WORLD SOUNDSCAPE PROJECT TAPE LIBRARY
CANADA COLLECTION

REEL 69 [DAT C30]

AYR, ONTARIO Nov. 5, 1973

A [ID 1 0:11]

1. SMALL GRAIN ELEVATOR 4'30"

[ID 2 4:47]

2. " " " 2'40"

B

        Photo 916

        [ID 3 7:33]

3. EDGAR FARM: inquiries about an old gas motor 1'16"

[ID 4 8:50]

4. " " : tractor shed 1'47"

[ID 5 10:41]

5. " " : cornpicker, tractor 7'15"

[ID 6 18:05]

6. " " : conversation about cornpicker 2'10"

ABERFOYLE, ONTARIO

C

[0-tone]

[ID 7 20:33]

7. ABERFOYLE MILL RESTAURANT, entering 1'30"

[ID 8 22:05]

8. " " " , waterwheel 2'00"

[ID 9 23:59]

9. RESTAURANT: waterwheel from closer position 3'30"

[ID 10 27:26]

10. " : the wheel stopping 1'20"

[ID 11 28:48]

11. " : gambling machine and "bye bye" 1'05"

D [ID 12 30:01]

12. RADIO TUNE WHILE DRIVING 1'40"

BONFIELD, ONTARIO Nov. 6, 1973

[ID 13 31:43]

13. RESTAURANT: ordering lunch 1'15"

[ID 14 32:55]

14. " : conversation with fellow diner 3'15"

[ID 15 36:10]

15. " : playing pinball machine 4'05"

[ID 16 40:17]

16. " : telephone conversation in French 4'00"

 

REEL 69 COMMENTARY

1. Conveyor tube taking wheat from storage to drier. Starts with a high loud whine when turned on, then continuous rhythmical rumble. Nice doppler shift in the train whistle (1'00"), as train passes by. Train motor is hardly audible behind machine noise. Conveyor stops (3'05") and the grain kernels slide back down chute. After all the noise it is surprising that the tiny sliding grain sounds are so clearly audible. Last kernels skid to a stop (4'00", 4'15"). Note the silence and birds singing at end of take. Traffic audible in distance.

2. Recordists walk into room (0'15"), standing right by machine. This is the roller, it separates grain from chaff. It has a more rhythmical sound, as the wheat travels from one bin to another. Very noisy, but has interesting rhythms: very fast low frequency beat and a high frequency "swish" from the grain. Towards end of take the beat stops and the swishing is audible by itself.

3. Talking to Lyle Edgar.

4. Lyle tries to start up the old tractor with a gas engine, no success. Note the incredible silence.

5. Tractor and cornpicking attachment, operating in a field. This was recorded at dusk, a light snow falling (first snow of the season). The tractor sound shifts in the wind when it is in the distance. Tractor is at furthest point in the field at 4'00" and returns, gets closer by 5'00".

6. Description of the cornpicker/steam tractor. Lyle Edgar talking while driving. Car stops, talk continues. Note again, the incredible silence. Conversation pretty hopeless, though.

General Remarks: This restaurant is a converted mill and the main gear system driving the waterwheel has been left exposed to view in the main dining room.

7. Walking inside (0'12"), moozak appears, asking about the waterwheel. Crackling on right channel throughout.

8. No moozak here. Walking toward waterwheel, can hear water dripping. Wheel starts in distance (0'30"), moozak starts again (1'30"). Moozak and rhythm of the waterwheel and water dripping blend into each other and create a very strange lo-fi soundscape.

9. This is an interesting sound of flowing water with low frequency gurgles, clunks from waterwheel and high frequency dripping of water. Restaurant voices and footsteps cut through occasionally like acoustic illusions.

10. Wheel stops, water without the wheel sounds now like heavy rain.

11. A 5-cent gambling machine: "one-armed bandit". Uninteresting and boring conversation at end about moozak. This restaurant is obviously a tourist trap (gambling, moozak, waterwheel, "something for everybody").

12. This tune is using wind as effect (1'25") at very end, before announcer carries on. AM car radio en route to Algonquin Park, reception slightly unclear.

13. Waitress taking order. No people sounds, just a hum in background.

14. Talking about loons briefly (0'15"), but generally conversation not that interesting. Later on fan goes on (2'50"), knocking and banging sounds from kitchen.

15. Takes a while to get the machine started. Pinball game begins at 1'40", not that distinguishable, not close-miked. Continuous hum in background.

16. Waitress is talking French on phone, men's voices in background are French as well. Bonfield is known as a French-Canadian village. Waitress hangs up (2'15"), background conversation continuous. Nice and clear ambience because the power in restaurant had temporarily blacked out. All fans and hums were silent as a result.


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