Electrified Solitude
nature's favorite songs
This spring, a new video store opened up in Knoxville, Tennessee. After hearing about McMinnville’s Northside Video, I’d become really interested in visiting that part of Tennessee just for the experience of getting to step foot in a rental shop again. While I still plan to drive out there some time this winter, the opening of Grindhouse Video near me has been all I could have ever asked for.
Just a few weeks ago, when I was looking through their shelves of VHS tapes, I came across these “Solitudes” releases in black and white clamshells. I kind of grabbed them off of look alone, but I was pleasantly surprised when I got them home and in my VCR. They are parabolic microphone field recordings accompanied by visuals of the area. There’s no narration or music, just a pure, as-close-to-nature as possible experience.
That got me thinking about my backlog of audio cassettes too! I knew I’d picked up a few tapes in the same vein over the past few months, and thankfully I had three that fit the bill.
With the exception of “Thundering Rainstorm”, the following media selections don’t contain any sounds that would be considered “unnatural”. This tape in particular has accompanying music that is very soft and relaxing.
In total there’s 4 full hours of soundscapes here, please enjoy!
Solitudes: Environmental Sound & Visual Experience Episode I "Loon Country by Canoe"
1987 | Runtime 30 Minutes
A visual wilderness experience with natural sounds only – no music or narrative. Produced By Dan Gibson.
We all need some refuge from the age of hi-tech that has invaded our lives. A basic refuge is provided by "Loon Country By Canoe," the steady stroke of the paddle, pushing and slicing cool waters, deep in wilderness. To rest tired eyes – wilderness green, embers glowing in the late night campfire, or raindrops distorting impressionistic reflections that seem to belong in a painting by Claude Monet.
For ears abused by the 20th Century – water sounds, songs of birds, the throaty wail of a timber wolf, wind through the trees, thunderous skies, the echoing cry of the loon - and all the rest. A wilderness refuge. The irony is that hi-tech is here, too. But only to provide state of the art reality. Think instead of a wilderness refuge. A reliable refuge at the end of a day, available always, when you need it most.
WILDLIFE SPECIES FEATURED - Common Loon (adult and young), Beaver, Redwinged Blackbird, White-throated Sparrow, Osprey, Northern Flicker, Moose, Speckled Trout, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Red-eyed Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Ruffed Grouse, Timber Wolves (young), as well as the songs and calls of many birds, mammals and amphibians in the sound track.
Dan Gibson's name is familiar to many as a film-maker and recordist in the - Audubon Wildlife Theatre, 78 episode TV series; The Wildlife Cinema TV series, to the Wild Country, and Wild Canada TV special series; The TV special Dan Gibson's Nature Family; Profiles of Nature TV series, and the theatrical feature, Wings in the Wilderness.
DAN GIBSON recording in digital sound with his specially designed Parabolic microphone. By slowly drifting and scanning the shoreline with this highly directional microphone, he creates a panoramic stereo effect that subtly moves the sound around the listening room, creating a "you are there” effect, as though you are in his canoe on a northern lake.
DAN GIBSON has won many international awards, both for his work as a film-maker, and for the superb sound tracks that consistently accompany his films. Among these distinguished awards, one for best sounds in a feature film, Wings in the Wilderness, another for best sounds in a television program, Sounds of Nature.
Solitudes: Environmental Sound & Visual Experience Episode II "Wave Watching"
1987 | Runtime 30 Minutes
Digitally recorded ocean adventure with natural sounds only - no music or narrative. Produced by Dan and Gordon Gibson.
"Wave Watching" is perhaps the most captivating pastime for any ocean adventurer. Each new wave stimulates the imagination, penetrates the memory, and delights the mind. The countless moods, variety of surf, and the solitude of sound gives the ocean its universal appeal.
Waves fall in wheeling symmetry – splintering, overlapping, entangling, then settling, leaving abstract marvels of the originals, Mounting again, they peak and twist; blues, greens, and blinding whites, Wind frays their crowns, yet they continuously work towards land. Rocks are enveloped, routes disected through shoals, and in the rock gardens the waves froth and foam in the glistening rays of the intense sun.
At the shoreline, the water's recession begins. The patterns of withdrawal across sand and through chattering pebbles transcends beauty. Glassy silhouetted images ignite along undisturbed beaches, Rocks rise from sand in monumental forms, pillars that stand as gates for this sanctuary of living creatures.
Amongst all this elegance, however, there is nothing so soothingly intimate as the sounds of this majestic coast. The distinct yet delicate sound of skimming waves along serene shores contrasts with the resounding turbulence of waves confronting rock walls with untamed ferocity. A unique journey of pure sound and visual ecstasy awaits.
Dan Gibson's name is familiar to many as a film-maker and recordist in the Audubon Wildlife Theatre, 78 episode TV series; The Wildlife Cinema TV series; To the Wild Country, and Wild Canada TV special series; The TV special Dan Gibson's Nature Family; Profiles of Nature TV series, and the theatrical feature, Wings in the Wilderness.
Dan Gibson has won many international awards, both for his work as a film-maker, and for the superb soundtracks that consistently accompany his films. Among these distinguished awards, one for best sound in a feature film, Wings in The Wilderness, another for best sounds in a television program, Sounds of Nature Alone Dan is recording in digital sound with his specially designed stereophonic Parabolic microphone, while son Gordon films one of the sensational afternoon seascapes.
Thundering Rainstorm Enhanced With Music
1993 | Runtime 59:08
The sounds of nature are enhanced with the soothing sounds of a pan flute and other musical instruments.
Imagine the relief a thunderstorm brings after a hot, oppressive summer day. Relax with the sounds of the rain pouring down and thunder and lightening cracking. Feel the daily tension ebb while the storm slowly subsides and turns into a steady shower.
Electrifying Thunderstorms
1988 | Runtime 54:24
Sounds of Nature and the Great Outdoors
1997 | Runtime 51:30
The media featured this week fit very nicely into a Youtube playlist I created for calm audio and visuals with the intention of heling others sleep well. If you’d like view that playlist, you can do so right here.
That’s it for this week! Thanks so much for checking out this very relaxing edition of Diptych Newsletter. I keep Youtube Playlists of the all the wonderful media I find. You can check out the Video Archive here, and the Audio Archive here. As always, if you have any questions or comments you can get at me here or here or leave a comment below this post
See you soon.
—Forrest
Relaxing!