As spring finally springs over here, I wanted to share a couple of candid random rarities I have happened across recently.

Sound tourism – Prof Trevor Cox’s Sonic Wonders

As part of the University of Manchester’s Cafe Scientifique series, I thoroughly enjoyed a suitably wondrous talk by Professor Trevor Cox about his Sonic Wonders– a website and now a book in the aim of uncovering Sound Tourism – obviously the way forward for us sound afficionado/as.

Whispering walls, record breaking reverbs and singing sand dunes amidst many others. Yes, singing booming sand dunes where all the particles of sand apparently have to be the same size (what the schnitzel?!) alongside a few other wondrous conditions (eg. dry, steep slope)..

Experimental music school in the 1960’s

Came across this rarity via Synthtopia and a few electronic friends. A delightful example of young minds taking to experimental music and music technology likes ducks to water. I love how it all makes perfect nonsense to them, as does the Delia Derbyshire music technology course I have been delivering in primary schools of recent.

And finally..

I broke a glass with my voice..And yes, it was intentional.
Thanks to Helen Arney of the Festival of the Spoken Nerd, I was invited on stage to try to explode a wine glass by singin back its resonant frequency through a mic and amplifier. Apparently the voice has can only be within 1 or 2 hertz of the frequency (sound) the glass makes when you ping it. Well, I darn well did it and what an exhilarating experience it was!