Sound Recording class

Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., King 104, Sound Recording Class:

Someone is scratching their leg, erratic and soft. My professor is speaking… loudly; it makes it hard to drown him out. The door to the room is shut but that doesn’t prevent the sounds of the hallway from seeping in. The front doors to the hall squeak open and snap shut unexpectedly. It’s loud, even through the door. The air conditioner in the hallway is low but the constant buzz is still there. The guy next to me is scraping his pen across his paper. The sound is not soft and rhythmical, but quick and sharp. I don’t believe he is taking notes, or if he is, he is scratching something out, but most likely he is drawing. The sound of a girl speaking comes through the speakers piercingly. I try to drown out the sound, but it is almost impossible. I can, however, hear my heart in my ears. She mumbles and stutters, annoyingly speaking through her nose that she is standing 2 feet from a shot gun mic. It is me. I want to vomit. My pen clicks with each letter I write. My professor’s voice comes in:

• Mic perspective- the closer you are to the microphone, the warmer and richer the sound. The further away you are, the thinner the sound.
  

I should be listening more clearly to the professor considering that I have to record with my group today.

Sounds from my apartment complex

Friday night, 10:30 p.m. Outside my apartment building:
The sound of three bugs clicking and chirping rhythmically call back to each other. The first one clicks quickly 5 times. Then the second, a cricket, calls back with 3 successive high pitched chirps. The third bug emits a low vibrating buzz one at a time with pauses in between just long enough for the other two bugs to chime in. An air conditioning unit clicks loudly and emits a buzz, loud at first, then soft and steady. A car comes out from behind the building. The tires scratch against the pavement; breaks shriek as it comes to a stop. The motor purrs and as the car turns and drives down the street, the rumble of the motor softens until it is gone completely. There is a loud hiss followed by a sharp click, the air conditioner is off. This allows me to hear a high pitched, but faint hum. I guess it is the light. A bug falls to the ground with a loud thud. It sounds big. Its wings scratch and scrape the sidewalk, then nothing. A stereo comes in soft and gradually becomes louder. The bass from the horrible rap song makes the windows tremble. The high pitch shudder contrasts the low bass rumble. Relief comes when the car turns the corner and drives down the road. A door opens, CLICK, and closes, THUD, click. Keys jingle and the cackle of two girls comes in high and fades away. Suddenly, I realize it’s a Friday night, and I am listening to sounds in my sweats. I have no life.