Sound Trek in the River Valley

On Saturday, February 10, 2007 I set out with two homemade microphones and a Sony MZ-NH700 minidisc recorder to gather some sounds along the Bridges near the mouths of the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The five recordings below represent some of my favorite moments of these recordings. The locations of the recordings are indicated on the maps Below.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES OF ANY MAPS TO SEE A LARGER VERSION

There are simple maps of the recording sites, along with indication of mic placement next to the recordings in each post below. The key provided on the first of these maps applies to them all.

Railroad Swing Bridge I

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The rail line ends just north of where it crosses this old swing bridge, which leads me to believe that the bridge is rarely, if ever, used these days. This spot, about halfway in between the Hoan bridge and the Broadway bascule bridge is probably the most tranquil peice of riverway this close to downtown. The sound I am trying to capture here is of a sheet of ice clinging to the shore, creaking and poping as the water laps underneath it. There is of course, a variety of wildlife as well...

Railroad Swing Bridge II

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My goal with this recording was just to use an alternate mic position to gather more of the fantastic sounds of the water lapping on the ice sheet. While doing this I captured a series of sonic events that have become my favorite from this set of recordings.

The Broadway Bascule Bridge

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This is a composite recording of some of the most unique sound events from my recordings of traffic on the Broadway bascule bridge. There are still just enough sounds that remind us we are still on the river.

The Water Steet Bascule Bridge

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The area where the Menomonee River meets the Milwaukee River is a fantastic place to go if you like seagulls. The sheer amount of them is astounding and the sight of so many birds flying, diving and performing other areobatic feats is pretty neat, but what struck me was the sound...it seemed there wear nearly a hundred voices overpowering the sound of the nearby Water Street bascule bridge.

The 6th Street Viaduct

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The 6th Street Viaduct was built in 2002 and is the first cable stayed bridge built for motorcars in the state. The suspended quality of the bridge along with its proximity to the rail line shown to the south along with two channels of the Menomonee river make it an ideal place to gather unique sounds. This recording was made standing under neath a large enclosed stairwell attached to the bridge, which acted like drum as the traffic passed over head.
I have always enjoyed the sound of a train braking, as each car slams into the next...