The sounds of Steampunk

[Arabella Periscope]

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is possible and to create a place visually out of time, to look around at
walls and a desk and lamp and books, photographs, and to put up an image on a computer screen.  But what of the sounds?  I would like my letter keys to sound like the old Remington or Oliver, with a lively chime at the end of the line.  And there are other sounds too, perhaps a wireless key, or a telephone hook or dial, or indeed the sounds of an engine working or steam escaping as work got underway.   Horse traffic?

I know it's childish, but has anyone done this?

[Camellia Wingnut]

Dear Arabella,
Absolutely! The sounds! Steam whistles, barrel organs in the street, rain, hooves, teacups, Vestas being struck. Time travel would not be a silent movie.
Yr Affectionate Great Aunt Camellia

[Herbert West]

Definately all of those. Also the slow ticking of clockwork, the chime of a grandfather clock, and the distant *Whup-whup-whup* of passing airship propellers.

Hmm, all this makes me think that using all these sounds to make a Steampunk version of one of those 'relaxation tapes' that are just recordings of a forest, or the beach would be a wonderful thing.

[Camellia Wingnut]

Mr. West,
What a perfectly marvellous idea! Call it 'Sherlock Holmes's London' or some such name. With separate tracks for Waterloo, Baker Street - carriages pulling up with royal clients - the sound of Mrs. Hudson bringing in the tea tray and tutting at the mess, of coal being put on the fire. Etcetera!

[Herbert West]

Mr. West,
What a perfectly marvellous idea! Call it 'Sherlock Holmes's London' or some such name. With separate tracks for Waterloo, Baker Street - carriages pulling up with royal clients - the sound of Mrs. Hudson bringing in the tea tray and tutting at the mess, of coal being put on the fire. Etcetera!

Exactly. Perfect if you have a steampunk themed room and really want to enhance the atmosphere.

Or if you're an old 'Somewhere in Time' fan like me, and want to take a shot at time travel.

[Matthias Gladstone]

The one i've always loved is the ratchet/bell noise of an engine room telegraph:

Engine Room Telegraph on the RMS Segwun

"All ahead full"
-Matt

[von Corax]

I believe the term you are all groping for is "soundscape," an utterly delightful and evocative neologism coined by Canadian composer & environmentalist R. Murray Schafer.

[Uncle Arthur]

I am currently enjoying the sounds of rural steampunk. A nice thunderstorm.

[Arabella Periscope]

All wonderful ideas!

Surely one of the Brass Goggles crew has made such a "soundscape," or sound effects recording to provide atmosphere for Steam-themed gatherings or private escapism in study or workshop?
Or, indeed, Time Travel . . . but perhaps he's gone Somewhere in Time . . .

I was thinking of the splendid  visual modifications available in laptop computers, and the wallpapers and icons available for the screen, but no options for the sounds of the machine.  I suppose it is very difficult to capture the sounds that are no longer out there.

[MWBailey]

I'd imagine it (the computer) would sound something like a vintage manual typewriter. They're still around (note: yes, there were electric typewriters as early as the 1910 or earlier (I think), but they don't sound the same as a manual). A good sound source would be one of the big old Underwoods, or Singers.

Best (IMHO) sounds to replicate:
-the necessarily heavy-handed keystrokes; they had to not only choose the character to be typed, but also provide enough "oomph" to make the mechanical system operate - in many (most?) cases, the typebar would only swing as hard as the degree of pressure exerted by the operator's finger on the key.
-the *ding* noise as the carriage reaches the end of a line (coinciding with the margin settings)
-the sound of the carriage return lever being pushed over to the left until it clicks, and
-the carriage subsequently rachet-sliding to the left as te operator continues to push the return lever. The big old early Sholes-Glidden machines (1870s or 90s or thereabouts; Mark Twain describes using one in one of his books or articles, I think) used a foot pedal for this purpose.  
-the soft thud-ratchet sound of the carriage roller being turned to scroll upward or downward.

Those are the main ones that I would like to hear. Added noises such as steam escaping (assuming you want a steam- rather than an electrically-powered typewriter), the little clicks and thumps associated with margin-setting and ribbon-band-selection, correction-card sounds for editing actions, etc. would also add to the experience, in my view.

I think I remember seeing a set of typewriter sound effects offered for the old original Windows Operating System, ten or so years ago.

[Engineer Lukas]

Personally, what I'd use for steam computer soundtrack would be the Strowger type telephone exchange. See the one in the video as an example. It's a very small and quiet one though - regular exchanges for medium size city were significantly louder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcFpaI1Y_SE

[Professor J. Cogsworthy]

You can reassign almost every sound your computer makes ( I think you can even set up
a typewriter keystroke sound for your keyboard. )

( google...gooogle google..... ah-ha! )

http://www.windows7download.com/win7-jingle-keyboard/screenshot-nwnqnsvy.html

You can collect sound effects and replace all the sounds with something steamy.....

[Birdnest]

my first thought was

"clang ... hsssssssssssss ... BOOOM"

[Arabella Periscope]

You can reassign almost every sound your computer makes ( I think you can even set up
a typewriter keystroke sound for your keyboard. )

( google...gooogle google..... ah-ha! )

http://www.windows7download.com/win7-jingle-keyboard/screenshot-nwnqnsvy.html

You can collect sound effects and replace all the sounds with something steamy.....

Thank you -- these are very good atmospheric sounds, the ratchet and bell, the telephone exchange, and the typewriter keys which I hope to incorporate after the usual undignified struggle.  And the BOOM, which is the crash of the computer, and cannot be excluded from any soundtrack.  There are sounds that can never be recaptured, I suppose, like rush hour in London without the automobile, or a station with many steam trains.  But if any of you should made such a collection for computer, or a CD, I will be your first customer, and I am certain there will be many more!

[Engineer Lukas]

But if any of you should made such a collection for computer, or a CD, I will be your first customer, and I am certain there will be many more!

Your challenge is accepted. See the file I made this morning below. I admit, it's hardly a sophisicated one, but that's something to start with.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/73876444/Steammersion/Steampunk%20Computer%20Room%20Ambient.mp3

Would you like me to compile some more?

Track includes creative commons and public domain sounds listed below:
S: INDUSTHIT020.wav by mitchelk -- http://www.freesound.org/people/mitchelk/sounds/136711/
S: step1.wav by hyderpotter -- http://www.freesound.org/people/hyderpotter/sounds/80366/
S: typewriter.wav by theshaggyfreak -- http://www.freesound.org/people/theshaggyfreak/sounds/118591/
S: tv on hum off.wav by ERH -- http://www.freesound.org/people/ERH/sounds/30950/
S: synth_steam_engine.wav by gleeman -- http://www.freesound.org/people/gleeman/sounds/102002/

[kidkunjer]

the first stop towards making such a soundscape should be freesound.org its got lots and lots of royalty free field recordings and samples...

[MattieFinch]

 I really like this idea! For those of us who haven't yet completed our time machines (I'm convinced that future me has built one, but for now I'm left here to go with the flow of time ) a soundscape such as the ones described would be the perfect way to transport oneself back in time. If only for a short while.

 I never really thought about Steampunk as a sound. What an interesting perspective on it, truly.

Engineer Lukas- listening to that made me feel more productive and intelligent! Good work on that  

[Herbert West]

Nicely done Lukas!

And yes, more would be lovely.


On another note, I poked around on Youtube, and found this.

Victorian London Soundscape

Get rid of some of the dialoque and add some steamy sounds and it would be just the ticket.

[Engineer Lukas]

Thank you for your recognition. I will have my take on Victorian streets later on, it's a bit more tricky compared to what I'm doing now.

Now, imagine you're working in a factory. Boring day. Then you notice an airship passing right above you. Followed by a train - a bloody fast one, that's for sure! And then! Back to business as usual. Booooring ...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/73876444/Steammersion/Steampunk_The_Factory.mp3

Copyright notice: the listed track contains the following public domain or creative common samples:
S: 4MachineLoop08.wav by swelk -- http://www.freesound.org/people/swelk/sounds/12905/
S: escalator rythm loop 2.wav by Dalibor -- http://www.freesound.org/people/Dalibor/sounds/34178/
S: steam train.WAV by inchadney -- http://www.freesound.org/people/inchadney/sounds/126762/
S: B-25 Mitchell Flyby by Fight2FlyPhoto -- http://www.freesound.org/people/Fight2FlyPhoto/sounds/142887/
S: INDUSTHIT020.wav by mitchelk -- http://www.freesound.org/people/mitchelk/sounds/136711/

[Aleister Crow]

Then you notice an airship passing right above you. Followed by a train - a bloody fast one, that's for sure!

It would have to be if it was following that airship. 

[Engineer Lukas]

Then you notice an airship passing right above you. Followed by a train - a bloody fast one, that's for sure!

It would have to be if it was following that airship. 

Indeed

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

And so there is, my cup of tea. All over my LCD

[neon_suntan]

Ambient Steampunk.... I've been trying to do this for years... the trick is the 'placing' of the sounds in the mix so that it doesn't just sound like a load of FX....

I'll upload the track I made later tonight

[Camellia Wingnut]

Gentlemen,
Huzzah! You are doing an excellent job. How thrilling it is to hear the sounds of my youth. The outdoor tracks are very fine; the interior of a room would be nice too. The sound of a stuffed pike in a glass case; a grandfather clock, certainly; a kettle, and tea; a cat purring. Perhaps a young maiden attempting to learn the piano? No, too horrifying.
Carry on, lads. Steady the Buffs!
CW

[neon_suntan]

I wanted to make a dark ambient Steampunk track that would evoke the crushing interior of a colossal Space 1889 style spaceship, and i also wanted to make a Steampunk response to the Sleep Research Facility album Nostromo

Ideally with headphones - The HMSS Victoria

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

HMSS Victoria

[Herbert West]

Nicely done!