How to record a heatbeat....?

  • Thread starter Thread starter rnelson
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rnelson

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I need to record someone's heart beating. The quality really doesnt matter, it just has to be audible. I really cant think of anything other than putting the hearing part of a stethoscope next to a condenser mic. But I dont think this will give me enough level...


any ideas guys?
 
Baby R Us has the answer

The stethoscope may work. I would search for a sample loop to use.

If you do need a real heartbeat, go to Babies R Us and purchase a Doppler scanner. They are marketed for nervous first time moms and dads who what to make sure the baby inside of mom is doing OK and they can hear his little heart beat. It will also work perfectly well to hear an adult's heartbeat. It is a hand held wand connected to an amplifier and speaker or some of them are all-in-one. They cost between $20 and $50 and are always on the shelf when I go to buy diapers. you may be able to find one at a baby/kids stuff consignment shop. You will also need KY Jelly to lubricate the scanner so you don't get scratchy sounds thru the speaker.

http://www.toysrus.com/search/index...kw=fetal doppler&f=Taxonomy/TRUS/2255957&sr=1
 
They make electronic stethoscopes that basically have a line out / headphone jack on em, they're in the $200-$500 price range.
 
It looks complicated, but the human chest is fairly simple to open up (Google that). Just make sure you don't disconnect the heart at any point, otherwise it'll stop beating.
 
D28Flatpickr said:
The stethoscope may work. I would search for a sample loop to use.

If you do need a real heartbeat, go to Babies R Us and purchase a Doppler scanner. They are marketed for nervous first time moms and dads who what to make sure the baby inside of mom is doing OK and they can hear his little heart beat. It will also work perfectly well to hear an adult's heartbeat. It is a hand held wand connected to an amplifier and speaker or some of them are all-in-one. They cost between $20 and $50 and are always on the shelf when I go to buy diapers. you may be able to find one at a baby/kids stuff consignment shop. You will also need KY Jelly to lubricate the scanner so you don't get scratchy sounds thru the speaker.

http://www.toysrus.com/search/index...kw=fetal doppler&f=Taxonomy/TRUS/2255957&sr=1
Click to expand...

I saw one at Babies r us last week for $25 and it included a line out so you can go right to an input in your DAW.

Check it out, otherwise you can problable find a .wav on the internet taht you can import in to your session.
 
Agent47 said:
It looks complicated, but the human chest is fairly simple to open up (Google that). Just make sure you don't disconnect the heart at any point, otherwise it'll stop beating.
Click to expand...



LOL, definitely keep this in mind but I think ill probably only just use it as a last resort; you know, cause of all the bleeding and all, I dont wanna stain my carpet. =)


Samples would work if I actually needed the sound of a heartbeat but the sound doesnt really matter, it just has to be audible enough to be heard, but has tp be a real heartbeat.

The babies are us thing seems like it could work perfectly!

Thanks guys!
 
Agent47 said:
It looks complicated, but the human chest is fairly simple to open up (Google that). Just make sure you don't disconnect the heart at any point, otherwise it'll stop beating.
Click to expand...

Holy shit! :D


Does it have to be a particular person's heartbeat, or just any heartbeat? And is knowing it's a real recorded human heartbeat important to the concept, or just hearing something that sounds unmistakably like a beating heart?

I'm thinking Floyd got this effect by manipulating the sound of a kickdrum played in pulsing double beats, and you could either 1.) do the same thing, or 2.) simply sample something off Dark Side of the Moon.
 
Yeah, for DSotM, they used a muffled bass drum with some effects...not sure exactly how it was done, but it was convincing.
 
You can also get yourself a cheap $5 contact mic from Radio Shack, tape it to the person's chest and record the output.
 
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