Sounds were recorded multi-mic and from different perspectives, giving large variety for designing purposes. We used microphones with extended frequency range (Schoeps CMC6XT MS kit, Sanken CO-100k) recording on 192kHz sample rate, shotgun mics (Sennheiser MKH-8060, MKH-815T, Neumann KMR81/KM120 MS kit) as well as Trance Audio Inducer stereo contact microphone (which was very useful in noisy environments and which also has very wide frequency range). We used Sound Devices 702, 744 recorders with MixPre, Zoom F8 and Sony PCM D-50.

Sound are delivered as 192 & 96 kHz / 24 bit wave files with extensive Soundminer ready metadata.
Part of sounds is delivered as multitrack waves – PLEASE USE iXML LIBRARY OPTION in Soundminer, to use it fully as shown below:

If you don’t use Soundminer, don’t worry – sounds are delivered as multi-mono tracks and you can import and audition them one by one.
COAL MINE


Conveyor Belt – 3 files
Coal-Cutting Machine – 3 files
Planer – 6 files
Pump – 2 files
Rotary Planer – 3 files
Conveyor Chain – 5 files
Shearer – 5 files
Cement Mixer – 3 files
Coal Trolley – 3 files
Vantilation Fans – 5 files
Elevator Shaft Engine Hall – 6 files
Antique Huge Steam Machine – 9 files
Mine Elevator – 5 files

ZINC MINE


Underground River – 4 files
Vantilation Fan – 1 file
Diesel Loader Trucks – 51 files

ZINC SMELTER 1


Galvanizing Hall – 3 files
Foundry Hall – 8 files
Gantry Cabin INT – 3 files
Gantry Winch Engine – 4 files
Cutting Machine – 7 files
Hammering on Molds – 3 files
Grinding Mill – 11 files
Pneumatic Air Releases – 8 files
Mills – 9 files
Loader Truck – 1 file
Conveyor Belt – 1 file
Sand Movements in Pipes – 2 files
Lye Hall Machines – 18 files
Lye Hall Liquids – 5 files
Metal Plates – 5 files

ZINC SMELTER 2


Crusher – 4 files
Conveyor Belt – 4 files
Mining Shaft Engine Hall – 15 files
Mining Shaft Engine Hall Basement – Pressure Releases – 8 files
Mining Shaft Engine Hall Basement – Wooden Wheel – 5 files
Mining Shaft Debris Drop – 7 files
Freight Elevator – 7 files
Heavy Mills – 14 files
Liquids – 2 files
Metal Textures – 3 files

ZINC SMELTER 3


Train Car Reverse Machine – 4 files
Sizzling Parched Metal – 2 files
Hammering Machine – 7 files
Metal Cover – 2 files
Saddest Machine Ever – 7 files
Machine Hall – 5 files
Clods Falling – 3 files
Vibration Machine – 1 file

SCRAPYARD


Scrap Loader – 12 + 6 denoised files
Scrapyard AMB – 15 files
Crane Winch Engines – 8 files

TRAMS REPAIR WORKSHOP


Milling Machines – 7 files
Frame Saw – 1 file
Guillotine Shears – 7 file
Welder Generator – 1 file
Tram Electric Engine – 3 files
Huge Tram Gantry – 2 files
CNC Lathe – 1 file
Blasting Machine – 1 file
Ventilation Engine – 3 files
Compressor – 1 file
AMB – 1 file

TRAINS FACTORY


AMB – 4 files
CNC Laser Cutter – 18 files
Train Gantry – 4 files

STEELWORKS


Large Blocks Roll – 2 files
Hot Rolling Mill Engines – 4 files
Rolling Mill – 16 files

VULCANIZER


Pneumatic Servo Engine – 1 file
Pneumatic Air Releases – 6 files
Pneumatic Arm Movements – 3 files
Pneumatic Drill – 6 files
Pneumatic Lifts – 2 files
Pneumatic Hose – 1 file
Tire Balancing Machine – 1 file
Tire Grinder Drill – 10 files
Tire Washing Machine – 1 file

QUARRY


Conveyor Belt – 1 file
Dump Truck Belaz 51 – 43 files
Quarry Loader – 6 files
Crushers – 2 files
Drilling Rig Machine – 15 files
Wheel Loader CAT 972M – 34 files
Wheel Loader Stalowa Wola L34 – 53 files

Available soon…

Of course its sound changes over time, since new trams (and tracks) are way quieter these days, but there are many sounds related to them. Low rumble, wheels squeak/squeal on corners, bells, tram body rattle, electric engine whine and so on.

As every city has its own sound, same goes with trams. There are different tracks, different tram cars and space between buildings which resonates and amplifies it, unique for every city I know.

I did my first recording focused on trams few years ago, on New Years Day morning. It’s sound recordists day for me, since it is very quiet for long, no heavy traffic at all and mostly only public transport.

Here are some sounds from that session:

[Rode NTG2 | Sound Devices MixPre | Sony PCM D50]

And some wheels squeaking on corner from another session:

[Neumann KMR81 / KM120 MS pair | Sound Devices 702]

I much prefer sound character of older trams, which don’t have that electric engine whine and have much more suspension/body rattle and rumble.

Preparing for incoming project (which takes place in the 60′), I wanted to record some historic ones to create general atmosphere of the city. There are some very old tram cars in few cities here, but they are used only for special occasions. But I have found that in the other city, there is one tram line where they use old type tram car. It was produced over 60 years ago and is still used daily on this particular line as an attraction.

So I prepared a recording trip. Get there before the dawn to record the first tram that day, when I hoped city will be much quieter. Before the session, I have recorded very nice and wide night atmosphere of a city square with distant traffic tone:

And some morning birds:

People managing trams were so nice, that they allowed us to do some onboard recordings. I chose DPA 4060 pair for EXT onboard recording, attaching them with a magnet clip and a tape to the back of the car. Those mics sound great and full, and are incredibly easy to attach. I was impressed how great it sounded (and hurray for Sound Devices limiters!):

[DPA 4060 pair | Sound Devices MixPre | Sony PCM D50]

And this sound has big potential to become some evil machine or clanky train sweetener:

Inside I was recording with Neumann KMR81 / KM120 MS pair to Sound Devices 702:

Later I picked some EXT passes. The sound is so loud, that external traffic noise was not a problem:

Waiting for the second part of the session, where I wanted to record some maneuvers and internal sounds, wandering around looking for interesting sounds I have heard distant metal hits. Approaching it, it turned out to be a scrap-heap. People working there allowed me to record while they do their job. And again, without intention I found great source of sounds. For sure it will become my next car crash sequence sweetener:

And a scrap-heap is definitely my next destination for a recording session.

After grabbing some other sounds around, we came back to the trams depot to record more sounds.

I picked maneuvers, some great wheels/track squeals and the internal sounds: steering winch, levers, doors, bells and footsteps inside.

At home I found that I can easily turn those EXT onboard sounds with EQ, Altiverb and Lowender into sounds heard by the window.

There is a great Budapest scene in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy where similar sound of distant low tram rumble is used for creating tension. Works very, very well in this particular scene.

This was a very resultful recording trip, which also gave me ideas for future recordings.
The sounds I collected, will greatly help me creating character of a city from the 1960′.

Photos by my friend Wojtek Iskierka.