We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Within Earreach: Sonic Journeys (ART 1009, 1994)

by Richard Lerman

/
1.
Autos, Windharps & Glass 04:50
info
2.
Tree Pieces 02:22
info
3.
Birds 05:21
info
4.
Five Fence Pieces 03:47
info
5.
Takuhon 04:47
info
6.
Cremation Ceremony 03:00
info
7.
Two Foot Bridges 03:15
info
8.
Rain and Knotted Windharp 01:47
info
9.
Two Windharps in the Rain 04:15
info
10.
Three Grass Pieces 02:31
info
11.
Window Screen Pieces 02:21
info
12.
Two Thatched Roofs 03:12
info
13.
Windharps and Thorns 02:04
info
14.
Three Cityscapes 04:52
info
15.
Insects 02:31
info
16.
The Pool of St. Helen 01:10
info
17.
Boat Pieces 06:20
info

about

www.artifact.com/release.php?id=1009
recorded mostly from hand built microphones

In 1984, when I began these pieces, the working title was AUDIO TRANSDUCER SERIES PIECES. The pieces have been recorded either at site-specific sound installations or as soundscapes. I envisioned an open-ended series of sonic explorations which was to be recorded mostly using self-built microphones and transducers. I reasoned that if the human experience of hearing was based on vibrations striking the surface of the ear drum, then we might also experience sound as perceived/recorded through other ear drums. And, since all objects and materials anywhere are vibrated by sound, one could hear the sound coaxed from these “other ear-drums” by creative and investigative recording techniques.

It was in 1978 that I first built piezo electric transducers for TRAVELON GAMELON, for amplified bicycles. I had entered a world of sound that literally explored MICRO-phone — small sounds made large. The piezo disks I worked with provided the technical possibilities at a very modest price. Soon, I began to build specific preamps for specific piezo disks, to capture what I felt was the best possible audio. I have investigated hundreds of sources of piezo materials, and used them both as microphones and loudspeakers.

Early transducer pieces involved attaching piezo devices to found objects — including window screens (brass, bronze and copper), metal sheets, lengths of string (windharps), glass, cards…. To my delight, every object so amplified had its own sonic flavor, and also captured sounds from the environment. Later, I began to attach the piezo devices to cactus thorns, leaves and other growing things.

Many of the recording situations in this CD provide the listener with visual and sonic images. I hope these pieces make the “microphones,” materials, and locations more tangible to the listener. The pieces on the CD should be listened to in different sequences, geographical or otherwise. They are now in a sonic order. I will extend this CD into live performance using computer and audio technologies. Recording mediums have mostly been audio cassette tape, super 8 film, video 8, and a few on DAT.

The majority of the pieces were recorded on five separate trips:
1. Newfoundland, Canada, for the Sound Symposium Festival, 1986
2. Australia, Bali and New Zealand, 1986
3. Argentina, Peru and Chile, 1988 and 1989
4. Japan and Hong Kong, 1989 and 1990

credits

released June 1, 1994

Design: Michael Sumner

I have received grants to support portions of this work from organizations including the Asian Cultural Council, the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Massachusetts Council on the Arts, Meet the Composer and the Mellon Foundation.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Artifact Recordings image

Artifact Recordings San Francisco, California

ARTIFACT RECORDINGS is a project of Ubu, Incorporated, an artist-run, non-profit organization supporting experimental and electronic music based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our download and compact disk series is dedicated to representing a living experimental music tradition that continues to thrive in the cracks between the commercial, academic and classical music establishments. ... more

contact / help

Contact Artifact Recordings

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Within Earreach: Sonic Journeys (ART 1009, 1994), you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Fabiana Palladino stops by to talk about her mesmeric debut LP.
listen now