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Methodology for Sound Heritage Preservation in Industry

The methodology for preserving industrial sound heritage revolves around capturing the sounds associated with productive activities, including those produced by machinery, tools, objects, and various industrial processes.

These sounds are inherently complex, comprising an infinite combination of periodic sounds with varying amplitudes. Each fundamental physical component within a structure possesses its unique resonance frequencies and corresponding harmonics. Similarly, every motor or mechanized element has its fundamental frequency.

Effective recording starts with precise microphone placement to capture as many of these representative frequencies as possible. Essentially, it aims to capture the entire auditory spectrum generated by the vibratory components of these physical structures.

Additionally, in planning an industrial sound heritage recording, consideration must be given to various distances from the sound source. This accounts for both the operator's auditory experience and the broader context, encompassing the perception of others within the production environment.

This research proposes a methodology that views acoustic space as a filter, analogous to audio filters, which depend on factors like level, frequency, and time, and reflect specific spatial conditions. Filters are characterized by their response to a unit impulse.

To illustrate, if we produce a very brief impulse that excites a filtered system, we can only perceive the filter's characteristics. This analogy extends to acoustic spaces; for instance, when we clap our hands in a room to gauge the duration of reverberation or to detect echoes produced by the room's geometry.

However, the precision of filter characterization hinges on the impulse's brevity and spectral breadth. This raises the question of how to record and later utilize the filter that defines every acoustic space.

The process of deconstruction necessary to extract this spatial component is only feasible within the digital realm and relies on a mathematical operation called convolution.

Geophone: Tailored for field recordings, it translates surface movement (velocity) into audio.

Ambisonic Microphone: Designed to capture audio in a 360-degree field for subsequent decoding and playback through various speaker or headphone setups.

Contact Microphone: Captures sound by physically contacting the sound source, converting its mechanical vibrations directly into audio.

Hydrophone: Specifically engineered to capture underwater sound.

Mono Microphone: Records sound in a single monaural signal, collecting and blending all sound sources into a singular audio output.

Electromagnetic Microphone: Utilizes an induction coil to detect electromagnetic fields and transform them into audible sound.

X/Y Stereo Microphone: A stereo recording configuration that enhances the realism and spatiality of sound by using two microphones placed side by side at a 90-degree angle to each other.

About Patrimoni Acústic collective

Emilio Marx (acoustic engineer, sound technician, sound artist)

Ginebra Raventós de Volart (sound artist, poet, filmmaker and psychologist)

Mathias Klenner (architect and sound artist)

Paolo Carretero (sound artist and web developer)

We are a group of culture and arts professionals with a keen interest in promoting acoustic and sound heritage. Our areas of focus include:

• Preservation of acoustic and sound heritage
• Workshops and conferences
• Research and dissemination
• Digitization of heritage
• Production of immersive VR / XR / 360 experiences
• Sound design for digital applications

Contact: acousticheritagecollective@gmail.com
patrimoniacustic@gmail.com

Discover other projects from Patrimoni Acústic

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