Thomas Beverly captures the sound of redwoods with Sennheiser

Natural sound expert Thomas Rex Beverly has used condenser microphones Sennheiser MKH RF to discover the hidden sounds of an ancient redwood forest, the tallest trees in the world.

This journey of field recordings from the natural sound expert Thomas Rex Beverly, carried out between March and October, has left an indelible mark on his work by Capture the soundscape in a redwood forest and climb one of these gigantic trees to do it at different heights.

With the help of a selection of Sennheiser microphones, including condenser models MKH series 8000, Beverly has not only searched document the ambient sound of a virgin redwood forest and the subtle, intimate sounds of one, but also preserve and share the auditory essence of this natural ecosystem.

“More people have climbed Mount Everest than a century-old sequoia”, afirma Beverly. These giant trees are strictly protected, so he contacted him Sempervirens Background, an organization dedicated to the preservation of redwood forests, when after a thorough analysis he obtained permission.

The recordings were made in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains (California – EU), in a secluded redwood forest. The trees in this conservation area, some of which they reach the 80 meters high, since they have never been cut down, and they can have until 1.000 years.

Beverly describes the forest as “amazing”, highlighting its pristine condition and the opportunity to access trees that had remained intact for centuries. “It was about ensure minimal noise pollution and to be able to access the trees without causing damage”, explains. “The location was perfect for this type of deep sonic exploration”.

Deep sonic exploration

Beverly's connection to trees runs deep. Raised in Texas, he used to climb oak trees with his father, which instilled in him a permanent fascination for ancient trees. “I have always been attracted to the stories that trees tell through sound.”. The sequoias, in particular, offer a unique perspective on nature. This project focused on capture not only the sound of the forest, but the essence of the trees themselves”.

Some of Beverly's main tools for the project have been MKH microphones 8000 the Sennheiser, whose products it sells Magnetron in Spain, which he chose for its clarity, wide frequency response and ability to capture ambient sounds with nuances in difficult environments.

His team included the models MKH 8020 (especially suitable for capturing the most subtle sounds thanks to its high sensitivity and low self-noise), MKH 8030 y MKH 8040 in various configurations.

As he points out, “had a double ORTF configuration de Sennheiser MKH 8040. I was testing configurations directional with the MKH 8040 y MKH 8030, pointing the microphones upward to capture the sounds of the treetops while recording from the forest floor”.

Given the imposing height of the redwoods, capture sound from multiple vertical layers it was fundamental. “The difference in sound between the base of the forest and a height of 60 a 80 meters is huge. In many trees, the branches do not begin until about 50 m. tall, “So recording from the forest floor and then from the canopy offers a totally different sonic perspective.”, assures.

The main purpose of the microphones “was to record at the base of the tree, to some 30, 60 y 70 m. tall. They all recorded in parallel so that, when synchronizing them, the same sound could be heard from different heights of the tree. For example, when a strong gust of wind came in, you could hear 30, 60 y 70 metros. This offers listeners a deeper insight into the tree's microecosystems.".

for ten days, Beverly placed several microphones in the forest to capture various environmental sounds. The installation included spaced omnidirectional models, the double ORTF configuration and experiments with the ambisonic Sennheiser Ambeo VR, which was used to capture spatial audio in the vertical landscape of trees.

The sounds inside a redwood

Perhaps the most striking element of Beverly's project was her exploration of sounds within trees. Using contact microphones, carefully placed directly on the bark, was able to record the unique crackling sound of water rising through the xylem, the tissue responsible for transporting water and nutrients within the tree.

“Record sounds inside the tree It was one of the most fascinating parts of the project - he remembers -. You hear that crackling sound, almost a whisper, as water rises through the crust. That's something the MKHs 8020, ideal for capturing ambient sounds, they couldn't catch, so the contact ones really helped create that dimension”.

This experiment led to an unexpected discovery. Beverly noticed that certain loud noises, like the songs of a crow or an owl, They were also captured by contact microphones. “When the crow made a song loud enough, it made the tree vibrate and I could hear it through the contact microphone. “It was a unique way to experience how the songs of wildlife can make the tree itself vibrate.”.

The ability to juxtapose ambient sounds captured by MKH microphones 8040 with the internal sounds of the tree through contact microphones provided Beverly with a deeper sonic insight into this ancient living organism.. “It's a completely new perspective, and it is conceptually and sonically fascinating to go from the external environment of the tree to the internal life”

Recording on the zip line

After a half-year hiatus to protect a rare bird that breeds in redwoods, Beverly's project reached its peak in October, when he and two climbing guides set up platforms at different heights in one of the trees to record the subtle sounds with a zip line.

This required a multi-day preparation process that included climbing equipment, crossbows to throw ropes over the branches and careful planning to minimize disruption to the tree's health. “We started by throwing a fishing line over the branch and then we started throwing thicker ropes until we finally installed a climbing rope”.

At different heights within the tree, Beverly placed microphones to capture sound events from different vertical perspectives. “By having two platforms on the forest floor and three on the tree itself, could switch between different perspectives if something significant happened, like the fall of a branch or the song of an animal.”.

When recording not only in the treetop, but also at various points in the lower cup and at the base, The marked differences in sound between these layers of the tree became evident, As Beverly points out.: “The wind sounds very different depending on the position in the tree. The needles in the lower cup are much larger because there is less light and they seek moisture, while in the cup they are much smaller”.

This vertical perspective allowed capture the subtle changes in the wind, the sounds of animals and even the rustling of branches at different heights. The tranquility of the redwood forests is extraordinary. “There are few animal species here, so when something happens: a branch that breaks, the song of an animal, really catches your attention. One night there was a small wind storm and I managed to capture the sound of a giant sequoia falling. “It sounded like an explosion in the distance.”.

One of the innovative aspects of this project has been the use of 3D microphone arrays. Beverly designed a configuration 4.0.2 with four Sennheiser MKH omnidirectional microphones 8020 arranged in a square shape at the foot of the tree, con dos MKH 8040 on, to capture the vertical element of the forest soundscape, adding depth and dimension to recordings.

Besides, installed a similar set at the top of the tree to record these sounds and integrate them into a 3D mix. “The challenge was managing the entire team, including strings and microphones, high. It was an incredible experience. It's very different from recording in multiple ecosystems miles away; here it was about capturing the nuances of a single tree. Being in a harness for hours, dealing with batteries and SD cards, while trying to hold everything to the branches, It was complicated, but it was worth it”.

A night in the heights

Beverly also spent the night on a tree boat, a hammock suspended almost 70 m. tall. “One of the most surreal moments was when I started recording with my MKH 8020. hardly anything happened, only faint gusts of wind passing through the glass, but that feeling of space, being so high, With the distant calls of owls and the wind swirling around you, it was amazing. See the stars from the glass, a beautiful sunrise and hear how the entire forest wakes up to the dawn chorus, It's quite surreal.", remember.

Despite the physical challenges, Beverly found the experience rewarding.. “It is one of the most complex configurations I have done, but also one of the most unique. “No one has ever tried to capture the sounds from the zip line of a redwood tree.”.

Thomas Rex Beverly's project to capture the soundscape of California redwoods with Sennheiser microphones is pioneer in recording nature sounds. Through innovative configurations, including 3D and contact microphone arrays, has managed to explore the nuances of forest acoustics from a completely new perspective.

This project not only sheds light on the rich and complex sound world of redwoods, It also demonstrates the power of high-quality microphones to capture the delicate sounds of the natural environment.; a testament to the deep connection between sound and the environment, and the importance of preserving these giant trees.