

During this episode i break down some of my thought processes in relation to the recent seven soundscape episodes [#14-#20] which focussed on different locations along the Malvern Hills. Including: The idea, kit used, locations, weather and more. This episode also Includes clips of the recordings along with a rambling commentary of sorts offering observations i made prior to and during the recording process.

**As this is a Binaural recording - please wear headphones for the best spatial stereo listening experience**

I hope you have enjoyed the locations and sonics that have been recorded during these soundscape podcast specials. It's been a busy week of sound collection and i look forward to bring more similar sound projects to Sonic Journal.

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or Tweet me https://twitter.com/Reefunit_ And Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look and listen: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/ —

Nice one:)

#soundscape #binaural #7daysofhIlls #malvernhills #fieldrecording

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Sonic Journal EP20: Chase End Hill. Dark wet woodland, distant rumbles - Binaural Soundscape.

— Recorded on July 30th 2023 / 2215h —

Day seven of 'Seven days of Hills' mini series exploring the soundscapes of the Malvern Hills area every day for one week.

**As this is a Binaural recording - please wear headphones for the best spatial stereo listening experience**

For the seventh and final day of this week of daily hill soundscapes we make our way down to Chase End Hill and as the most southernly point of the Malverns we are now in Gloucestershire. And for this day rather than early morning, it is a night recording we present from the final hill. It has been a very blustery day and evening with winds and rain coming and going. Now, after 10pm the rain has held up a touch but the trees are still holding a lot of water. This area, while quite remote in some ways is actually quite close as the crow flies to a large dual carriage way road, and with the strong South-westerly wind the sound from the road rumbles up the valley and woodlands and into my microphones, creating an extra rumbling layer to pair with the rumble of the moving winds. Well, who am I to deny some additional rumble on this dark wet final night of 7 days of hills recordings!

— I hope you have enjoyed the locations and sonics that have been recorded during this week of daily Malvern Hill based soundscape podcast specials. It's been a busy week of sound collection!

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or Tweet me https://twitter.com/Reefunit_ And Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look and listen: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/ —

Nice one:)

— #soundscape #binaural #7daysofhIlls #malvernhills #fieldrecording

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Sonic Journal EP19: Ragged Stone Hill. Oaks swaying in the summer breeze - Binaural Nature Soundscape. Recorded by Mike Rucinski on July 29th 2023 / 0753h

— Day six of 'Seven days of Hills' mini series exploring the soundscapes of the Malvern Hills area every day for one week. —

**As this is a Binaural recording - please wear headphones for the best spatial stereo listening experience**

On this, the sixth day of seven we are approaching the end (or should that be the beginning?) of the Malvern hills range, where the terrain narrows a little, but if anything things get more interesting. There are far less people around these parts, making for an interesting place to explore. Today the recording location is up and over Ragged Stone Hill, then steep down into a woodland made up of mostly Beech and Oak (at least where I was situated). Most noticeable is the height of these trees - so so tall, reaching up and swaying in the breeze as the sun cuts through, lighting up the leaf littered forest floor.

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or Tweet me https://twitter.com/Reefunit_ And Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look and listen: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/ —

Nice one:)

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Sonic Journal EP18: Gullet Quarry / Midsummer Hill. Deer barking / Angsty Robins - Binaural Nature Soundscape. Recorded on July 28th 2023 / 0536h

Day five of 'Seven days of Hills' mini series exploring the soundscapes of the Malvern Hills area every day for one week.

**As this is a Binaural recording - please wear headphones for the best spatial stereo listening experience**

Day five and around 2.5km further south along the hills and we reach Gullet Quarry, a beautiful space surrounded on two sides by woodland with one particularly impressive towering rock face. It is between here and Midsummer Hill that today's recording was made. I love this space for its acoustic and tall Ash trees, although there is a mix of trees throughout the valley including old moss covered Oaks and Sycamore. The recording location is a little off the beaten track and has an ancient feel about it. You can hear the distant low level stream running alongside the quarry all the way up here the valley, and impressive winds can really rip through this place in winter months. The soundscape heard today included a conversation between two Muntjac deer, Ravens passing by high over head and some angsty Robins!

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or Tweet me https://twitter.com/Reefunit_ And Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look and listen: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/ —

Nice one:)

— #soundscape #binaural #7daysofhIlls #malvernhills

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Sonic Journal EP17: British Camp / Herefordshire Beacon. Crickets in the dry Grasses / Woodland stream - Binaural Soundscape. Recorded by Mike Rucinski on July 27th 2023 / 0827h

Day four of 'Seven days of Hills' mini series exploring the soundscapes of the Malvern Hills area every day for one week.

**As this is a Binaural recording - please wear headphones for the best spatial stereo listening experience**

We hop along a little further today, crossing over the A449 for the continuation of the hills at todays recording spot of British Camp. This area was once a fort and has also been radically re-shaped to look 'nicer' by the Victorians back in the day, giving the Herefordshire Beacon a very distinctive loaf-like appearance from afar. The terrain is mostly grassland and very open with a series of small connecting hills and valleys making up the first section near the beacon, but I was more interested in the lower lying section near the reservoir today, discovering some shelter from the wind and nearby road noise. My microphones were positioned for a wide sound picture from the low level crickets and insects, to distant Buzzards in the older surrounding wooded areas. Oh, and then moving around the corner and into the closest woodland to hear a lovely little stream running past an ancient Holly tree more than a meter in diameter!

For more info on the Sonic Journal Podcast including accompanying blog and location pics from each recording session head over to https://sonicjournal.tumblr.com/ or Tweet me https://twitter.com/Reefunit_ And Instagram: https://instagram.com/recordinguk/

— Sonic Journal is now featured in the top 25 Best Field Recording Podcasts list by Feedspot, take a look and listen: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/field_recording_podcasts/ —

Nice one:)

— #soundscape #binaural #7daysofhIlls #malvernhills

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