The Field Recording PodCast by Thijs Geritz

Special: From First Recording to Online Archive Occasionally I share some extra information, background, or an anecdote about my field recordings. This is the second episode of The Field Recording Podcast where I do that. In this special episode I describe how I first got into making field recordings and how it grew into this online archive. I also explore various aspects of making this kind of recordings — what I consider important, and what not. Since I wasn't sure I could record the narration myself with the quality I wanted, I opted — as with the previous Special — for an AI-generated voice from ElevenLabs. But the story is mine, and all the field recordings you hear are authentic recordings from my archive. Enjoy listening — and let me know what you think! I made a list of all the field recordings you can hear in this episode, but it's longer than SoundCloud allows — so you can find the full list here: https://storage.thijsgeritz.nl/s/Tracklist_Special_2

A binaural recording of a busy street in Chincha Alta. The streets there are mainly filled with so-called mototaxis. You can also hear a coffee vendor promoting her goods by playing a looping pre-recorded message. On the map - Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=68765

I live on the Dutch coast and am used to the sound of a sandy beach: the rhythmic crashing of waves in the surf. At a pebble beach, like the one near Lima, Peru, it sounds quite different. First, you hear the wave breaking, but immediately after, there's a second sound—the water retreating and dragging the pebbles with it. I made two recordings at that location. The first (https://soundcloud.com/thijs-geritz/pebble-beach-1) was made during calm weather with a gentle swell—you can occasionally hear individual pebbles rolling. The second (this one) recording was made in stronger wind; in that one, you no longer hear separate stones, but a deep, continuous roar. On the map - Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=68764

I live on the Dutch coast and am used to the sound of a sandy beach: the rhythmic crashing of waves in the surf. At a pebble beach, like the one near Lima, Peru, it sounds quite different. First, you hear the wave breaking, but immediately after, there's a second sound—the water retreating and dragging the pebbles with it. I made two recordings at that location. The first (this one) was made during calm weather with a gentle swell—you can occasionally hear individual pebbles rolling. The second recording (https://soundcloud.com/thijs-geritz/pebble-beach-2) was made in stronger wind; in that one, you no longer hear separate stones, but a deep, continuous roar. On the map - Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=68763

Recording of a daily recurring 'honking symphony': cars, motorcycles, buses, and trucks at the intersection of Avenida Javier Prado Este and Avenida Aviación. On the map - Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=68762

My second* recording of skateboarders — this time, a group of boys practicing on a plaza in front of the Ministerio de Cultura. On the map - Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=68766 * Here is my first recording of Skateboarding: https://soundcloud.com/thijs-geritz/skateboarding-spuiplein-den

A recording, made around 6 pm, of children playing in a city playground in Puteaux, a suburb of Paris. Recorded with a Zoom H2n. On the map: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=66271 Podcast episode #123

This weekend, the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris will reopen, five years after the devastating fire of 2019. As a frequent visitor over the years, this magnificent building has always captivated me. One of my passions is creating field recordings, and I've captured numerous audio moments in and around the Notre-Dame. I've been gathering stories about some of these recordings, including one from my very first session in the cathedral back in 2007. With the Notre-Dame reopening this weekend, it felt like the perfect moment to share this story. Since I wasn't confident about recording the narration myself with the quality I wanted, I used an artificial voice from ElevenLabs for the spoken text. All the field recordings you'll hear are my own, with just a news clip coming from France24. Here is more from Paris: https://soundcloud.com/thijs-geritz/sets/paris Here are more church recordings: https://soundcloud.com/thijs-geritz/sets/church-organs Podcast episode #122

I made this recording during a few days of vacation with my wife and daughter. For two days in a row, it was about 34 degrees Celsius, and cooling off in this spring was a good idea. The Wouter Spring is a natural swimming pool in Belgian Limburg. It's an ideal biotope for several rare species of frogs and salamanders. These amphibians are completely harmless to humans, which unfortunately is not always the case the other way around. Every day, about a million liters of drinkable spring water bubble up from the natural springs at the bottom of the pool. On the map: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=65032 Photocredit: wouterbron.be https://www.wouterbron.be/natuurzwembad/ Podcast episode #121

This recording was obviously not planned. I had to drive at walking pace due to terrible rainfall, which allowed me to simply grab my recorder and place it on the dashboard. It became a recording of a very specific situation. You can hear the rain and the occasional thunderclap. In addition, you can hear the rhythm of the windshield wipers that had to work hard. The sudden silences in the recording are moments when I drove under an overpass. Podcast episode #120

Een korte wandeling over de Kelfkensbos markt in Nijmegen. Een wekelijkse markt met bio-producten. Opgenomen met een Zoom H2n en Sound Professionals SP-TFB-2 binaural microphones. On the map at Aporree: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=64266 Podcast episode #119

Recordings of frogs in a pond in the Drielsche Zeeg. On the map at Aporree: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=64234

Recorded standing next to the A50 highway, which runs from Zwolle to Eindhoven (and of course, in the opposite direction). On the map at Aporree: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=64233

You hear, among others, German and American tourists in Cusco. We walk around the Plaza de Armas in Cusco in search of a restaurant. Restaurant staff promote their menus. A passing woman asks if I want a massage. And you probably hear much more than I do if you give it a try. Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=62586

Recording I made while waiting in a parking lot to get out until the rain shower was over.

Binaural recording of travelers at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on a busy summer day. Schiphol is a so-called 'silent airport,' meaning no flight announcements are made. But there is, of course, plenty to hear.

Moderate traffic At Plaza Miguel Grau. Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=61364

Recorded standing on a rock in the middle of Río Aynin (a.k.a. Río Pativilcen) at the point where it goes through the village of Quisipata, Peru. Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=61363 A surround picture from the very spot I was standing: https://on.bubb.li/138413aoy8b2vri5mq297ql/

Random recording in a small forest near Ermelo. Internal mics of a Zoom H2. Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=45451

General atmosphere and conversations in a very crowded Square Du Vert - Galant, a tiny park on the very edge of Île de la Cité in Paris. Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=44694 Foto: https://www.instagram.com/p/ByLouHEIJqO/

General atmosphere at a platform at Cologne Central Station. Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=42544

Rainforest atmosphere (12:10 AM) recorded in Tambopata National Reserve, Perú. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambopata_National_Reserve Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=40905

Binaural recording of Rainforest atmosphere (21:05 PM) recorded in Tambopata National Reserve, Perú. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambopata_National_Reserve Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=40904

Binaural recording of one of the many irrigation canals you can find in the Andes valley of the river Aynín in Perú. Aporee: https://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=40903

A straight forward recording of standing under an umbrella while it's raining.

General atmosphere in Buitenplaats Oostduin. Algemene sfeer in Buitenplaats Oostduin. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=37815

Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=35640

It was way too crowded. And it was too hot for the animals to do anything at all. So I thought it was a good idea to record the visitors around me while walking through the zoo. Het was te druk. En het was te heet voor de dieren om ook maar iets te doen. Het leek me een goed idee om dan maar de bezoekers op te nemen terwijl ik door het park liep. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=34754

After a long day of walking I ended up in a bakery for a 'chausson au pomme' and a coffee. ’Paul’ is an international chain of bakery restaurants established in 1889 in the city of Croix, near Lille, in Northern France. Na een lange dag wandelen belandde ik in een bakkerij voor een 'Chausson au pomme' en een kop koffie. ’Paul’ is een internationale keten van bakkerij-restaurants, opgericht in 1889 in de stad Croix, in de buurt van Lille. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=33220

To be precise: Metro 1 from Rihour to Gare Lille Flandres and Metro 2 from Gare Lille Flandres to Gare Lille Europe. Om precies te zijn: Metro 1 van Rihour naar Gare Lille Flandres en Metro 2 van Gare Lille Flandres naar Gare Lille Europe. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=33185

The deafening reverb of the main hall in the Museum of Fine Arts in Lille, France. It is one of the largest art museums in France and definitely worth a visit. The main source of this noise in this recording is the museum restaurant, located in the hall. De oorverdovende nagalm van de centrale hal van het Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Rijsel, Frankrijk. Het is éen van grootste musea in Frankrijk en absoluut een bezoek waard. Het lawaai in deze opname komt voornamelijk van het restaurant dat gesitueerd was in de centrale hal. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=33182

Opgenomen op een winderige voetpad tussen het riet in Nationaal Park De Biesbosch. Check Aporee voor de exacte locatie. Recorded on a windy path among the reeds in National Park De Biesbosch. Check Aporee for the exact location. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=33011

The sound of small waves against the dock. Het geluid van kleine golfjes tegen de kade. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=32331

De Von Siebold Gedenktuin in de Hortus Botanicus in Leiden. The Von Siebold Memorial Garden in the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=31804 Website: http://www.visitleiden.nl/en/zien-en-doen/beleven/musea/the-botanical-gardens

Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=30330

A short recording on the junction Prinsengracht - Spiegelgracht, Amsterdam. Korte opname op de kruising Prinsengracht - Spiegelgracht, Amsterdam. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=30329

Waiting in the boarding area. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=29451

Distant traffic, a skateboard and a small kid ‘walking’ withs skates. Verkeer op afstand, een skateboard en een klein kind dat ‘loopt’ op rolschaatsen. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=29446

Cicadas in a apple tree orchard. Cicaden in een appelboomgaard. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=29445

Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=29263

Spanish soccer fans watching the game (in café’s around the square) between Spain and Paraguay in the 2010 World Cup. This recording was made around the 58th minute were there several penalties in a row. More details about that here: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/03/world-cup-2010-paraguay-spain-live Spaanse voetbalfans kijken naar de wedstrijd (in café’s rond het plein) tussen Spanje en Paraguay tijdens de Wereld Beker van 2010. Deze opname maakte ik rond de 58e minuut toen er een aantal penalties achter elkaar werden gegeven. Meer daar over vind je hier: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/jul/03/world-cup-2010-paraguay-spain-live Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=29058

No binaural recording... for obvious reasons :) The picture shows the actual bees you hear in the recording. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=28798 http://www.roepenopdemoos.nl

Chickens making little noises while eating. Kippen die geluidjes maken terwijl ze eten. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=28793 http://www.roepenopdemoos.nl

The warm sound of the Müller organ in the Great Church in Haarlem. (quote from: http://www.bavo.nl/bladen/orgelengels.php) "The (…) Müller organ dating from 1738, which is the most depicted instrument in the world. It covers the whole west wall of the church and measures almost 30 metres from the ground." Het warme geluid van het Müllerorgel in de Grote Kerk van Haarlem. (Citaat van: http://www.bavo.nl/bladen/orgel.php) "De voornaamste blikvanger in de Grote Kerk is het indrukwekkende Müller-orgel uit 1738, het meest afgebeelde instrument ter wereld. Het beslaat de gehele westmuur van de kerk en meet van de grond af bijna 30 meter." Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=28620 Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/MullerOrgelGroteOfSt.BavokerkHaarlem22

The general atmosphere on the terrace of Café Maibach in Berlin, recorded September 10th 2012. Algemene sfeer op het terras van Café Maibach in Berlijn, opgenomen op 10 september 2012. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=14805

The whole metro trip from station République to station Rambuteau in Paris. De hele metro tocht van metrostation Republique tot en met metrostation Rambuteau. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/?loc=8209

I recorded this old radio at a friends place. It was hard to get interesting radio interference but in the end it's interesting enough I guess. Also check out this one: https://soundcloud.com/thijs-geritz/radio-interference-direct

General atmosphere, pedestrians on the Vismarkt, Utrecht. Recorded Saturday September 13th 2014. Algemene sfeer, voetgangers op de Vismarkt, Utrecht. Opgenomen zaterdag 13 september 2014. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=24776

Passengers and employees walking (in the corridor between 'Departures 2' and 'Departures 3'). Lopende passagiers en werknemers (in de gang tussen 'Departures 2' en 'Departures 3’). Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=23615

Recording made while having a short break at the ‘Motorway Service Area Lucasgat’ on the A1 highway from Amersfoort to Apeldoorn. I placed my Zoom recorder for short time on the roof of my car. Slightly windy. Opname gemaakt tijdens een rustpauze op ‘Verzorgingsplaats Lucasgat’ aan de A1 van Amersfoort naar Apeldoorn. Mijn Zoom recorder had ik even op het dak van mijn auto geplaatst. Ietwat winderig. Aporee: http://aporee.org/maps/work/?loc=27031 VZP Lucasgat: http://www.wegenwiki.nl/Verzorgingsplaats_Lucasgat