Binaural Diaries Field Recording

https://www.binauraldiaries.co.uk/blog/morning-birdsong-camping-in-devon-11042025-0600 Recording birdsong at 6am on a woodland campsite in Devon this April was a rewarding experience. The early morning stillness offered an ideal backdrop for capturing the natural soundscape, with the chorus of birds becoming increasingly vibrant as dawn broke over the trees. Using the Sony PCM-M10's built-in microphones, I was able to achieve clear, immersive recordings despite the limitations of onboard mics in such an environment. The compact design and low noise floor of the PCM-M10 proved advantageous, allowing for unobtrusive placement within the campsite and quick setup. A highlight of the session was the distinctive tapping and drumming of woodpeckers, which added a dynamic rhythmic element to the recordings. Two recordings were merged to produce the final recording presented here.

https://www.binauraldiaries.co.uk/blog/willsbridge-mill-bristol-20052018 During a visit to Willsbridge Mill in 2018, I captured two distinct field recordings using my Sony PCM-M10 recorder. The first recording focused on the water flowing through Siston Brook. The sound of the gentle current, combined with the subtle trickle of smaller streams and the occasional splash against stones, created a calming and immersive natural soundscape. The second recording embraced the general ambience surrounding the mill. Here, birdcalls formed a peaceful backdrop, intermittently punctuated by the casual voices of other visitors passing through, and sounds from the cafe. This blend of natural and human sounds offers a realistic sense of place, reflecting the mill’s role as both a serene environment and a popular local spot. Image Rwendland, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

https://www.binauraldiaries.co.uk/blog/willsbridge-mill-bristol-20052018 During a visit to Willsbridge Mill in 2018, I captured two distinct field recordings using my Sony PCM-M10 recorder. The first recording focused on the water flowing through Siston Brook. The sound of the gentle current, combined with the subtle trickle of smaller streams and the occasional splash against stones, created a calming and immersive natural soundscape. The second recording embraced the general ambience surrounding the mill. Here, birdcalls formed a peaceful backdrop, intermittently punctuated by the casual voices of other visitors passing through, and sounds from the cafe. This blend of natural and human sounds offers a realistic sense of place, reflecting the mill’s role as both a serene environment and a popular local spot. Image Rwendland, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

https://www.binauraldiaries.co.uk/blog/perrygrove-railway-02092023-1321 Nestled in the heart of the Forest of Dean, Perrygrove Railway offers not only a charming narrow-gauge steam railway experience but also an excellent opportunity for field recording enthusiasts. In September 2023, we made a family visit, and having brought along my Sony PCM-M10 recorder I was able to capture the distinctive sounds of a minimum-gauge train approaching and coming to a standstill. As the train emerged from the woodland track, the rhythmic chuffing of the steam engine was punctuated by the metallic clatter of wheels against rails. There was a tangible sense of movement conveyed through the recording — the crescendo of sound as the train picked up speed, then gradually softened as it slowed towards the platform.

On Boxing Day, I set out to capture the serene atmosphere of Lydbrook in the Forest of Dean. The morning was cold and misty, and I placed my Sony PCM-M10 recorder on a fence in the backyard to make an unattended, long-form field recording. The soundscape was soothing: various birdsong filled the air, their melodies sharp against the stillness, occasionally interrupted by the hum of a passing car. Six and a half minutes in, church bells chimed, marking the peaceful passage of time. It was a balm to experience such tranquillity in the countryside, a stone's throw from the River Wye. Recordings made using Sony PCM-M10 build-in mics. https://www.binauraldiaries.co.uk/blog/lydbrook-birdsong-boxing-day-26122024-1129

On a crisp autumn day, I visited the historic Bristol Cathedral with my family to experience Gaia exhibition, Luke Jerram’s suspended rotating Earth model. The air was alive with the gentle murmurs of visitors, their voices blending into a soothing hum as they moved through the space, captivated by the installation. The Gaia sculpture was stunning representation of our planet, suspended in mid-air, and after a while a choir began rehearsing for an upcoming performance. Their voices filled the air. Recordings made using Sony PCM-M10 build-in mics.

On a crisp autumn day, I visited the historic Bristol Cathedral with my family to experience Gaia exhibition, Luke Jerram’s suspended rotating Earth model. The air was alive with the gentle murmurs of visitors, their voices blending into a soothing hum as they moved through the space, captivated by the installation. The Gaia sculpture was stunning representation of our planet, suspended in mid-air, and after a while a choir began rehearsing for an upcoming performance. Their voices filled the air.

A field recording made during a train journey from Bruges to Brussels on 4 October 2019 – 17:11. https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/train-from-bruges-to-brussels/ The first leg of our journey home from Bruges. It was a popular route, with many fellow passengers spread across the two levels of the train. The three recordings I’ve cross-faded together capture the contrast between lively chat and the low-register rumbling of the train’s movement. Recorded using Sony PCM-M10 & Luhd PM-01 microphones

A last-minute unplanned recording of fireworks being let off in our neighbourhood using the Sony PCM-M10 built-in mics. I'd never heard such a cacophony of fireworks let off at such quick succession for so long. It's slightly muffled as a result of recording indoors with the window only slightly open. https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/nye-2020-fireworks/ Gear: Sony PCM-M10 built-in mics Photo by Fireworks Photo by Erwan Hesry

Early Morning Birdsong - 3rd May 2020 05:30 https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/early-morning-birdsong/ Early morning field recording of birdsong Bristol. Inspired by International Dawn Chorus Day: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/dawn-chorus-day Gear: Sony PCM-M10 Clippy Stereo EM172 microphones Photo by Wojciech Święch on Unsplash

Clap For Our Carers - 2nd April 2020 19:58. Field recording of our neighbourhood taking part in #clapforourcarers. This was the second such event of the covid-19 UK lockdown. https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/clap-for-our-carers/ https://clapforourcarers.co.uk/ Gear: Sony PCM-M10 Clippy Stereo EM172 microphones Photo by Guillermo Latorre on Unsplash

https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/alistair-park-woodcarving/ Having talked about doing it for quite some time, I recently visited Alistair Park at his studio at Bower Ashton in Bristol to make field recordings of some of the sounds that his tools make in use. Alistair has been working with wood for over 20 years, and it was a great pleasure to see him practising his craft and to hear the sounds made by various wood carving techniques that he chose to demonstrate. It's clear that such craftsmanship relies on an intimate understanding of the associated tools and materials. It goes without saying that the appearance and feel of the wood are key when crafting the raw material into the end result, but I was interested to learn that also the smell of the wood and the sounds made when working it all feed into the creative process. In this recording Alistair demonstrated the use of a very old drawknife on a piece of larch. You can learn more about Alistair’s work at his website http://www.carvings-with-stories.co.uk, his blog https://carvingswithstories.blogspot.co.uk and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Bristolwoodcarver/.

https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/alistair-park-woodcarving/ Having talked about doing it for quite some time, I recently visited Alistair Park at his studio at Bower Ashton in Bristol to make field recordings of some of the sounds that his tools make in use. Alistair has been working with wood for over 20 years, and it was a great pleasure to see him practising his craft and to hear the sounds made by various wood carving techniques that he chose to demonstrate. It's clear that such craftsmanship relies on an intimate understanding of the associated tools and materials. It goes without saying that the appearance and feel of the wood are key when crafting the raw material into the end result, but I was interested to learn that also the smell of the wood and the sounds made when working it all feed into the creative process. In this recording Alistair uses a gouge to carve a relief portrait of David Bowie into a star-shaped piece of oak. You can learn more about Alistair’s work at his website http://www.carvings-with-stories.co.uk, his blog https://carvingswithstories.blogspot.co.uk and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Bristolwoodcarver/.

https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/alistair-park-woodcarving/ Having talked about doing it for quite some time, I recently visited Alistair Park at his studio at Bower Ashton in Bristol to make field recordings of some of the sounds that his tools make in use. Alistair has been working with wood for over 20 years, and it was a great pleasure to see him practising his craft and to hear the sounds made by various wood carving techniques that he chose to demonstrate. It's clear that such craftsmanship relies on an intimate understanding of the associated tools and materials. It goes without saying that the appearance and feel of the wood are key when crafting the raw material into the end result, but I was interested to learn that also the smell of the wood and the sounds made when working it all feed into the creative process. In this recording Alistair demonstrated the use of a side axe. You can learn more about Alistair’s work at his website http://www.carvings-with-stories.co.uk, his blog https://carvingswithstories.blogspot.co.uk and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Bristolwoodcarver/.

https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/alistair-park-woodcarving/ Having talked about doing it for quite some time, I recently visited Alistair Park at his studio at Bower Ashton in Bristol to make field recordings of some of the sounds that his tools make in use. Alistair has been working with wood for over 20 years, and it was a great pleasure to see him practising his craft and to hear the sounds made by various wood carving techniques that he chose to demonstrate. It's clear that such craftsmanship relies on an intimate understanding of the associated tools and materials. It goes without saying that the appearance and feel of the wood are key when crafting the raw material into the end result, but I was interested to learn that also the smell of the wood and the sounds made when working it all feed into the creative process. In this recording Alistair split an log of larch using a froe and mallet. Listen out for the 'pop' the log makes as the fibre of the wood splits into two. You can learn more about Alistair’s work at his website http://www.carvings-with-stories.co.uk, his blog https://carvingswithstories.blogspot.co.uk and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Bristolwoodcarver/.

https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/alistair-park-woodcarving/ Having talked about doing it for quite some time, I recently visited Alistair Park at his studio at Bower Ashton in Bristol to make field recordings of some of the sounds that his tools make in use. Alistair has been working with wood for over 20 years, and it was a great pleasure to see him practising his craft and to hear the sounds made by various wood carving techniques that he chose to demonstrate. It's clear that such craftsmanship relies on an intimate understanding of the associated tools and materials. It goes without saying that the appearance and feel of the wood are key when crafting the raw material into the end result, but I was interested to learn that also the smell of the wood and the sounds made when working it all feed into the creative process. In this recording Alistair gave an introduction to who he is and where we were recording, and carved seasoned lime wood using a gouge. You can learn more about Alistair’s work at his website http://www.carvings-with-stories.co.uk, his blog https://carvingswithstories.blogspot.co.uk and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Bristolwoodcarver/.

Field recording beneath the M4 Severn Bridge on the Severn Beach side. https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/under-the-m4-severn-bridge Gear: Sony PCM-M10 built-in mics

Sandbanks Ferry 13th August 2018. Field recording of the Sandbanks Ferry, sailing from Shell Bay to Sandbanks in Dorset. https://binauraldiaries.co.uk/sandbanks-ferry/ Gear: Sony PCM-M10 built-in mics

Light summer rain in Exeter 18/08/2008.

Sitting in the tent, and listening to the rain while camping at the Big Chill festival 2005.