Transformed wind chimes: Nature-Symphony 7a

Nature-Symphony 7a (Solitude's fire chamber) — Transformation of https://freesound.org/people/Philip_Goddard/sounds/704218/ . This is a much more elaborate transformation of the original than we get in Nature-Symphony 7, with a much more complex and rugged sound. We have three copies of the original, out of step with each other, and at different speeds and therefore different (lower) pitches. The top layer is a major sixth below the original; middle layer is an octave below the original, and bottom layer is a further octave lower, and thus very slow, so the later part of it is dropped in order to keep the work to a sensible length.

The bottom layer starts first, then the middle layer, and finally the top layer. The latter is split to give a gap in the middle of the work, so that it finishes almost at the work's end. Additionally, the top layer has a rather more 'forward' acoustic, though clearly still within the virtual cathedral.

That configuration naturally gives rise to a quite awe-inspiring ruggedness of sound, with many clashes and microtonal effects. Yet there is still an overall sweetness of sound, because of all the simple and harmonious elements in the chimes sounds, into which the clashes and knots of complexity continually resolve. For those with deep awareness and good mental flexibility this could bring a real deep and 'wow' experience.

Although for the most part natural sounds are very sparse, at least this recording is graced by a little nature drama in which a couple of blackbirds either have a little spat, or possibly sense a potential predator nearby and end up uttering their alarm calls for a few minutes. In this transformed version the blackbirds sound quite surreal, yet also are an integral part of the inner drama of this Nature-Symphony.

Chimes used:

1. Music of the Spheres Gypsy Chimes, Mezzo (Eastern European Gypsy scale, lower range)

2. Bamboo chimes, large and small set (rather indeterminate tuning, with a touch of whole-tone scale — bought cheaply at local store)

I made this recording on 28 November 2012 in a spot where I wouldn't normally record, because the spots by the Hunter's Path, high up on the north side of the Teign Gorge that I'd previously used successfully were too sheltered from the northerly breeze. So I walked up to almost the top of the hill, where the breeze was coming across sufficiently.

The only problem was that I was then too far removed from the River Teign for me to get more than a faint hint of 'continuity' background sound from the River Teign down in the bottom of the valley, which latter was behind rather than in front of the recorder, so reducing that sound even more in the recording.

Another factor minimizing the level of the natural soundscape, to detriment of all recordings made in this session, was that I hadn't properly appreciated how loud and penetrating was the tone of the Gypsy chimes. Really they always needed to be a fair way back from the recorder, and indeed from any other chimes that I had. In this case therefore, the bamboo chimes were distinctly quieter than intended in all the recordings in that session, as well as the overall soundscape being overly quiet in order that the Gypsy chimes wouldn't make uncomfortable listening and indeed get clipped peaks. This transformed version does rather suffer from those deficiencies, but still has worked out well on its own terms.

One interesting peculiarity is the tendency for the often circular swing of the chimes' windcatcher to keep emphasizing and repeating the top E (in the original recording). At that pitch, although oft-repeated, it's gentle in the original. But in the lower-speed versions such as this, that top note comes out much more strongly and becomes really obsessive at times, reminding me of the obsessive repeating E in the Longings! Longings! Longings! section of my Symphony3 and its trio sibling called Monument and Reflections.

For more info about my Nature-Symphonies, including their significance and how they originate, please see the introductory notes for my respective pack, https://freesound.org/people/Philip_Goddard/packs/39136/ .

The original recording taking place. The wind was coming over the top of the hill, i.e., from straight ahead in this view.

Techie stuff:

The recorder was Sony PCM-M10, with Rycote Mini Windjammer furry windshield. It was set up on a Hama Mini tripod, which I regard as not just 'mini' but tiny. Although I fairly quickly learned subsequently to avoid having recorders so close to the ground (distorts the frequency spectrum and tends to overemphasize lower parts of the frequency range), actually in this situation it was necessary to have the recorder really low down, where the wind was much lighter.

Post-recording processing was to apply EQ in Audacity to correct for the muffling effect of the windshield — and then more recently stereo widening / sharpening-up using the VST plugin A1 Stereo Control (160% widening).

To create this Nature-Symphony, I put three copies of the original recording in different stereo tracks in Audacity, but not before I'd used the 'Change speed and pitch' function in WavePad instead of the equivalent function in Audacity, because it let me specify number of semitones' change to set the speed, whereas Audacity doesn't allow you to do that. Then, using the VST plugin OrilRiver, I applied a 'back-of-cathedral' type of acoustic (custom preset) to the middle and bottom layer, and a rather less 'back-of-cathedral' acoustic for the top layer.

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