clipped from remixmag.com

FINDERS, TWEAKERS

Most musicians and producers sensibly rely on musical instruments for the sounds they need. Sometimes, though, it's far more interesting to work with sounds from the nonstudio environment: found sounds. Sounds come from anything that can move or vibrate, and found sounds are what sci-fi and horror sound effects are made of. In those cases, it is difficult to guess their source just by listening to them. They tantalize and terrorize audiences, and if used tactfully, they can entertain listeners.

To collect found sounds, nothing is more convenient than a portable recorder. I used the Edirol R-09 and was surprised at how tiny it is: roughly 2-by-4-by-1 inches — small enough to fit comfortably inside a pocket.

Wandering through the neighborhood and around a nearby shopping center with the recorder, a hammer and some gloves, I recorded much of the percussive song content in one session. Thwackable metal objects turned out to be the most pleasingly resonant objects.