Midtown Rooftop

It is almost April and the temps in NYC are still fluctuating between 20–30° F, often with brisk winds. I know we haven’t had it as bad as other parts of the country this winter, but the conditions have made some of my work more challenging.

You may have read that I’ve been on the hunt for rooftop recording locations all around New York City. The cold and brisk winds are colder and brisker as you get further up in the skyline. To do date, I’ve been on rooftops covered in ice, roofs with ornate fences and lounge chairs, and others that appear to be providing most of the HVAC for the city. You can also never predict when you get on someone’s private roof deck that their neighbor may have a wind chime fetish.

One of the odder sounds was a construction crew off in the distance when I was on a roof in midtown. I couldn’t see them but from the sounds of it, the were likely sanding down and cutting into bricks on the side of a nearby structure.

I love all of the reflections from the surrounding buildings. They sound almost other-worldly ripping around the stereo field. If you have ever lived in NYC, construction tends to be all around us.

And once again, if you have a rooftop or terrace in NYC that you wouldn’t mind me recording on, please contact me.

Recording Geek Note: Rig consists of Schoeps CMC5′s with MK4 capsules setup for double ORTF. It was tracked with a Cooper CS 104 feeding a Sound Devices 744T.