How to capture the sounds of rain ...

dennisjames · Post by **dennisjames** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:56 pm

A co-worker sent this to me. I'm not a fan of the song (nor the treatment), but the intro is worthy of note:

http://www.sunbeltsecuritynews.com/Z71S ... hoir-Storm

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:59 pm

That's really cool until the song starts. Then it's Cheezewizz City!

KennyLusk · Post by **KennyLusk** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:09 pm

The thunder is too cool.

You guys dissin' on Toto?

oldguitars · Post by **oldguitars** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:34 pm

the snapping didn't really work, but the other rain stuff was cool.

JGriffin · Post by **JGriffin** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:44 pm

My affection for Toto is pretty well-documented here on TOMB, but I didn't care for that arrangement...past the cool rain stuff of course.

Archmart · Post by **Archmart** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:44 pm

Hey Hey! I don't think it works as well close mic'd like that. I saw a Christian artist named Rich Mullins conduct an audience of 2300 in a similar way and it was much more real and immersive, of course.

And yeh, it's all downhill once the rain stops. Toto's Africa is amazing, and the first recording I can remember marveling at the sound of.

Mystic Steamship Co. · Post by **Mystic Steamship Co.** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 1:22 am

Sounds more like 10,000 spiders crawling on a wood floor to me. Very ethnically diverse group of singers he's got there...

firby · Post by **firby** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:42 am

I like it.

You are all jaded hipsters.

Hey so, is that what a whole bunch of sm58s sound like ? Its not bad.

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:13 pm

*has "Africa" as main ringtone, may possibley be a jaded hipster/scenester punk rawker as well*

roderick · Post by **roderick** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:10 am

Archmart wrote:Hey Hey! I don't think it works as well close mic'd like that. I saw a Christian artist named Rich Mullins conduct an audience of 2300 in a similar way and it was much more real and immersive, of course.

I agree--distant miking in a reverberant room is the way to go. Here's a piece by Eric Whitacre that uses the same trick (fast forward to the six minute mark if you're impatient, though I rather like the entire peice):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zqp0OpzMAI

I recorded a different version of this work with a local choir back in May in a medium sized cathedral. It was with a much smaller group than what you hear in the youtube video (40 people vs 200 or so, plus an additional 20 people snapping and clapping), which I think worked to its advantage as the percussion hits were that much louder and more dramatic compared to the level of the choir.

Judas Jetski · Post by **Judas Jetski** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:53 pm

trodden wrote:*has "Africa" as main ringtone, may possibley be a jaded hipster/scenester punk rawker as well*

My respect for you (never low in the first place) just like tripled.

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:19 pm

Judas Jetski wrote:
trodden wrote:*has "Africa" as main ringtone, may possibley be a jaded hipster/scenester punk rawker as well*
My respect for you (never low in the first place) just like tripled.

the best part is watching everyone roll their eyes whenever my phone rings...

Scodiddly · Post by **Scodiddly** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:21 pm

trodden wrote:
Judas Jetski wrote:
trodden wrote:*has "Africa" as main ringtone, may possibley be a jaded hipster/scenester punk rawker as well*
My respect for you (never low in the first place) just like tripled.
the best part is watching everyone roll their eyes whenever my phone rings...

Dude! No hipster will take you seriously until you copy me and get yourself a Morton Subotnick ringtone!

(ripped from genuine vinyl, no less!)

Scodiddly · Post by **Scodiddly** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:23 pm

About a year ago I did sound for a show featuring high-end Brazilian guitarists (the Assad bros. were the headliners!). One of the other guys did a very cool rainforest thing, with sound effects, blowing into the side of an SM57 to simulate distant thunder, etc. Not to mention he was a badass guitarist! The vocal ensemble thing was cool, though.

uncle bastard · Post by **uncle bastard** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:17 am

I recorded a thunderstorm by hanging a Shure 515SD out of the window and letting Tracktion record about 10 minutes or so of thunder and heavy rain. It sounded pretty good, and I was able to use it as the background for a cover of 'You Look Like Rain'- shame about the vocals.

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How to capture the sounds of rain ...

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