Field Recording
The Binaural Diaries is my collection of field recordings, or ‘sound photographs’.
Many of the recordings are ‘binaural’, meaning that the method of capture recreates an accurate stereo image of the recorded environment when listened to using headphones.
My current field recording setup comprises of a pair of Sound Professionals SP-TFB-2 binaural microphones and a Sony PCM-M10 recorder. Occasionally I use the M10’s built-in stereo mics which I find can be handy when I don’t have the time to set up the binaural mics.
I record straight to 48kHz/24-bit .wav format using the M10, and apply a small amount of amplification if necessary.
The early recordings featured here were made using an unbranded pair of binaural mics and a Sony MZ-R50 minidisc recorder.
The blog
In 2006, inspired by recordings I heard on the Wire magazine’s Wire Tapper compilation series and Aaron Ximm’s Quiet American website, I picked up some amateur recording equipment and started documenting sounds for pleasure.
Shortly after, I started the Binaural Diaries blog and have been ‘sporadically’ sharing my recordings ever since.
It still appears to be a niche interest, but over the years I see more and more amateur recordists sharing their work online. The amount of feedback from visitors has also increased and I’ve learned that people get pleasure from playing field recordings as background ambience as much as focused listening using headphones for the binaural effect.
I hope you continue to enjoy the recordings as I grow this site and find inspiration in the incidental and serendipitous.