recording the Grand Tonometer

Today was the first day I used my portable recording equipment for some improvisational sessions with numerous Koenig wood organ pipes of varying pitches and formats. With the help of Stephen Turner we recorded some very strange sounding combinations. The bellows used for pushing the air through the pipes lasted for about 45 seconds each time and made a sad little wheezing sound at the end. for example: pipeorgan2

I also did some recordings of several combinations of larger tuning forks attached to resonating boxes. including this one: variousforks

All of these materials will be great to work with while creating the upcoming live performance piece.

Stephen also showed me one of the latest acquisitions to the collection… a pair of sound mirrors. beautiful!

I packed up my recording equipment that was set up in the basement studio. It was rather poignant… goodbye little studio.

Today I started work on recording some of the other non-Grand Tonometer forks and devices for source material for the live performance in October at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

I recorded a variety of beautiful sonic interactions of these very large tuning forks, double forks and resonating tone boxes.

Here is an example of recording of the two largest forks along with one of the double forks together. I have removed the initial strike sound on them. biglargedouble

So today was it, recording the FINAL 50 tuning forks of the Grand Tonometer.

Eager to record, I confidently pushed my little cart of tuning forks to the basement of the Smithsonian to the studio. When I got there I found two conference rooms nearby (one on the hall where the studio is located) were having meetings (something that I have not seen since I started this project). Needless to say I could not record until they finished.

I recorded five forks after they left and then loud banging, yelling and dragging of things could be heard in the studio. I went down the hall and around the corner to find a crew of very pleasant Smithsonian workmen dismantling and moving office cubicles, equipment, file cabinets, etc onto carts. I spoke with the woman who was in charge and asking how long she thought they would be doing this today. “we should be done in about 45 minutes… but on Monday they are starting demolition and construction in this area.”

WAIT. DID I MAKE IT JUST IN TIME? The final day of recording of the Grand Tonometer is the last day before CONSTRUCTION noise starts?!

While I waited for an hour I took some extra photos of the final highest tuning fork. Am I looking at aggressively or lovingly… you be the judge.

And finally the recording is done! (now to editing the 550 files still remaining).

Steven Turner came down to the studio to be a part of the recording of the final tuning fork (8192vs). We were talking about exhibiting the Grand Tonometer and he reminded me that it would have been on display during the 1970s in the old Smithsonian Arts and Industries building. He told me where it was displayed in a glass vitrine. Upon hearing this, memories of going to this museum as a child flooded back and I now actually vividly remember seeing the Grand Tonometer at least once on my many visits there. wow!

(row18) 7612-8192vs complete.
grand tonometer fork 8192vs