Ocean Sounds for Babies

Download: audio | cover art

It's widely accepted that the sound of the ocean surf can help babies fall asleep, presumably because the white noise of waves breaking at the seashore is similar to the acoustic environment inside the womb. Not surprisingly, there's a multitude of electronic baby gadgets on the market designed to synthesize the sound of the surf.

Figuring the real thing to be preferable to a simulacrum, I decided it would be fun to record the actual sound of the ocean to have on hand as a tonic for grouchy babies. For the project, I used a Tascam GT-R1 digital recorder and a Nady CM 2S stereo condenser microphone.

I chose Muir Beach in the Marin Headlands as a setting because it's easy to get to, yet still reasonably secluded. By walking a few minutes along a footpath that leads away from the public beach, I was able to find a spot where nothing could be heard except the sounds of the ocean and the occasional chirping of birds.

Setting up, it quickly became evident that wind noise was going to be a considerable challenge. When wind blows on a sensitive mic like the Nady, the resulting bass rumble can easily drown out what you're actually trying to record. I was able to mitigate somewhat by using a windscreen and by activating the high-pass filters on both the mic and the recorder, but the results still weren't acceptable.

The solution I finally settled on was to sit directly in front of the mic with my back toward the ocean, thus shielding the mic from the wind. Not only did this solution cure the wind noise problem but it also created a much more favorable acoustic environment, which I would describe as being akin to resting your head in someone's lap: The crash of the ocean surf becomes somewhat muffled and distant, and occasional ambient beach sounds are perceived more intimately.

The end result was exactly the kind of snooze-inducing recording that I wanted to make. Listen for yourself and let me know what you think:

Ocean Sounds for Babies - Muir Beach, California
(MP3 / 192kbps / 22.6 MB / 16 mins)

p.s. The high-resolution CD cover art is available for download, in case you'd like to burn an audio CD of this recording. Enjoy!

Tascam GT-R1 Portable Guitar/Bass Recorder

Inspiration has a way of striking at the unlikeliest moments. Anytime you pick up a guitar, there's a chance you might spontaneously invent a great new song or riff. But if you're like me, it's quite likely that you'll forget that new musical idea by the next day -- unless you're able to record it immediately. So what should you do if you don't happen to be in your home recording studio when inspiration strikes?

That's where the Tascam GT-R1 comes in. This essential traveling companion combines a high-quality digital field recorder with studio features created specifically for guitarists -- including effects, overdubbing, and more.

The GT-R1 records in WAV or MP3 format at up to 48kHz/24-bit resolution, using a supplied 1GB SD Card. (Cards up to 32GB are supported.) The built-in stereo condenser microphones do a decent job when you're recording a quick demo -- though for reference field recordings I definitely recommend plugging in a high-quality external stereo condenser mic such as the Nady CM 2S.

One of the great things about the GT-R1 is that you can also plug your acoustic or electric guitar directly into the 1/4" instrument input and record using the built-in amp simulator and multi-effects processor. While the built-in effects are no match for a rack of studio gear, they're good enough to help you capture a convincing sound for a rough demo. (One major drawback, however: The adjustable effects parameters cannot be saved. Whose lame idea was that?)

Overdubbing is another sweet feature of the GT-R1. While it's a far cry from true multitracking, this basic "sound on sound" feature allows you to first lay down a rhythm track and then record a solo on top of it -- with the mix recorded to a second track. It can be tricky to get the levels just right when overdubbing, but with some practice the results aren't too bad.

Here's how I created a quick demo recording with the GT-R1: First, I recorded a rhythm track with an acoustic guitar, using the internal microphones on the GT-R1 . Next, I plugged an acoustic-electric guitar directly into the GT-R1, selected a bit of mild compression and reverb on the internal effects processor, and recorded a lead track on top of the rhythm track. Start to finish, it took me about 10 minutes to record the two parts while reclined on my sofa. Here are the results:

Drakes Bay Boogie - composed & recorded by Lars Kongshem
(file type: MP3 / bit rate: 192kbps / file size: 3 MB)

(I used Audacity software to create a fade-out at the end, and to convert the track from WAV to MP3 format. The end result is untouched in all other respects.)

With a street price of about $250, the GT-R1 is a great deal. Sure, it's got a few drawbacks: The internal condenser mics are decent but not great, the effects settings can't be saved, and it lacks true multitracking capabilities. But I can't think of any other piece of gear on the market that beats the GT-R1 at its core feature set and price point.

Adding MP3 input to a 2004 Jetta

My 2004 Jetta GLI VR6 must have been one of the last automobiles to be manufactured with a "pre-Internet" car stereo. Not only does the factory CD stereo system lack an MP3 player input jack, it actually boasts a built-in cassette deck. (Given that sales of prerecorded cassettes began their decline in the late 1980s, it's a bit of a head-scratcher why VW hadn't spotted that trend more than 15 years later. In 2001, cassettes accounted for just 4 percent of all music sold.)

At any rate, the lack of an MP3 player input jack means the owner must resort to a low-fidelity cassette adapter -- or even worse, a scratchy FM transmitter -- in order to listen to digital music files while driving. That's what I was doing until I came across this cool gadget: The Blitzsafe auxiliary audio input interface.

This clever device fools the factory CD player by masquerading as a trunk-mounted CD changer. Once you've hooked the unit up to the CD changer interface in the trunk, you simply run an audio cable into the cabin and plug in your MP3 player. (In my case, a Palm Treo 700p running Pocket Tunes software.) Now select the CD changer source on the stereo, and your digital tunes are piped in loud and clear. Highly recommended.

Risks of ultrasound exposure during pregnancy

Ask a doctor about the possible risks associated with ultrasound exposure during pregnancy, and you're likely to be brushed off with phrases such as: It's just sound waves. There's no radiation. It's perfectly safe.

In fact, the truth is a lot more complicated -- but many medical professionals appear reluctant to discuss the subject. Some may even respond with condescension. As a result, it can be difficult for a patient to evaluate the risks vs. benefits of the procedure.

Here are some interesting facts I've gleaned from medical textbooks and other sources:

1. Ultrasound was developed during WWII to detect enemy submarines. The technology (known as "sonar") began being used in medical practice in the early 1960s.
2. The medical community has long recognized that ultrasound exposure can have an adverse effect on biological systems. In 2004, the FDA released this statement: "Ultrasound is a form of energy -- and even at low levels, laboratory studies have found it can produce physical effects in tissue, such as jarring vibrations and a rise in temperature."
3. One study found a significant association between prenatal ultrasound exposure and left-handedness in boys, indicating a possible effect on brain development.
4. In the 1990s, the FDA approved the use of obstetrical diagnostic ultrasound devices with significantly (8-fold) increased power output.
5. Newer "pulsed Doppler" ultrasound procedures can generate up to 100 times the power output of traditional (so-called "B-mode") ultrasound procedures.
6. No studies to date have examined the possible adverse effects of the increased power levels.

In the 2005 medical textbook Doppler Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, the authors devote a chapter to discussing the Biological Safety of Diagnostic Sonography. The chapter describes the thermal and mechanical effects of ultrasound exposure on biological systems:

Thermal effects:

- As a beam of ultrasound propagates through body tissue, a portion of its energy is absorbed and converted to heat because the frictional forces in the tissue oppose the ultrasound-induced molecular oscillations.
- Embryonic and fetal tissues are more prone to thermal injury, and elevated fetal temperature (hyperthermia) is a known cause of birth defects.
- According to the International Perinatal Doppler Society, ultrasound exposure at the new maximum power setting allowed by the FDA may cause fetal tissue heating exceeding 2 degrees Centigrade, which scientific data has shown to have adverse effects on embryo and fetal development.
- Temperature increases of 8 degrees Fahreinheit have been measured in the brains of late-gestation live guineau pig fetuses when exposed to 2 minutes of Doppler ultrasound in utero.

Mechanical effects:

- Ultrasound exposure has been shown to cause the formation of microscopic bubbles in tissue that resonate and grow until they implode (a process known as inertial cavitation).
- Inertial cavitation can cause cell destruction through the generation of intense local heat and pressure and the generation of shear forces caused by the bubble implosion.
- The temperature of a collapsing bubble may exceed 5,000 degrees Celsius with pressures of hundreds to thousands of atmospheres.
- Ultrasound-induced generation of free radicals has been observed to cause gene mutation in cells.
- Animal experiments have demonstrated lung, kidney, and other organ injuries due to mechanical effects of ultrasound exposure.

Although it's possible that many of these biological effects are not relevant in the case of human prenatal ultrasound exposure, there certainly appears to be some cause for concern and caution when considering the use of ultrasound during pregnancy.

In the 2004 medical textbook Color Doppler Sonography in Gynecology and Obstetrics, the authors devote a chapter to discussing Safety Aspects of Doppler and Color Doppler Sonography. Their recommendations include:

1. Keeping power levels as low as possible.
2. Minimizing the time of each scan.
3. Exercising special caution when using pulsed Doppler ultrasound and contrast agents.



As the saying goes, "Talk to your doctor" -- just be prepared for some pushback.

Quote of the Week

"One should, each day, try to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it is possible, speak a few reasonable words." - Goethe

Jon Stewart gives CNBC its due

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

CNBC Gives Financial Advice

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Joke of the Day

For Sale: The stuff that dreams are made of

It's the largest privately owned sailing ship in the world: 289 feet long at the waterline, with three 191-foot-tall computer-controlled rotating masts made of carbon fiber. It weighs 1,367 tons and can accommodate 12 guests in six staterooms. Although it's designed to carry a crew of 20, extensive computer control endows the ship with the ability to be sailed by a single person if needed. Price: $190 million.



I shot these photos of the Maltese Falcon in late September 2008 as the ship was making its maiden voyage to San Francisco, where it remained docked for several days. Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tom Perkins had the yacht built in 2006 for his 70th birthday -- and now, three years and one global economic downturn later, the Maltese Falcon is for sale.

In the 1941 movie of the same name, Humphrey Bogart (as private eye Sam Spade) described the elusive Maltese Falcon statuette as "the stuff that dreams are made of." In these troubled times, it appears some dreams have a price tag that not even the mightiest titans of Silicon Valley can afford to sustain.

"Preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States"

On the financial crisis: "Our economy is badly weakened -- a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age."

On the environment: "Each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet."

On pragmatism: "The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works. ... Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end."

On torture: "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals."

On rogue states: "Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. ... But we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

On service and citizenship: "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world."

The rousing finale: "... and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

The Keynesian conundrum

Paul Krugman writes in Sunday's New York Times:

The biggest problem facing the Obama plan is likely to be the demand of many politicians for proof that the benefits of the proposed public spending justify its costs — a burden of proof never imposed on proposals for tax cuts.

This is a problem with which Keynes was familiar: giving money away, he pointed out, tends to be met with fewer objections than plans for public investment “which, because they are not wholly wasteful, tend to be judged on strict ‘business’ principles.” What gets lost in such discussions is the key argument for economic stimulus — namely, that under current conditions, a surge in public spending would employ Americans who would otherwise be unemployed and money that would otherwise be sitting idle, and put both to work producing something useful.

Full story here.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Encounters at the End of the World

"We are the instruments through which the universe becomes conscious of its magnificence." - Antarctic philosopher in Werner Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World."

Quote of the Week

"I'll be frank with you: I don't spend a lot of time really worrying about short-term history. I guess I don't worry about long-term history, either, since I'm not going to be around to read it."
- George W. Bush. (ABC interview, December 1, 2008).

Reminds me of the cover of The Nation's November 13, 2000 issue: