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New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

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Re: New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

#71

This is very similar to an Aeolian Harp, also known as a wind harp. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolian_harp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtzSm76ppS4 They are pretty cool art installations. The Golden Gate bridge may now be the largest such installation ever built!

Ok, I'm on board here. This is really cool.

Yes, it cannot be a 24/7 thing, the harp/bridge is too loud. Also, putting resonances into a suspension bridge is likely to be unsafe.

That said, like the chiming of church bells in a village, it may be used selectively. I can imagine some Burners quickly putting up an adjustable mechanism to have the bridge sing/chime.

Something that can point into the wind correctly (to some degree) and then be readjusted to turn off. Possibly to make more than just one note, like a carillon of bells in a bell tower.

Maybe at the tops of the hour it can turn on/off, like a church bell, to signal the time. Or on special occasions like New Years Eve, the 4th of July, etc. Or for swearings-in of a mayor's term, etc. Heck, even as a warning system for earthquakes.

Having that loud of an instrument, powered by the wind, and then controlled by a few hundred actuators or a bridge-worker/bell-ringer moving steel beams in and out, it's just too good of an idea.

If something like that could be made to work, on such an iconic bridge, well, that's a whole new industry. People have done 'love locks' for years now, chiming bridges would be a great idea too.

Re: New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

#72
Another 'cool' mega-instrument is the Earth Harp. Instead of transverse waves (plucking) the strings, you use compression waves (pushing) in the strings to make the vibrations. Due to some physics here, you then need a very large resonator to hear the sounds. Essentially the Earth itself. Here's a good video from the Burn at an Earth Harp performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c66w_pPnO-s

Re: New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

#73
post #72

Another 'cool' mega-instrument is the Earth Harp. Instead of transverse waves (plucking) the strings, you use compression waves (pushing) in the strings to make the vibrations. Due to some physics here, you then need a very large resonator to hear the sounds. Essentially the Earth itself. Here's a good video from the Burn at an Earth Harp performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c66w_pPnO-s

"the Burn" = Burning Man (2011)

Re: New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

#74
post #32
post #14

I'm just glad they identified the source of the hum, many people are impacted for years by unexplainable sounds, and it is maddening. It took me and my neighbours a month to find the source of a hum that was resonating with our windows. It was torture, with midnight walks and lurking around potential sources, mapping nearby industrial sites, and questioning our sanity, while our windows were vibrating without a stop.…

When I lived in Nob Hill, there was a quiet long beeping sound that could be heard every couple of minutes - imagine a quiet booooop and you're pretty much there. Definitely sounded electronic. The weird thing was I could actually hear it on quiet days in a large radius in Nob Hill. It didn't seem to be localized on my house. I was never able to identify it, and searching online gave me nothing.

chirping smoke alarm? Saw a YT clip of a dude hunting for annoying beep with army of audio recorders, turned out to be battery depleted fire alarm under the stairs.

Re: New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

#75

This sounds so beautiful and desolate, reminding me of a combination of the first two tracks from Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Vol 2, disc 2, in particular "Blue Calx" and "Parallel Stripes" starting from 40 seconds. [0] Thank you for sharing. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXBAU8HsAqk

Berlin has some absolutely beautiful church bells. The overtones and reverb from all the walls are so chilling, it makes you feel like you're inside the bells or something. I recorded one of them: https://sndup.net/2h7t/St+Joseph+Kirche.m4a

Re: New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

#76
post #72

Another 'cool' mega-instrument is the Earth Harp. Instead of transverse waves (plucking) the strings, you use compression waves (pushing) in the strings to make the vibrations. Due to some physics here, you then need a very large resonator to hear the sounds. Essentially the Earth itself. Here's a good video from the Burn at an Earth Harp performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c66w_pPnO-s

How do they get audible sounds from strings hundreds of meters long? Massive tensions?

Re: New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

#77
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two unrelated anecdotes: 1. A few years ago I spent some time in Falmouth, MA and there was an ongoing battle over newly installed wind turbines. The humming sound was getting to people, including to the point where they were getting headaches. Some people heard it and others didn't. The locals were going to war with the initiative. This article reminded me of that and I checked in on the ordeal. Looks like they shut…

Just across Buzzards Bay from Falmouth was the original Marconi transmitting station for transatlantic communication to a receiver in Norway. My great-grandfather helped build it in 1914! At the time it was the most powerful transmitter in the world at 300 kW. There were 14 440-foot towers in a grid, and it was so powerful that apparently anywhere in town you would get zapped while hanging out the laundry on a clothe…

Very interesting. Maine also has a significant transmitter array in Cutler with 30 or so antennas around 900 ft tall apiece. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLF_Transmitter_Cutler

I wonder what it's like to try to pull a signal up there.

Your comment brings up memories of Lighthouse Beach in Chatham, which has a ton of warnings about Great White Sharks due to the prevalence of seals in the waters. Beautiful place. If the sharks don't get you the radio frequencies will I guess.

Re: New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

#79
post #24
post #14

I'm just glad they identified the source of the hum, many people are impacted for years by unexplainable sounds, and it is maddening. It took me and my neighbours a month to find the source of a hum that was resonating with our windows. It was torture, with midnight walks and lurking around potential sources, mapping nearby industrial sites, and questioning our sanity, while our windows were vibrating without a stop.…

Two unrelated anecdotes: 1. A few years ago I spent some time in Falmouth, MA and there was an ongoing battle over newly installed wind turbines. The humming sound was getting to people, including to the point where they were getting headaches. Some people heard it and others didn't. The locals were going to war with the initiative. This article reminded me of that and I checked in on the ordeal. Looks like they shut…

That ruffed grouse video is great but does not really do justice to how startling that sound can be. Imagine walking through the woods, no one around, and all of a sudden it sounds like a lawn mower starting up very close to you. It is unbelievably startling, even if you know what it is.

Re: New slats make the Golden Gate Bridge sound like a David Lynch movie

#80
post #14

I'm just glad they identified the source of the hum, many people are impacted for years by unexplainable sounds, and it is maddening. It took me and my neighbours a month to find the source of a hum that was resonating with our windows. It was torture, with midnight walks and lurking around potential sources, mapping nearby industrial sites, and questioning our sanity, while our windows were vibrating without a stop.…

I was going insane at my old house because of 'the hum'. It started when I installed double pane windows. I think they dropped the ambient noise to the point where the hum was obvious.

Any idea what you'd use to track down very low frequency noise sources(i.e. 15-60Hz)? I don't think a lot of sensors do well in that range.

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