Session Log - Field Recordings & Live Recordings

Despite being the interface and DAW issue, I am going to take you out of the box and out of the studio to talk about some of my less standardized gear choices and less conventional recording sessions: those that happen out in the WILD!

I’ve always been interested in field recording and have documented the sounds of my worldwide travels ever since it was possible to do so without lugging around too much gear. I am an avid traveler and passionate about recording, but I also like to travel light. When it comes to travel, I am a minimalist. I rarely check a bag, so portability is one of the most important things I look for in recording equipment, as it all needs to fit in my carry-on.

In photography, there’s a saying, “the best camera is the one you have with you.” The same goes for field recorders, so I’ve always kept a close eye on stereo microphones that can be connected to and used with an iPhone. That is the one device I always carry with me.

I have used the Blue Mikey 2.0, the Zoom iQ6, the RØDE iXY-L and the IK Multimedia iRig Mic Field, and have captured field recordings in India, Thailand and Cambodia, plus all across Europe and the US. When I didn’t have these clip-on mics with me, I ended up recording with the iPhone microphone itself. I know it’s not ideal, but when you run into a great sound you want to capture, a mono smartphone recording is better than no recording at all! Many of these audio snapshots have ended up on albums I’ve produced as ambiance, found sounds or ear candy.