Recording Percussion with a Rusty Bulldozer

Have you ever stumbled upon an unexpected source of sound and felt inspired to record it? That’s exactly what happened to me when I visited the Thung Nham Bird Park in search of wild bird sounds. Despite not seeing any birds, I came across a rusty bulldozer that offered a wealth of sound recording opportunities.

Recording Unexpected Percussion Sound Effects

At first, I was skeptical about the potential for this old piece of metal to produce interesting sounds. But after approaching the bulldozer and giving it a few taps with a nearby metal plate, I was pleasantly surprised by the unique percussion sounds it produced.

I immediately turned on my recording equipment and began recording sounds from various parts of the bulldozer, including the cabin, level, controls, and gearbox. I used the AKG C411 contact microphone and a DPA 4060 plugged into my Zoom F8n to record the crunchy and rusty sounds.

Bringing a Rusty Bulldozer to Life

After sharing pictures of my recording session on social media, a sound designer from one of the largest animation studios reached out to me, inquiring about using the sounds in their upcoming project. I was thrilled to provide them with a unique recording from Vietnam and give this old bulldozer a new purpose and voice.

Who knows, maybe these sounds will find its way to the big screen, allowing millions of people to hear the unique percussion sounds I recorded at the Thung Nham Bird Park.

Secret Bonus Recordings

While exploring the Thung Nham Bird Park in Vietnam, I stumbled upon a hidden gem – a serene cave just 200 meters away from the ticket booth. Unlike the bustling city filled with noise and chaos, this cave offered a peaceful escape and became one of my favorite moments of the trip. So if you’re looking for rocks and stone debris sound effects, we included them in this sound library as well. 

Throwing Stones – The Gravel Stone Sound Effects

For the remainder of my time at the park, I ventured to one of many caves. My journey took me to a cave that wasn’t featured on the map. Funny enough, it was only 200 meters away from the ticket booth.

Not only was no one there but was quiet! If you’ve ever visited Vietnam, then you know silence is near to impossible to find. From the traffic to karaoke bars, Vietnam isn’t the most tranquil location.

However, this cave was peaceful and could be a great meditation spot. I spent over an hour in the cave relaxing. So far, it has been one of my favorite moments of my Vietnam trip!

Who would have thought, in hopes of recording bird sounds turned into a bulldozer percussion event and throwing rocks in a cave! Life tends to find a way of giving you things you can’t plan for and that’s what I love!