Doors Doors Doors

Image

Tim Prebble of The Music of Sound and Hiss and a Roar has an interesting project in the works. He’s enlisted the help of hundreds of recordists to help him with egregious problem: generic sounding doors:

If there is one sound that pulls me out of a movie or TV show (apart from the Wilhelm) it’s the use of crappy sounding library doors. Now I don’t imagine this is a common complaint amongst theatre goers but it does bug me and I’ve often wondered why the problem exists. Lets face it, if you have your recorder running, you could record a dozen door sounds between the time you get out of bed until you return there… So why use generic door sounds? — Tim Prebble

I’m just getting started on my contribution to the project, but I thought it would be fun to post a couple early takes. The following recording is from a closet door in my childhood home.

The first take is a door close recorded at a close perspective which is on the gentle side of the things, and the second take is more of a slam.

[soundcloud url=”http://soundcloud.com/sepulchra/100519doors” params=”show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=ff7700″ width=”100%” height=”81″ ]

Tim also has another project called Dub 45:

Dub45 is a net-label where releases take the form of virtual 45rpm singles, but with both sides containing dub versions of a non-existent A side. While the selection of tracks pays hommage to the spirit of studio-created dub reggae, Dub45 is a contemporary take on a form of music profoundly centred on bass, drums & space…

I bring you the dubby door.

[soundcloud url=”http://soundcloud.com/sepulchra/dubby-door” params=”show_comments=true&auto_play=false&color=ff7700″ width=”100%” height=”81″ ]

Recording Geek Note: Rig consists of Schoeps CMC5 setup for MS, with the MK4 as the mid. It was all tracked to a Sound Devices 744T at 24/96. And R. Kelley was not trapped in the closet.

Leave a Reply

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

  5. Just a thought… Soft, medium and loud (read slam) recorded in perspective from close, medium and far… Lets say three of each? Then creeks and movement as well as grabs (the door handle grab) separate?

    Does this make sense?

    Coll

    Reply
Michael Raphael May 20, 2010
MORE:
RECENT WRITING
Image

Mountain Lake Biological Station

This post comes from Stephen Vitiello who has been spending time at the Mountain Lake Biological Station in Pembroke, VA: I was tipped off to some sounds to listen for – juvenile barred owls, calling after sunset. I left a pair of DPA 4060s in a tree over night and captured some call and response and a moment of rain.
Image

Bird Deck

One of the things I love about long holiday weekends is that most of my neighbors head out of town. Last weekend was Memorial Day weekend here in the states, and in terms of noise, that means quiet. Not only were the neighbors quiet, but temperatures didn’t peak enough for HVAC units to start kicking on. With quiet in mind,
Image

All Clad

What is that expression about making lemons out of lemonade? Or is it lemonade out of lemons. For the next few weeks my next door neighbors are having their roof and siding redone, and if I am going to have to suffer through it, I might as well get some useful recordings out of it. This recording is from day