x # 1 Old North State Press
Old North State Press modal

A traditional letter pressing shop imbuing exquisite detail onto Carolina paperworks.

Elements of this soundscape include the master printer adjusting his machines, letterpresses, pneumatics, whirring flywheels, and a power attenuator.

Old North State Press | Chris Paul

x # 2 CAMP North End
CAMP North End modal

The NC bomb factory, a massive 76-acre historic industrial site that produced Model Ts to missiles.

Elements of this soundscape include still open factory floor, industrial fans, creaking pipes, nesting birds, wind in tall grass, dragonflies, and distant urban traffic.

CAMP North End | Zavia Rudisell

x # 3 Carolina Raptor Center
Carolina Raptor Center modal

Igniting imaginations and inspiring engagement with the natural world through the exploration and rehabilitation of birds of prey.

Elements of this soundscape include a sprawling forest, common tree birds, all manners of insects, the very distant hum of civilization, and wide array of magnificent raptors.

Carolina Raptor Center | Michelle Houck

x # 4 Carolina BalloonFest
Carolina BalloonFest modal

Floating delicately in the vast blue, a colorful array of balloons cast playful shadows on festival goers below.

Elements of this soundscape include balloon flight preparation, burners, fans, generators, low-altitude flight, ground crews, patrons, and festival announcers.

Carolina BalloonFest | Haley Jones & Mark Fritze

x # 5 Apple Picking at Sky Top Orchards
Apple Picking at Sky Top Orchards modal

In the cool mountain air of Autumn, amidst serpentine rows of fruit trees, windy boughs bend and apples fall.

Elements of this soundscape include rustling trees, dropping apples, a light passing storm with wind and rain, a tractor, patrons, and respite under a makeshift orchard shelter.

Sky Top Orchards

x # 6 North Carolina State Fair
North Carolina State Fair modal

Truly a sound to behold, the bellowing and breathing of the fair is an interwoven tapestry of NC's sonic identity.

Elements of this soundscape include throngs of fair-goers, the bleeps and bloops of games and stalls, hawkers, rides, agricultural shows, craftwork, and plenty of food being prepared.

NC State Fair | Sarah Ray

x # 7 Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden modal

Across the seasons, ever-changing foliage and fauna remind us of the cyclical cadence of life and how though a year passes slowly, the environment revolves in mutual continuity.

Elements of this soundscape include a four-season perspective from inside the garden, with fountains, birds, insects, and light breezes through the plant life.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden | DSBG Team

x # 8 Carolina Renaissance Festival
Carolina Renaissance Festival modal

A woodland celebration of show, food, costume, and imagination, with 'Huzzah!'s heard for miles around.

Elements of this soundscape include performers, musicians, shopkeepers, games, a blacksmith, a royal joust, and some very happy patrons.

Carolina Renaissance Festival | Matt Siegel

x # 9 Crowders Mountain State Park
Crowders Mountain State Park modal

A steep climb to a soaring vista, stone, tree, squirrel, and hawk all compose a ridgeline chorus that welcomes and invigorates all.

Elements of this soundscape include a mountain-side wind, scattering leaves, rustling branches, distant hikers, distant vehicles, birds, insects, and an airy expanse.

Crowders Mountain State Park

x # 10 Charlotte-Douglas Int'l Airport
Charlotte-Douglas International Airport modal

The straight expanse of field and tarmac is endlessly lapped by the thunderous roar of jet engines as they begin and end their journeys.

Elements of this soundscape include night transitioning into day with a heavy breeze, a wide range of jets departing and arriving, fidgeting on-lookers, stirring grass, and the pulsing hum of distant airport terminals.

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport

x # 11 Town Creek Indian Mound
Town Creek Indian Mound modal

Situated in the serene rural hillsides of NC, a prehistoric archeological site echoes with powerful indigenous cultural roots.

The Town Creek Indian Mound is nestled in the rolling hillsides at the southern base of Uwharrie National Forest. It was built on a flat run of land highlighted by a large earthwork mound aside one of the many elbows in the Little River. Entering the historically-rebuilt grounds you'll cross a sprawling lawn and multiple reconstructed Pee Dee buildings surrounded first by a towering perimeter of hewn timbers, and then again by a circular wood line of even taller long leaf pines. Birds share the wind in the trees while frogs croak and insects chirr and trill along the nearby bank of the River. As you listen the soundscape will transition between the open field in the middle of the site to the interior of one of the smaller thatched roof structures. Aside from the natural ambiance, the area is quiet and transcendental. The air sits lightly in the enormous open field and everything feels a little bit further away than it actually is. Without any major roads or airports nearby, the noise of human made transportation is nigh non-existent and only adds to the transformative elements of a historical soundscape. Amidst the gusty breeze that strafes the grass, one reflects on the lives of the people who originally settled here over 1,000 years ago.

Elements of this soundscape include high wind through an enclave of pines and deciduous, birds, insects, a nearby creek, some interesting frogs and toads, and the whistling of wind through an open thatched roof.

Town Creek Indian Mound

x # 12 Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve
Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve modal

Sandy woodland paths wind through towering, slender longleaf pines host a unique mix of forest flora and fauna.

Sitting just a stone's throw west of Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the world, is a low rolling pine canopied and sand grass covered forest with a spaghetti-like weave of walking and hiking paths. Both on and off those paths, you'll find a constant sea of pines needles, old and new, fallen from the countless longleaf pines that make up the majority of the forest. Tiny bogs, streams, rocky outcroppings, and birds and amphibians of all types flush the nature preserve with vibrant life, and with it, sound. In an almost (almost) complimentary manner, the natural sounds of the forest are layered with the distant echoes and resonances of the nearby military base. Where one might think it would directly contradict the ambiance of a woodland hike, the low rumbles, swoons, and occasional roars feed the magnificence of the terrain. If there was going to be a soak in nature positively interrupted by the occasional air travel, this would be the place. Not to mention the incredibly fragrant aromas of pine needles in the sunshine swirling about.

Elements of this soundscape include a gentle bog rivulet, light winds through a forest of tall southern pines, squirrels, birds, tufts of grass, and the distant hum of a nearby active military base.

Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve

x # 13 Boone's Cave
Boone's Cave modal

A historic refuge and hideaway naturally rendered from the mossy rock face sitting quietly a river's edge.

Tucked in at the bottom of a rock face just at the edge of the Yadkin River, is a small rock shelter/solution cave that has been the topic of historical legend and folk stories for over 250 years. Daniel Boone and his family were known to have settled in the area in the mid-to-late 1700's and around that historical fact, the legends were woven. It was a hideout, it was a home, it was a retreat, it was a hunting perch...though many of those previously held thoughts have been doubted by historians and anthropologists. What the cave is, what it truly is, is an enclave in nature that is at the slow mercy of the earthen weight above it and the water that trickles down through it. It is the full ambiance of a much larger cave environment, in a condensed, nearly intimate . The sounds of the river hover toward the front as the mouth of the cave focuses their sound waves into the space and wraps them around you. It is a quiet, subtle, solemn soundscape, but toward the end of the recording the scene shifts from inside the cave to along the riverbank, as the rest of the forest expands gently into its fuller form.

Elements of this soundscape include the ambiance from within and emerging out of the cave, dripping water, a rushing river, a very light breeze, some very vocal birds, and the occasional rustling of leaves.

Boone's Cave

x # 14 Whitewater Falls
Whitewater Falls modal

Tearing across the Foothills Trail on the NC/SC border, mist-strewn rocky hillsides are abundant with life thanks to cascades of falling water.

Near the southwestern boarder of North Carolina is the Toxaway River. Near the end of the Toxaway is the first enormous waterfall in a series of small waterfalls and cascades, Whitewater Falls. By the time the rapids placate and the waters calm, you're in South Carolina. All along the rising ridges of those cascades are flora that are hyper verdant due to the constant mists and trickling streams that float up and pour down the rock faces and trails downstream from Whitewater Falls. The air is filled with just as much moisture and humidity as it is the roar, near and far of the endless, tumultuous rushing water. Here you will find three perspectives on the waterfall: straddling one of the rock-face streams about halfway up the ridge from the main waterfall, down in the middle of the cascades atop a massive midstream boulder, and from a perched lookout directly facing the primary fall, about 200 yards out. Transitioning between all three paints a comprehensive sonic picture of the area and hence the vibrant nature, and meditative roaring white noise that is a quintessential example of water, and power.

Elements of this soundscape include a steady mountain stream up close, standing on an island boulder amidst a roaring river, and a monstrous crashing waterfall, smattered with the occasional bird song and swaying forest foliage.

Whitewater Falls

x # 15 Moore Cove Falls
Moore Cove Falls modal

At the end of a trail through a riverside ravine in Pisgah National Forest, is the adventurer's reward in sound, sight, and possibly a quick shower.

With a fairly unique geographic footprint for the state, Moore Cove Falls entices all visitors to get up close and personal with the natural falling concourse of this deep forest mountain waterfall. Behind the falls is a carved out cove that reverberates the bright, harsh splashes and crashes of the falling water. Behind the falls in in the stream in front of it renders two aural positions to really appreciate the intensity and brilliance of the high frequency storm of splattering water that dominates the area all around the falls. While other waterfalls roar and growl as they flow, this particular one is like giant shower head turned up to 11. It refreshes and rewards any hiker that makes it to the end of their trail, and without fail, puts smile on their faces as they hear it beckoning to them when they get within range. North Carolina has a great number of waterfalls through the state, but this one in particular is hyper focused, buried in the forest, on the edge of rising ravines, and could very well be considered the most intimate of them all.

Elements of this soundscape include the intense rush and splatter of an enclave waterfall across smooth stone, a river head just beyond the falling water, some light bird songs, and falling forest foliage.

Moore Cove Falls

x # 16 Stone Mountain Cicadas
Stone Mountain Cicadas modal

In the rolling northern piedmont, its massive gentle slope stands out against the surrounding green and makes for a unique mountain ambiance ... plus a distant cicada swarm.

Deep on the lower ridge of Stone Mountain, along the Wolf Rock hiking trail, there is a northern facing bend that catches sound from the rest of the mountain and forest range up to the Virginia boarder. At the time of the recording, all around that area was a growing swarm of cicadas (Brood IX to be exact) that though they were dozens of miles away, the sound of their chirring swells would creep up the mountain. Combined with the other insects, fauna, birds, and wind in the full towering trees this was just as much of an event as it was a location-specific soundscape. Stone Mountain's smooth granite face reflects sound more effectively than most other craggy mountains, which scatter/diffuse/absorb sound. This makes for an overall more quiet experience for hikers on the inner mountain trails as less sound is scattered around them in the deeper woods of the mountain. It was on these trails, where we posted up to listen, and were duly rewarded.

Elements of this soundscape include wind rushing through high deciduous foliage, woodpeckers and squirrels chattering in the treetops, the occasional drops and ticks of falling forest fodder, and the swell and fade of the distant brood swarm of hundreds of thousands of cicadas.

Stone Mountain Cicadas

x # 17 US National Whitewater Center
US National Whitewater Center modal

Outdoor-enthusiasts abound, a constant jovial and adventurous attitude surges throughout the bike trails, zip lines, climbing walls, and of course, kayaks, rafts, and river bugs ride the roaring rapids.

Along the great Catawba River (of the People of the River) is a monolith in the outdoor activity and adventure arena of the US. The USNWC is not only the leading training center in the US for competing whitewater kayaking and rafting teams, but it is also a sprawling hub of outdoor activities for anyone with a desire to get out, stay out, and be active. The Center endeavors to expand land and natural resource protections on and around its property and is constantly working to create a haven for energetic, adventurous, safe, and educational programs for all of its patrons. Without question, there is a pulsing natural energy to the space. The constant rolling and sloshing of the serpent-like rapids course is audible from nearly anywhere on the property. The whirring and checking of bike gears, the trilling drone of the zip-line system, the pitter-patter of shoes on gravel, the clinking and panting of dogs trolling along with their families, and of course the diffused echoes of laughter and joyful cheers cannot be avoided in such a living, breathing place. And as busy as it becomes with the steady flow of visitors, there is always a sense of openness a natural coaxing to roam throughout the grounds. Even on its most crowded day, it never quite feels crowded, rather a sense of motivation and daring, pervades.

Elements of this soundscape include churning, tumbling water rapids, plunging climbers into a pool, zip liners, cheers and shouts of patrons, dogs, and the distant hum of the central water generators.

US National Whitewater Center

x # 18 Reed Gold Mine
Reed Gold Mine modal

Deep in the Midland woodland along the Little Meadow River, sits a historic forest mine that supplied the area with successive gold discoveries for over 100 years.

The cool damp air of the mine envelopes before you even step foot inside the subterranean tunnel. The humidity of the summer woods vanishes as you proceed into the mine and the muskiness of the wet stone, gravel, and age-old timbers clearly strikes the mind in such a way that one knows one is in a very different, very special place. After only a minute or two of walking, the shift in the soundscape is unavoidable. The mine tunnels, though long and dark, are all but silent when you stop to take a listen. When you decide to continue walking, the tiniest details of feet rumbling over gravel become apparent. As you reach the deepest area of the mine, there is a shaft known as the Morgan Shaft that rises a straight vertical 50 ft. to the forest floor above. There, you can hear the muddled noises of nature above while you sit amidst the dripping precipitates that form above your head and soak in to the earth below. Outside of the mine, a few hundred yards through the woods there is a large wooden and steel-roofed building. Occupying the majority of that building is a historically-accurate reconstructed stamping mill. As the stamping mill gears up and begins normal operation, it absolutely fills the entire sonic space of the structure. Rushing water, crushing stone, hydraulic pistons, and an enormous leather belt all culminate in a symphony of turn-of-the-century heavy machinery.

Elements of this soundscape include the still air filling the mine, trickling drips of water permeating the rock and support beams, sounds of the forest above echoing lightly through an open shaft, and the water-powered antique mechinations of a barn-sized reconstructed stamping mill.

Reed Gold Mine | Cameron Clark

x # 19 J. Douglas Galyon Depot
J Douglas Galyon Depot modal

Smack dab in the middle of the city of Greensboro sits a historic train station which has been a key stop in the North Carolina transportation circuits for nearly 100 years.

Once through the wood and brass double entryway doors, the waiting lobby of the train (and bus) station flourishes before your very ears. What may appear to be a small downtown public transportation hub from the outside, inside the matter is entirely different as the marble floors, concrete walls, stucco decorated archways and ceilings, heavy oak accents, and large bowl-shaped lighting make the whole space feel as if it grew in magnitudes in the few moments you entered the building. It is richly reverberant, carrying even the smallest of transients from one end of the massive room to another. Passengers arrive to gather their tickets, check the time, and take a seat in the large wooden back-to-back lobby benches. Even during times of lighter activity and lessened travel, the lobby still breathes with the hum of generators and the muffled, almost peaceful arrival of busses and trains outside. Up on the platform, the railyard carries in the sounds of the active urban surroundings, but also serene, quieted by the elevation and the open platforms that stretch out in both directions as far as one can see. The peacefulness is quickly washed away however as the arriving train approaches. The whistles and roars of the massive locomotive and its trailing cars completely envelope the soundscape and only relent to the slightest degree as the train comes to a stop, idles, and passengers eagerly come aboard.

Elements of this soundscape include boomy echoes in the high-domed waiting lobby, light footsteps, activity, and chatter of patrons, cycling generator of the cooling system, the open air on the train platform, and the whistles and locomotion of an approaching and arriving train.

J. Douglas Galyon Depot

x # 20 Uwharrie National Forest
Uwharrie National Forest modal

In the south central piedmont sits one of the 4 massive national forests of the state, one which is overflowing with endless hiking paths to allow anyone and everyone to get comfortably lost in the wilds.

The central-most mountain and national forest in the state, Uwharrie is a sprawling protected wildlife area covering over 50,000 acres across 3 different counties, making it quite difficult to define the entire area with a single qualifier or phrase. One of four national forests in the state, it hosts a plethora of fauna and flora to hike, bike, horseback ride, and stroll through year around. Each trip tends to be different, not knowing what you'll see, hear, and encounter throughout the forest. There are very few places left on the planet to find absolute quietude save for the sounds of the natural world. Uwharrie is not particularly one of those locales, but it comes very close due to the undulating topography and distance from active roadways and developments. Forest therapy, in a nutshell. Within the forest is a historic covered bridge that has recently celebrated its centennial birthday. It has a fantastic tonal resonance from the occasional car passing on the nearby roadway and the stream that runs beneath it. Mostly wood, with a splash of iron resting on a concrete foundation, this bridge may stand out in the scenery of a national forest, but it adds to the character and sonic depth of the Uwharrie soundscape.

Elements of this soundscape include distant passerines and raptors throughout the forest, high breezes blowing through the treetops, the sparse buzz and tick of insects, and the occasional falling of acorns, leaves, or twigs onto the forest floor.

Uwharrie National Forest

x # 21 Black & White Coffee Roasters
Black & White Coffee Roasters modal

Great coffee is the product of masterful farmers and dedicated roasters, but incredible coffee is a made by relationships, exceptional focus, and creativity.

In an abounding industrial space sits a dedicated and driven coffee roasting operation that produces some of the most exquisite in North Carolina. Each member of the team keeps the metaphoric and literal machines running through all of the necessary and various processing stages that take raw beans all the way to perfectly packaged pouches of captivating caffeinated gems. The roasters are the heart of the operation as they are loaded and unloaded cyclically with fresh beans. The beans are checked periodically as the sample spoon is drawn and reloaded with a loud metallic slap. The bean release lever is pulled and a cascade of freshly roasted beans are funneled into a collection bucket to be moved onto their next phase. Sorters then work their magic loading roasted beans and processing them into their respective groups. Loading machines then take the beans and allow for them to be packaged, bag by bag, ready for the consumers. All of this, and the various other steps in the process, are all carried on and controlled by an expert team. This soundscape is a constant, churning mixture of human and machine in fluid operational harmony.

Elements of this soundscape include the churning and whirring of roasters, sorters, and vacuum air systems, the dumping and gathering of buckets of beans, the filling and sealing of coffee pouches, and the energetic chatter and banter of the B&W Coffee Team.

Black & White Coffee Roasters | Lem Butler & Kyle Ramage

x # 22 Old Mill of Guilford
Old Mill of Guilford modal

Nestled just outside of Greensboro is one of the most storied and preserved structures in the state, and it continues to grind grains, each and every day, in a legacy of endlessly provisioning the community.

For all intents and purposes, there has always been fresh flour in Oak Ridge, NC. There and throughout the state, grits, flours, meals, mixes and all manners of ground grains have been provided by the Old Mill of Guildford clear back to a time when it was simply known as the Mill of Guilford. For over 240 years the structure has stood and operated in one capacity or another, continuing the legacy of stone ground grainworks for the region. The creaks, groans, hums, whirrs, and buzzes of the traditional wood and iron machinations is a sound to behold as it permeates the entire building when production is in full swing. The waterwheel turns, the grinder grinds, the sifter vibrates, and all of the interconnecting chutes pull and push grains in one form or the other throughout the system to keep it all steadily moving along. An expert team of volunteer millers are led by Annie Laura Purdue and Amy Klug as they manage the entire operation and keep both the equipment and product in peak condition. The hallmark of their work is in every bit of cereal and flour that comes out of the mill.

Elements of this soundscape include a grinder in the attic, granules channeling down a grain chute, a vigorous oscillating sifter, a powerful but slowly turning stone grinding wheel, and an enormous ever-creaky waterwheel powered by the slow rush of a piped water trough.

Old Mill of Guilford | Amy Klug & Annie Laura Perdue

x # 23 Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Sylvan Heights Bird Park modal

In the North-central-eastern region of the state the stands a monolith in the avian sanctuary arena, perched in the calm countryside where over 2000 birds thrive in a glorious and cacophonous symphony of songs and brilliant feathers.

Joyful exuberance enveloped in awe and wonder. This would be an accurate description of the emotions and sensations experienced by any lover of the natural world when traversing the Sylvan Heights Bird Park. It is a secluded landscape of aviaries interwoven by winding paths, towering trees, and flowing rivulets. But the very first thing you notice, even before you can park your vehicle, is the sound. The closer you get the more glorious it becomes. Bird calls and songs that you have likely only ever heard in a documentary are reflecting through the trees and across the ground. So many in fact that at first you'll have a difficult time telling them apart. But as you move throughout the park you begin to match beaks with voices and before you know it your list of feathered friends has grown exponentially. Bird vocalizations (calls and songs) are among the most complex and diverse sounds in the animal kingdom. They are the ever-heralders, signaling to the world when it is time to get started, when it is time to wind down, when the weather is changing, when other animals are nearby, and even when the environment needs some extra attention. In North Carolina, you can't possibly find a deeper soundstage in which to partake in avian storytelling.

Elements of this soundscape include the squawks, caws, chirps, croaks, trills, hoots, cries, and tweets of birds from all of the planet, flaps and swooshes of dynamic wings, and the rise and fall of communal calling that ripples through the park.

Sylvan Heights Bird Park | Katie Lubbuck

x # 24 Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show
Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show modal

In the misty altitudes of Blowing Rock a community gathers to celebrate the equestrian arts, friendly competition, and the legacy of a NC tradition.

An event for equestrian enthusiasts throughout the state and beyond, the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show is in a class unto itself. The feeling on the ground is light, welcoming, joyful, and full of support for the horses and their riders (of all ages) as they compete in a variety of traditional athletic and show events. The air is crisp and vibrant even in the late of Summer, which only adds to the impact of the delicate clopping, leaping, and landing of the competitors as they traverse any of the three open-air arenas throughout the sprawling complex. Different from a roaring major league grandstand crowd, the audience is patient and observant, clapping and cheering at the appropriate moments in order to not distract or startle the riders or their mounts. This makes it all the more intense and adds suspense to each jump that is attempted as all eyes are on the riders and most all breaths are held. It creates a very serene experience of daring feats of athleticism being performed in a naturally quiet ambiance. Several events and practices are generally happening together so the voices and calls of announcers throughout the site are often the only prominent declarations that break the hushed grandstands. With each pass-by, the power and grace of the horses is immediately drawn to the listener’s attention. Their hooves are deft, their breath guttural, and their gallop and canter professionally rhythmic. It is a site to behold and a truly intriguing experience to hear in isolation. Even though the crowd is doing their best to keep quiet, each time the rider pats their horse on the neck and encourages their determined efforts, a little part of your wants to instinctively shout congratulatory words alongside them. They word 'majesty' undoubtedly comes to mind, but the entire affair is also incredibly organic and grounded in a way that coincides with the fluidity and cadence of these incredible duos.

Elements of this soundscape include horse and rider pass-bys, horse snorts and nickers, jumps, fence knocks, a fall, announcers, signaling tones, spots of ground transportation, light crowd applause and banter, and a steady breeze with occasional rain.

Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show

x # 25 NC Granite Quarry
NC Granite Quarry modal

Roaring and smashing, churning and grinding, digging and hauling, the powerhouse that is granite retrieval creates a deep reverberant swell of industrial perfection.

Up on the edge of Mt. Airy, stowed away in the fabled land of Andy Griffith, is the world's largest open-air granite quarry. You'd not be remiss to miss it either, since in this part of the state it is much more common to look upwards for interesting sites. But in this case, you would need to be scanning the ground and backroads of the area in order to stumble across such a state superlative without knowing it was there. 'Absolutely massive', does not do this site justice as it is 60 acres large on the surface and covers a granite mother rock that is 7 miles long, 1 mile wide, and 8000 feet deep. While the sounds around the grounds are voluminous and bombastic (especially if you catch a random blasting event!), the entire area hums with the workings of the quarry. It is industrial processing at its finest and so long as the quarry is open, its roar is unmistakable. However, due to the natural contour of the site, the acoustics help to shield the nearby neighborhoods from the noise and create an opening up of the soundscape as you approach the immediate location. It comes to life in a powerful way that, when paired with the sheer visual vastness of the site, instills a manmade sense of awe any visitor. From the observation lot, you can sit and watch the whole behemoth work and if you are lucky, catch one of those rare moments when the quarry staff need to use something a bit more effective than a chisel or drill.

Elements of this soundscape include large scale rock crushers, drills, chisels, saws, bulldozers, cranes, and grinding apparatus, all woven along paths and byways nestled throughout a deep granite cistern.

NC Granite Quarry

x # 26 Pilot Mountain
Pilot Mountain modal

Along the curve of the pinnacle mountain trail, hawks circle, cicadas fade in and out, and the quiet mountain air hangs just above the sweeping forests and hillsides below.

Rising up out of the northern Piedmont is a topographical icon of the state, protruding like a giant stone burrow out of the edge of the Appalachian mountain. The knob, as it is referred to, is composed of quartzite monadock and is home to an abundance of Blue Ridge flora and fauna including the Catawba rhododendron, mountain laurel, the Carolina wren, and the pileated woodpecker. The gradually sloping landscape of the surrounding hillsides makes for an organic channel of sound to flow up and down. However, nearby human civilization seems further away that it is since you are able to fairly easily see but it only remains a blip on the auditory radar. As is common, light breezes circle the pinnacle, making it joyful to hike in the Summer months and adding the rustling of the chestnut oaks and mountain pines to the natural ambiance. Songbirds are commonly heard, as well as the flights to and from the top of the knob, which is protected, by colonies of ravens and hawks. It is a calm and quiet place. When the hikers are sparse and one can have a moment alone on the rotunda's path, there is an added level of solace and an opportunity for reflection. One of the quieter soundscapes in this collection, it stands apart as an example of a place in the state which still has occasional moments of pure, unaffected by humans, natural aura. For that experience alone, it is without question worth the trek to possibly stumble into such a special ambience.

Elements of this soundscape include insect chirring, occasional cicadas, a light breeze, and moments of bird twitters and squawks against a backdrop of distant humans mulling about in the valley below.

Pilot Mountain

x # 27 MCAS Cherry Point Air Show
MCAS Cherry Point Air Show modal

Searing through the blue skies, the raw, unfiltered power of a fleet of jets, helicopters, prop planes, and even a rocket-powered fire engine will quite literally shake you to your core.

A veritable armada of mechanical avian marvels will inspire awe and completely flood your senses with the utter glory that is the adept operation of these military aircraft. Crew, staff, spectators, and even the local communities that surround the Marine Corp air station at Havelock are all entranced by the wizardry that the pilots of these speed machines conjure and control. Flybys, climbs, dives, loops, rolls, strafes, hovering suspensions, paratroopers, a myriad of other aerial acrobatics, and even some explosions (intentional and controlled of course) fill the two-day event with seemingly endless excitement. The sound of it all is vast, deep, and completely enveloping. With every rocket-like pass-by or overhead buzzing of the crowd your entire body is rocked by waves covering the entire frequency spectrum. From the ripping cackle of metal wings viscerally cutting the air, to the thunderous buffeting emanating through wide-open jet engines or thrashing helicopter blades, you never worry about being in the danger zone, but you definitely feel like your right up next to it! The nuance and complexity of the various planes and helicopters spanning a technological time-window of nearly 80 years, one truly appreciates the engineering and operational precision that goes into the powertrains and control systems of these spectacular airships. Be it light and nimble or heavy and bombastic, all form and function is represented. Cast all of this against a backdrop of a sea of cheering fans and a well-versed MC, and you have the makings of an endlessly impressive performance. Which specific aircraft did we capture in these recordings? Well, have a look at the MCAS Air Show website linked below, peruse their list of featured vehicles, and see if you can guess for yourself! But no matter what you do, be sure to bring a spot of ear protection (trust us; you're welcome).

Elements of this soundscape include high-powered jet turbines, propeller-driven engines, infantry and attack helicopters, speedy mini jets, and full impact simulated attack bombings.

MCAS Cherry Point Air Show

x # 28 Pottery Studio (From the Ground Up)
Pottery Studio modal

Situated around the renowned Seagrove potters territory, Michael Mahan masterfully manipulates mounds of clay into delightfully functional works of unique kiln-fired art.

The studio of Michael Mahan is a series of hand-built timber structures that are chock full of tools, fixtures, molds, workbenches, and loads of clay. Tucked away on the edge of a wood, down a long gravel road, the surrounding environment is natural, green, and vibrant. The wood-fired kiln that he and his family use to complete much of their work stands as a well-worn testament to the countless handmade pieces of exceptional pottery they have created over the decades. The sounds of the studio are soft and rhythmic, likely due to the cyclical nature of working clay on a potter's wheel, but also stemming from the motions and gestures of the potter as they work the clay. There are juxtapositions as well, with the wetness of the water that is continually brought to the piece being made with the dry, raspy crackle of the fire in the kiln that slowly bakes the pieces for well over 24-hours. Complimenting these very intimate sounds is the ambient woodland landscape that surrounds the studio. Birds, crickets, the occasional dog barking in the distance, begs to remind you that you are harkening a craftwork that inherently derives its material and form from the very terra firma that supports the stool upon which the potter sits. Pondering this as you listen, brings a whole new perspective to the acoustic semblance of such discipline and space. An extra special thanks goes out to Michael, Mary, and Levi for inviting us into their world and sharing the glory of the work that they so sincerely pursue.

Elements of this soundscape include manual kick and motor-driven potter's wheels, clay mixing and shaping, wetting and forming the clay, the adding and removal of drying shelves, and a wood-fired kiln.

Pottery Studio (From the Ground Up) | Michael Mahan

x # 29 Emerald Village
Emerald Village modal

A deep complex of 12 individual mines in the Eastern peaks of the Appalachian Mountains, the open Bon Ami Mine guides a waterfall driven stream straight into a cavernous subterranean grotto.

Western North Carolina is known for its mountains and within them, a host of extensive caverns, caves, and mines that span the Appalachian range north to south. Of those mines, ones that produced bountiful veins of emeralds and many other valuable minerals have solidified their place in the state's history as rich resources of earthly wonders. As time has gone by some of these mines are still active while others are used to give the public access to the underground world of NC rock hounds and a taste of the sights, smells, feelings, and so importantly, sounds of these voluminous and at the same time claustrophobic spaces. The rock is absolute in many ways, and when standing the in the open cavern of the Emerald Village Bon Ami Mine, you are very quickly acclimated to the complete density of the floor, walls, and ceiling of the entryway interior. This is a fairly unique acoustic space being that it is large and spacious, but relatively quiet, possessing a muted reverberation throughout. This is due heavily to the irregular surface of the stone and the dense gravel of the ground beneath your feet. It shatters and scatters sound waves in a way that causes them to dissipate and decay rapidly, leaving you with a momentary echo of and echo. Inside of the mine entrance is a host of early industrial machinery that was used to remove ore systematically by teams of miners, and their rust and heft are indicative of their significance to the mining industry of that era. They are not only visual, but sonic reminders of a past operation that was full of wonderful creaks and groans, plinks and plops on a backdrop of stone scree and a cascading hidden waterfall. The very stone that speaks through truncated reverberations also stands perfectly still, creating an oddly serene and contemplative place.

Elements of this soundscape include the constant splatter of a cavernous waterfall, scree, creaks, and groans within the mine opening, and the large resonance of the heavy stone and acoustic space.

Emerald Village

x # 30 Mount Mitchell
Mount Mitchell modal

The highest peak East of the Mason-Dixon, this balsam-blanketed monolith is invigorating to inhale, spectacular to behold, and within its windy, moss-covered forests, deeply centering to harken.

On this peak, you can see quite a lot. As well, you can hear for miles. What's more, though sound reaches you from quite a distance, you quickly realize that amidst the gusts and blustering tree tops, the thick peat forest floor and blankets of green moss that cover so much of the balsam woods, the quietude is unmistakably dominant. Especially sitting on the edge of Winter, the combination of the wind, the cold, and the quiet forests make visiting the mountain and hiking along the Deep Gap Trail an other-worldly experience. It's a bit of forest therapy, but with an intense twist that keeps luring further and further down the trail. But if you follow, you are rewarded handsomely. Beyond the aural dynamics of the landscape, there is a constant, intense aroma of balsam pine blended with the petrichor-like scent of an actively composting forest floor. This means that though quiet, the sounds of wildlife throughout the mountain terrain stand starkly against the hushed tones of whispering trees and softly creaking limbs. Off the granite stone step path your footing almost disappears as the cushion of peat beneath it suspends you like a floor of pillows, making barely a crackle or snap of any needle or twig. These locations are becoming more and more rare across the planet, and while this isn't a place that is completely devoid of human made noise (nearly impossible these days) it approaches such a feat and gives the visitor a sonic glimpse into what the natural may sound like without the constant interference of noise that we all tend to generate whether we are aware of it or not. It may be the highest point of elevation in the Eastern United States, but it has so much more to discover, including a beautifully windswept soundscape.

Elements of this soundscape include tall, dry balsams clattering in high winds, sparse calls and chatterings of mountain birds, and a calm, thin, and broad atmosphere of a high-altitude forest.

Mount Mitchell

x # 31 Historic Occaneechi Speedway Trail
Historic Occaneechi Speedway Trail modal

Tucked away in a neighborhood forest of Hillsborough, is a historic dirt track used for independent stock car races going all the way back to the beginning of NASCAR.

The entire site lends itself well to the Winter air. With the tall trees, calmly winding river, and cawing birds of prey, guests are treated to a bit of woodland serenity that stems from a raucous and rowdy past. In 1948, NASCAR officially came into being, and with it, a slew of raceways across the state were opened. One of those was a converted horse track adjacent to local farmland where history was doubly made when "the first lady of racing", Lousie Smith, gained attention and fame for her energy and driving prowess. During its 20-year stretch, this forest-enclosed, river-wrapped dirt race track was a prime spot for racing and automotive enthusiasts in the Central Piedmont. Walking the track today as a protected national historic site, the echoes of those past decades are drawn up like ghosts as distant modern day traffic barrels away on Hwy 70 and I-85. When field recording, traffic is something we almost always want to avoid or eliminate from a recording if possible, but in this very specific case, it was the perfect tip-of-the-hat. The giant concrete grandstands create an additional unique sonic element to the site as they act like a huge sounding board, sending reverberations of children playing, animals chattering, and hikers trekking down and around the corridors of the track as it cuts through the dense trees. This may not only be a unique location in North Carolina, it very well could be the only place like it in the world. One may not give it much thought when strolling and gazing at the landscape, pondering its historical context, but if you close your eyes as you do so, you'll tap into a very resolved example of what makes a soundscape a soundscape.

Elements of this soundscape include blustery winds in a forest biome, a large central open space, a highly reflective concrete grandstand, various birds, guests with children walking the loop, and evocative distance traffic.

Historic Occaneechi Speedway Trail

x # 32 Rockingham Dragway
Rockingham Dragway modal

Take away the large crowds, announcers, and music and you get the focused, rich, and lively ambiance of terribly powerful cars screaming down a historic arrow-straight 1/4 mile run.

Many forms of automotive racing and competition have been feverishly popular in the state of North Carolina for what is quickly approaching a century. With a couple dozen of drag strips peppered across the state, the Rockingham Dragway is both one of the largest and longest-running. And while all manner of races and vehicles find their way to this historic strip of asphalt, the modified private street cars that meet up here to go head-to-head are some of the most diverse and exciting to watch. You never know what to expect, and on a day where they are scheduled to come out for testing and trial runs, where only the staff and teams are on premises and the weather is absolutely perfect, the cars and operations of the track that really make it tick take sonic center stage. Engines bellow, roar, and scream, rubber slides and burns, and everyone holds their breath for a moment while seemingly otherwise inconspicuous Super Stock cars explode off the starting line with declaration and commitment. As each pass is completed, support staff and teams give the drivers a cheer and handful of claps for a solid run complete. The acoustics of what is a dug-out channel of asphalt and concrete makes for a very particular half-pipe tunneling environment in which all of the mechanical sounds playfully bounce around. It's not every day that you get a chance to hear the bare and raw isolation of a very powerful machine operating in peak form in an otherwise crisp and quiet atmosphere. While there are a wide variety of incredible motorsport events constantly occurring throughout the state, there isn't anything quite like the one-pointed glorious cacophony of the dragway.

Elements of this soundscape include monstrously powerful street drag vehicles on a wide open 1/4 mile strip, empty but highly reverberant aluminum and concrete grandstands, track preparation vehicles (tractor rotator) and operations, team crews and support staff cheers, and a solitary sounding flagpole.

Rockingham Dragway

x # 33 Carbonton Dam
Carbonton Dam modal

Abandoned long ago for its original purpose, this visual monolith on the Deep River has taken on an incredible new life as a crossroads of living history and living art.

What was something else years ago, is now something entirely different, but equally as resident and significant. The top room of this old and decayed hydroelectric dam is now a kaleidoscope of imagery and colors representing some of the newest guard of urban artistry in the area, graffiti. In a way, the site is a magnet for such artists to collectively display their talents and designs in what has become a sort of living museum for the craft. Alongside the dam's tower is the ever-active Deep River, with the whole site being a loved launch point for kayakers and canoers. Truly a destination on any NC urban explorer's checklist, the time-worn structure of the dam tower is continually getting beaten on the elements and reinvigorated by wave after wave of new visual artists. Standing the top tower room, the breeze whistles and howls as it moves through the permanently open and rusted window frames. The running river some 50-60 feet below drops into a slight rapid who's gurgling and sloshing echoes back into the room filling the space with all sorts of wonderful water sounds. If you are lucky enough to visit when an artist is at work, the added human element of spray cans firing and scuffing shoes on the loose grit across the floor only heightens the mind's awareness of the density and loftiness in the concrete perch it is suspended in. It is definitely a place to tread carefully, as there are no safety measures in place for your protection, and the tower is quite high and quite old, but if you can make the trip, you are rewarded with an incredibly special haven of sonic and visual goodness.

Elements of this soundscape include the spraying and tagging of a graffiti artist, a large brick and cement room tone, a rushing river below, and occasional nearby traffic.

Carbonton Dam

x # 34 Cannon Ballers Baseball Game
Cannon Ballers baseball game modal

Within the minor league circuit, players and fans alike converge in a celebration of baseball, playful ballpark antics, and an emblematic soundscape of summertime.

Across the US, nothing quite says 'Summer' like the sights, sounds, smells and overall ambiance of a baseball game. To that end, there is a special feel to the soundscape one is treated to sitting in the crowd at a Minor League ballgame. The transients that reverberate through the stadium with every bat-on-ball thwack, ball-on-leather glove smack, and quick gravelly scuff of a base slide are almost palpable and make-up a key component of what draws the crowd to this friendly and lively atmosphere. Of course, the sounds of the game are bright and quick, leaving a good amount of space in-between for the commotion of the crowd, shouts of wandering hawkers, and the ubiquitous whirl of the organ. They may be digital these days, but the effect is still nostalgic. Sitting in the middle of the crowd, the perspective here is quite embedded and real, giving the listener a more immersive experience rather than that of a bystander off to the side of the action. The fade between the ambiance around the stadium and within the ballpark, and then back out as the game winds down, reminds one of how far the auditory energy of this event carries. The layout of the Cannon Ballers stadium and its location in downtown Kannapolis is a fantastic mix of lively and cozy. As evening descends on the game, the surrounding area quietens a bit and makes the ballgame the centerpiece of the local soundscape. With the surges and cheers of the crowd and the shout of the announcer throughout, the whole scene comes together and lets us sit back and enjoy the game.

Elements of this soundscape include and energetic announcer, digital organist, ball players, hits, catches, players warming up, and quite lively and dynamic fanfare.

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

x # 35 Wright Brothers National Memorial
Wright Brothers National Memorial modal

A monument that has stood on a hilltop, gazing over a wide corridor of sandy plains for nearly 100 years, the granite perch gives the eyes and ears a tremendous perspective over the encircling Outer Banks.

On by far the highest point in the area, the wind constantly whips and blows across a massive granite monument. Encircled in multiple layers first by a grassy hillside, next by a ring road for visitors to travel, followed then by a large barrier of coastal foliage (filled with chirring insects), then by the townships of Kitty Hawk and Nags Head, and finally by the ocean and the sound. Each layer is present in the soundscape of the hilltop, but the largest and most emphatic element is by far the start-up, take-off, and flight of modern bi-planes as they hum and zip around the surrounding skies. An airstrip on the West side of the monument helps to make this a common and frequent addition to the sounds of any visit to the memorial. And visit, many do. Visitors must climb the winding trails, up the hill to its granite peak, and in the Summer, this process almost always results in exasperated exclamations by those who do the work. Footsteps on rocky pathways turn into the clip-clap of shoes on smooth polished stone. All of this echoes and reflects off of the towering monument with a crisp and definitive amplification of all of the sounds around the area. While the monument is open year around, visiting in the summertime gives you the most intense and involved soundscape it can muster and is sure to leave a lasting impression as you rest against the cool granite pondering all that the Wright Brothers undertook and achieved. All of this feeds into the history and message of the memorial beautifully. Look out at the skies and see the endless distance, be courageous, have confidence in your determined endeavor, and do not let doubt waylay you from your goal.

Elements of this soundscape include whipping wind gusts, the starting, take-off, and flight of a biplane, light distant insect chirring, and the clicks and clatter of guests' footsteps on pristine granite.

Wright Brothers National Memorial

x # 36 Jockey Ridge State Park
Jockey Ridge State Park modal

In a vast sandy expanse between the ocean and sound, the surrounding world quietens amongst the largest sand dunes of the Eastern seaboard.

Each year, the Rogallo Kite Festival is put on by Kitty Hawk Kites along the sweeping crests of the Jockey ridge dunes. Visitors from all over come to watch the massive kites being flown but also to fly their own alongside them. In the evening the crowds are drawn to the cooler temperatures and radiant sunsets over the sound, a panorama easily enjoyed from the top of any dune. The atmosphere is unique in that it is quieted immensely by the topography of the rolling dunes, but that just beyond them in all directions are beach traffic, boats moving across the sound, neighborhoods, and of course coastal birds and insects chirping and chirring away. Yet, all of those sounds are subdued on the dunes and light gusts of wind and skittering of sand flowing across the surface creates a more intimate scene. If you lay down directly on the ground you can experience quite literally all around your body, but for our trusty equipment the effect is highlighted by the constant miniscule pelting of grains against the protective basket around the microphone. Normally this is avoided at all costs and found to be a nuisance for a field recordist, but in this particular case it heightens the effect of the environment dramatically. And all of that without getting any sand stuck in your ears! With a distant storm brewing in the West, the crowds on the dunes lessen until you are all alone in the quiet natural ambience, with only a distant remnant of human activity echoing beyond the sandy expanse.

Elements of this soundscape include sand skittering across the dunes, coastal insects and birds, distant kite fliers and visitors, and an approaching storm.

Jockey Ridge State Park

x # 37 Albemarle Sound Wildlife
Albemarle Sound Wildlife modal

A unique topographical entity, these coastal forests boast an array of special flora and fauna in a teeming landscape between sea and sound.

Coastal forests are a special place. They bring together a lot of different elements of the natural flora and fauna of North Carolina that are found individually elsewhere across the state. Nestled between the ocean and the sound, there forests allow for a special mix of the flora and fauna to co-inhabit and promotes a setting where unique instances of both can thrive. At first listen, this might just sound like a bog or a swamp, or some synthetic blend of separately recorded environments. However, deep in the Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Reserve it is all there, in an easily-accessible neighborhood forest. Insects fly and buzz past as them feed on the plentiful mosquitoes and the variety of local birds do the same with the insects. In the distance, the rise and fall of vehicles crossing the Wright Memorial Bridge skims across the calmer waters of the sound and into the Woods, making them seem closer than they actually are. Debris from the canopy drops here and there, especially with the movement of various critters like squirrels, frogs, and snakes, several of which scurried along the ground nearby our mics. This location stands as a wonderful comparison to other forest soundscapes in this collection in that it shows how not all natural environments that may seem to be the same, actually are. The acoustic ecology of an area is dynamic and will inevitably change in response to the forces of nature, time, and human effort. In any single listening or event this may not be apparent, but as we hear more and more examples of the natural world we are familiar with, those changes begin to stand out in new and dramatic ways. The lush and diverse coastal forests of North Carolina are no exception to this.

Elements of this soundscape include coastal birds, water and forest insect chirring, amphibious chirps and croaks, distant traffic off the sound, and even a passing snake.

Albemarle Sound Wildlife

x # 38 Killer Bees Honey
Killer Bees Honey modal

Tucked away high up in the Western Appalachians, this rarefied mountain apiary cultivates some of the most incredible honey in the country.

Bee hives and the tireless inhabitants therein, are one of the most incredible gems of the natural world. The intricate precision, the biological processes, the architectural beauty, and of course the always anticipated byproduct coalesce to form a phenomenon that happens all across the globe every single day, sustaining our existence. Yet, we rarely if even encounter this process in a safe, direct, and digestible way. The bee hive, and consequently an apiary, and hence the land and caretakers of an apiary, are by many definitions sacred. Much like the worker bees of the hives, those caring for the apiary and surrounding terrain hold a special position in the hierarchy of the bees quintessential operations. Sean Collinsworth and Denise Altay are two such dedicated folk, building, running, and (truly) taking care of the colonies at Killer Bees Honey. The protected and resplendent wildlife surrounding the apiary runs for miles, giving the bees an incredibly bountiful array of native flora to gather from. We could beeswax poetic about the lush vegetation, stark mountain vistas, and robust pleasant aromas that are throughout the landscape, but they surely play second (possibly third, and likely fourth) fiddle to the stars of this soundscape. Amongst the hives, the hum is surreal as one can witness the endless expenditure of energy while the workers, in harmony with the queen, do what they do best. From several perspectives you can hear the pulsing of that hum, the tangential yet always intentional flights of singular bees, and their local coinhabitants as they spring, fly, and chirr about under the midday sun. And as if that auditory marvel wasn't enough to sit and simmer in, cognitively investigating the entire ambient display, the soundscape is capped off with a virtual dive into the hive itself with every nuance of what it means to be a bee, there to behold.

Elements of this soundscape include the glorious droning hum of a honey bee swarm, solo bee fly-bys, cricket springing past, mountain bird calls, and light wind and leaf rustle from the surrounding forest.

Killer Bees Honey

x # 39 Grandfather Mountain Mile High Bridge
Grandfather Mountain Mile High Bridge modal

High atop a crested expanse of stone and forest is a historic crossing that creaks and groans in spectacular fashion.

While there are plenty of mountains to explore across the Old North state, there are not any others with features quite like this one. The 228- foot bridge that is both famous and infamous to visitors depending on their disposition for heights, creates one of the most unique experiences in the Carolina Appalachians. As it is traversed by a constant stream of patrons, it quickly undulates to and fro, giving its passengers a bit of a ride as they make their way across. While the sensation of walking across it is one part of the experience (and of course the sweeping views of the Blue Ridge wilds don’t hurt), the squeaks, creaks, shrieks, and moans of the bridge’s steelwork are almost musical in their contributions. From underneath the bridge on a well-worn hiking path, you can hear the effects running up and down both the bridge itself and the support cables that are anchored to the granite-embedded earth. This creates a bold contrast to the quiet and serene natural environment all around the bridge and its high elevation peak. Amidst this mechanical composition, the chatter and exclamations of the park’s visitors are critical to the fullness and specificity of the soundscape. The bridge was built for people. It is encompassed by natural beauty of course and the mountain upon which it rests is full of fantastic hikes and challenging excursions, but the swinging bridge is designed to facilitate navigation and excite the senses. And from an auditory perspective, it definitely does so. Naturally occurring industrial sounds in an idyllic mountain setting? Check.

Elements of this soundscape include the flux of 10s of thousands of pieces of weathered metal, the stir of the alpine forest below it, and the laughter and occasional shriek of visiting patrons.

Grandfather Mountain Mile High Bridge

x # 40 Overmountain Shelter
Overmountain Shelter modal

At the state's edge sits a secluded and decrepit and beloved Appalachian Trail shelter that sports the calm of the forest behind it, and the vista of the valley to its fore.

Along the Appalachian Trail, just after you either arrive from or attempt to cross over the Tennessee border, you’ll find a ramshackle red barn-like structure dropped right on the edge of a valley slope as ferns and deciduous trees wrap around it. With the trail running right through it, it naturally invites travelers to stop for a bit and catch some shade as you descend from the nearby ridgeline. However, these days the shelter is not so safe for the wayward to do so as it is in serious need of repairs and its safety and structural integrity are in question. As the winds blow down the mountain, the catch the shelter from several angles, resulting in a droning effect emanating from inside the space. Is that a weird airplane flying nearby? Maybe some distant train rolling down the tracks? Nope, its just the shelter acting like the reed of a woodwind instrument playing its own unique tune for the forest. At this elevation, in this topography, and being so intensely remote, you will be hard-pressed to hear much of any human activity. A rare gem in the world today. The warm season birds and insects are loud and proud, which hikers would be entirely accustomed to on the AT, but the shelter attenuates them in a way that let’s you know they are still there, but gives the mind a bit of respite in the wilderness. To boot, when a bird, dragonfly, or chipmunk (current residents of the building) call, buzz, or chatter at you as the pass by the front opening of the shelter it creates an amplification and focusing of the sound wave on the sole interior doorway. Whether designed purposefully or a serendipitous fluke, the effect it very much appreciated.

Elements of this soundscape include the sporadic gusts of wind blown surging through the old timbers, insects and birds abound, passing hikers, and a woodland critter or two.

Overmountain Shelter

x # 41 Wilson Creek Wilderness
Wilson Creek Wilderness modal

Twenty-five miles from anything there are flowing and sprawling wilds, inviting and enticing as you enter, bringing you to center as you arrive.

There are only a handful of places anywhere in the world today that are remote enough and intentionally preserved to an extent that all sounds of human activity are absent. More common, yet still quite rare, are the places that have large periods of time where you can wander around them and avoid that same human-made sonic interruptions. Once such place in North Carolina, is the Wilson Creek Wilderness. Part of the Pisgah Game Lands, a well-watered, lushly forested landscaped of Central Piedmont rolling terrain is open and free to explore. While there are folks that live in and around the area, they are few and far between with most visitors seeming to appreciate this aspect of the deepened woods. Waterways are everywhere and they serve as a binding network connecting the entire area. Buried in a woody bush on a small island at the confluence of two of those veins of H2O, the encircling sound of rushing water precipitates the entire scene. Anywhere you happen to pull over on the exclusively gravel roads that allow access to this woodland, you are almost guaranteed to hear moving water. Be it stream or river, rapids or waterfalls, it is everywhere and adds effortlessly to the wonder of the landscape. Cicadas, grasshoppers, and dragonflies are abundant and help to compose the remaining portions of the forest’s vocal chords. If there was ever a top contender for the most immersive deep forest therapy in NC, this very well may be it. But be warned: gas up, stock up, and make sure you venture out in a vehicle that can take the rough and tumble roads or once you make you destination after a long and slow drive in, you may be a bit mentally preoccupied with how you are going to make it back out!

Elements of this soundscape include the circular subdued roar of a creek/river confluence, the interwoven chirr of nearby cicadas, calls of twilight passerines, and the sumptuous exhale of deep nature.

Wilson Creek Wilderness

x # 42 Oak Island Pier
Oak Island Pier modal

Drawing visitors up to nearly 30 feet above the water and 880 feet out into the ocean, the wind and waves conjure a rarely enjoyed serene abode.

Any visit to the beach is not officially complete until you've had a chance to walk a Carolina pier. At the farthest point on the longest and tallest pier that can be found along the North Carolina coastline there is little protection and repreive from the elements. Jutting out into the ocean like an arm reaching with all its strength, this incredible structure brings visitors to the sea, towering above it with a panoramic view and audition of its wild glory. Fishermen, photographers, naturalists, sightseers, and all of the ocean-curious can find something to love about this pier and the access it so effortlessly provides. The roar of the waves are quietened and soft as gusts of wind move in and envelope anything that they encounter. Normally, the soundscape of a pier would almost always include the constant hustle and bustle of its visitors, but on this day attendance was low, leaving a unique opportunitiy for the natural sounds of the site to take center stage. Sea birds periodically swoop past and squawk as they look for fish, knowing there are often provisions leftover from the activities of the areas fishing community. Transitioning to the space below, underneath the pier one is inundated by the crashing of water on both sand and timber, reverberating brightly off the planks and grates of the boardwalk above. The open faceted tunnel that is created by the pier own architecture funnels sound in a unique way both back to the shore and out to sea. With a closer listen, one can hear the nuanced shifts in the audio's phase and natural equalization which are results of the pier's particular acoustics.

Elements of this soundscape include gusty coastal wind, flapping ropes and covers, water splashing against the pier base, distant waves crashing on the shoreline, those same waves upclose from underneath the pier, and the occassional call of the local petrels.

Oak Island Pier

x # 43 Hurricane Ian (Coastal Storm)
Hurrican Ian/Storm modal

The chaos of Mother Nature is on full display as her commonlly melodic song transforms into a bellowing howl accompanied by a calescent cry.

The unequivocal power of a hurricane is not to be trifled with. It is one of the greatest definitions of 'intense' that nature can provide and throughout human history has been the suspect in many a supernatural story, mind-bending mystery, and terrifying tale. As this storm moved in and carried over the rows of houses and small businesses along the southern Outer Banks, it reached a Category 1 hurricane status, hurling 85 mph winds and covering everything in a torrent of rainfall. But amidst all of the wind and rain, was the furious wrath of the ocean. Surging and climbing, violently creeping toward and eventually breaching the back dunes of the nearby beaches, the Atlantic waters stirred up items long buried on its floor and cast them onto the shore. The waves slam and crash into one another as if they've forgotten what they're suppose to be doing and are frantically trying to regain control, never managing to actually do so. The houses up and down the coast were not in danger of coming apart at the frames, but their cladding told a different story. It creaked and groaned, some pieces of roofing and siding barely holding on while others came free and joined the wind as they ended up traveling down the road. It shouldn't be any surprise that this soundscape is a full-spectrum, wide-open whirlwind of persistent weatherworks, but what might startle the listener is the level of detail and perspective given the fervent nature of the event. The streaming drips of water running off everything in the scene, the winds blowing it in every direction, and the response of all materials both natural and man-made as they strive to survive the ordeal.

Elements of this soundscape include powerful and relentless wind, a constant barrage of waves from an ocean on the approach, sheets of rain, dripping run-off from roofs and decks, and the sporadic flexing and groaning of nearby beach homes.

Hurrican Ian/Storm

x # 44 RR Haynes Memorial Clock Tower
RR Haynes Memorial Clock Tower modal

Perched upon the crest of its renovated home on the edge of the historic town of Cliffside, a brilliant structure of time continues to move history forward.

In many ways, clocks are both ephemeral and endless in their command and obedience to time. Its no exaggeration to say that without them, society can very quickly slide into a more chaotic state. The memorial clocktower that is now poised on a hilltop on the outskirts of the town of Cliffside strikes that balance with steadfast resolve. Bearing the name of the town's founder, R. R. Haynes (affectionately known as 'Old Raleigh'), the clock tower was moved from it's original location along the town's main thoroughfare in a act of preservation when it's economic hub, a grand textile mill and public emporium, was deconstructed. Even after such a monumental move, the delicate mechanisms and stresses of a mechanically driven clock tower were rebuilt and maintained for many years. The bravado and resonance of the 4 forged bells ring profoundly across the sloping hillside and down into the town streets, ultimately convolutes in the bend of a steadily running Broad River. Inside the tower, the resonance is all-encompassing. With a concrete floor, wooden rafters, brick and stone walls, and all of the intricate mechanisms of the clock works (including all of the pulleys and cable runs), it is a space primed for carrying and transferring sound waves with exceptional stamina. There is even a bit of mystery imbedded in the structure as well. From time to time, you can hear single, strong knock that emanates from the upper floors of the tower. Those who know the clock tower best admit they have never been able to identify the source of the knocking.

Elements of this soundscape include the consistent click and ping of the wishbone pallet on the escape wheel, the releaes of the main spring and wheel, the ringing of the bells, and the occassional call of birds reverberating through the stone and timber belltower.

RR Haynes Memorial Clock Tower | Philip White

x # 45 Road to Nowhere
Road to Nowhere modal

Seemingly pulled from the pages of a mythical fable is a deep, dark underpass in the forest that humbles the senses and floods the mind with curiousity.

A remnant of historical plans to connect communities, this tubular forested stone work accomplished that goal in ways that they initial plan did not take into account. Reaching the location isn't particularly challenging, but making the trip into the Great Smokey Mountains National Park just to trek through an abandoned tunnel in the woods might seem to fulfill the notion that 'the juice isn't worth the squeeze'. But visitors it attracts nonetheless. While its history is surely intriguing, the acoustics and setting of the tunnel are what make it truly unique. As you travel through the tunnel there is a living effect to how sound from the opposite end races and modulates toward your ears. Smack in the middle of the tunnel the effect is duplicated as a listener is firmly balanced between the both openings, experiencing time delays from two directions. Rarely is this found in nature due to the precision required to create such an effect, and while this is still a human made structure, being set in and surrounded by the natural ambiance of the Great Smokey Mountains imbues a character that can't be found anywhere else in the state (and rarely ever around the world). Adding to the whimsy is the constant soaring breeze passing through the tunnel, helping to transport anyone venturing to the other end in a more refreshed and wind-swept state. For anyone finding their way to or through Bryson City, the Road to Nowhere cannot be missed.

Elements of this soundscape include howling and droning wind through the tunnel, hikers and trekkers passing through, the drip of water, the rustle of grit and leaves, and the chirp of a few resident birds.

Road to Nowhere

x # 46 Lake Norman State Park
Lake Norman State Park modal

On one of the largest man-made lakes in the state, the wildlife, waters, shorelines, boaters, and visiting patrons all converge in this serene yet quite active park.

On one of the largest human-made lakes in the state, Lake Norman is also one of the most populated lakes, with its over 500 miles of shoreline covered with neighborhoods and developments in every region of the lake. As a state park situated on the northern extent of the lake, the wilderness is still preserved, with abundant flora and fauna throughout each and every cove. Specific to this lake, is a small great blue heron preserve nestled on one of the remote islands. Even with every sort of watercraft zooming to and fro, the heron rookery is prospering. Their roh-roh-roh squawk-growl can be heard in the distance, letting the water's surface carry it throughout the park. In such an active area, it is rare to hear any moment where nature and human activity aren't fully intertwined, but with enough patience and time it's possible to find pockets of unadulterated natural ambiance. The rain swept in early in the recordings and made for a soothing crepidation as it struck and splashed on the fallen foliage of the forest floor. The edd and flow of waves on the shoreline change primarily due to boat activity, but it is one of the best auditory identifers of human-nature interaction. Tucking into a quieter cove with some local fishing folks, the fish jumped several times while the whirr of reels and draw of cast fishing line break the passive stillness. Leave it to those who fish to get the final word, or rather, sonic stinger in.

Elements of this soundscape include lapping lakeshores, pattering rain fall, near and distant boaters, lake wildlife including blue herons, fishing-folk, and surrounding neighborhood ongoings.

Lake Norman State Park

x # 47 Bamboo Groves
Bamboo Groves

As a rising crop and industry across the state, these groves create a unique minicosm of agricultural performance and environmental excellence'.

There is a new wood in town, and it's actually a grass. All throughout the state there are bamboo groves big and small that have the potential to provide a burgeoning industry with droves of raw material. In doing so, a new level of sustainable products from construction goods to toilet paper can be generated, guiding North Carolina into a new era of industrial production on a greener scale. Joining up with National Bamboo, a visit to and through one of their many harvestable bamboo groves unleashed both the natural and human-cooperative auditory facets of this unique soundscape. These are productive plots of bamboo canes that exceed 20ft in height, and regrow annually! As a bamboo grove matures, new canes will grow in height and girth, outshining the previous year's growth. When the grove grows in abundance, a mini (or not-so-mini) bamboo forest emerges and the wildlife that flourishes therein can navigate slowly as mature canes are harvested and new growth emerges the following year. It is a giving, living ecosystem that demonstrates the possible balance that can be struck between human demand and environmental need. Bamboo may not be native to North Carolina, but its ability to grow exceptionally well here, in wide varieties, and with so many product applications make it an incredibly sensible choice for sustainable agriculture and manufacturing. All of this in a beautiful soundscape which is widely accessible to all communities from the mountains to ocean.

Elements of this soundscape include the wind whirling through 20+ ft tall bamboo canes, the scurry and calls of wildlife, the clatter, crack, and crash of canes being felled, and the use of cutting tools, trucks, and other distant harvesting equipment.

Bamboo Groves | Everest Holmes

x # 48 Bat Cave Preserve
Bat Cave Preserve

Private and secluded, hidden amongst the mountain ridgelines is a geoplogical feature that exists nowhere else in North America, and possibly even the entire planet.

While sounding rather ominous, a 'dark cathedral' is actually an incredibly calm and peaceful place. A rarity in nature, and essentially unheard up at this height and size, the protected bat cave near Chimney Rock is a very special place. The cathedral itself is actually the entrance to the caving system strewn deep into the sandstone of this portion of the Appalachians. Light and sound enter the space through the grotto at the front, some small openings near the cathedral's peak, and while no light is emitted, any sound created from within the caves has the potential to wind its way out. As the sounds of the mountains thrive outside the steep stone faces, it tracks along the surface and bounces around until reaching the back walls and boulders of the giant hollow expanse. It is humbling, staggering, and deeply quiet. And with the age of the rock that surrounds you, an even more startling point emerges. Before reaching your ears, the sounds you are hearing have swept across the surfaces of a room that are quite literally hundreds of millions of years old. Every new echo, each new reverberation is imbued with ages upon ages of history right there in the stone, soil, and water. With the occasional fluttering or scurrying of bird or squirrel, gust of wind or the rustle of the huge rhododendrons along the mountain's ridge, the cave comes alive with tones that very well may have been heard back before these mountains were merely rolling hillsides.

Elements of this soundscape include the quiet hollow cathedral, flowing reverberant traces of the mountain wildlife outside the cave, and the tranquil drip and splat of draining rivulets from the mountain floor above.

Bat Cave Preserve | Brian Parr

x # 49 Haw River State Park
Haw River State Park modal

Awash with the faunal and floral sounds of both water and land, this wetland park is immersed in the continuous hum of wildlife and is traversable by both path and boardwalk.

One of the newest state parks in the NC Parks network, this forest-to-wetland wonder north of Greensboro is a welcomed addition to the State's preserved landscape. The towering oaks and hickory trees make the transition from hilly forests into a remote floodplain both dramatic and whimsical. The waterway that feeds the floodplain has a rich history revolving around iron ore excavation and production, creating a unique mineral environment that stands as a nod to the evolution of interaction between human and nature spanning well over 200 years. In the spring and summer, the amount of damselflies and dragonflies that fill the wetland portion of the park is incredible. Every color and shade is represented, truly adding to the magic of your hike (or perhaps forest stroll) AND keeping the mosquito and fly populations under control in a biome that can otherwise be surging with both. In the evening, add the glory of a pulsating array of fireflies and you have a fully realized woodland fantasy. The park wraps around a portion of land (The Summit) that has been used as an educational retreat and conference place for years. It serves to further visitors' understanding of their relationship with the natural world around them and through the use of their well-organized hiking paths, creates a tourable microcosm. Given the combination of all of these human/nature factors, a real trip of sights, sounds, smells, and vibes await across this unique biological canvas.

Elements of this soundscape include riverside waterflow, the zipping of damsel and dragonflies, chirring marsh insects, a light breeze toying with the wetland foliage, and faint rain clearing to distant rumbles of a passing storm.

Haw River State Park

x # 50 Emerald Hollow Mine
Emerald Hollow Mine modal

Be it digging, creeking, or sluicing, the sounds of moving and sifting through the earth are curious, rich, and truly grounding.

On one of the most incredibly woven mineral veins in the world, hiddenite was discovered and named as a new precious gem in the late 1800s. From that time forward, this region of North Carolina has been a destination for rock hunters and gem seekers from around the planet. Emerald, jasper, citrine, amethyst, obsidian, moonstone, all manner of quartz, and of course hiddenite can potentially be discovered around the property of the Emerald Hollow Mine. Despite all of the activity onsite with visitors digging in the forest, panning in the creek, and sluicing at the sluiceway, the area is remotely subdued and quiet, serving as a sonic metaphor for the focus and concentration of the patrons. The chip and ping of shovels and tools chiseling through the red clay soil is cathartic and sumptuous. Splashing and sifting through the stream as water laps over stone and foot alike, the function of human effort is buried in the natural soundscape, each complimenting the other. And finally, back up the hill toward the central hub of the site is the sluiceway being perpetually powered by pumped-in river water and continually cooled by a series of giant shop fans. In all of these spaces, one is again immersed in a tapestry of human made and naturally fervent sound. Grit and scree and scrapes and sloshes and drips and plops and splashes and heaves and scatters abound, walking the listener through each activity to familiarize them with all of the joy and effort required.

Elements of this soundscape include diggin' for stone in forest embankments, creekin' with trowels and screens in Wallace Creek, and sluicin' through a bucket of dirt and gems under some very necessary cooling fans.

Emerald Hollow Mine | Heath Adams

x # 51 Raven Rock State Park
Raven Rock State Park modal

A cascading rock face, resonant and towering, playfully echoes the sounds of the Cape Fear River.

Erupting out of the banks of the southern banks of the Cape Fear River, the partial mountain facet that gives this park its name is a sight to behold, and audition. Full of hideaway alcoves, moos and fern laden ledges and terraces, and all manners of undulations in the fall zone rock works, one can catch a cool breeze flowing done the face from its upper levels, even on the hottest of days. Hard and soft rocks converge in this area to make an iconic representation of the "fall line" that winds through the state. The landscape forms a natural protective barrier of sorts for the abundance of wildlife that occupy the area. Long-reaching shadows on the river stave off the sun's heat, allowing the fish to comfortably traverse it at shallower depths. The aforementioned nooks and crannies in the rock face give all types of birds safety and shelter, as well as some free lunches for the larger birds of prey (including some gloriously vocal Bald Eagles). The trees that grow along the riverside trails form an impressive canopy that rises to the feet of hikers along the upper lookout trails creating plenty of opportunities to see the flora and fauna from various vantage points. Lanier Falls, further upstream, give visitors the choice to soak in the pink noise of the river's rapids as well as the option to tuck into a serene riverside escape. Be you a backpacker, hiker, camper, kayaker, canoer, equestrian enthusiast, or just a stroller of the woodland realms, herein you will surely find a bastion of natural ambiance.

Elements of this soundscape include three changing perspectives full of deep forest chirring, birds and raptors, a lapping and running river waterway, and a highly reflective crystalline wall of rock that transports sound magically along the hiking paths.

Raven Rock State Park

x # 52 Wilber's Barbecue
Wilber's Barbecue modal

From where, oh where can such flavor and richness emerge? Why, from the mastercraft of melding discerned meats, regional wood, fire, embers, spices ... and time.

Hearing the term "whole hog" sets the mind of any North Carolinian into an appreciative and approving direction (as it rightly should anyone's). Adding "cooked all-night" and "oak embers" to the mix brings heritage and gourmand levels of attention to an already impeccably tasty provision. Barbecue and North Carolina go so hand-in-hand, that there quite honestly may not be any one thing more iconic for the state, regardless of region. And to that point, slowly cooking said barbecue over hardwood embers through the night, reinfuses tradition (and a magical flavor) such that the entire process reaches masterful depths and levels of detail. Compliment this pièce de résistance with a wide array of delicious hand-made side dishes, and you have created an institution worthy of constant recognition. Wilber's BBQ in Goldsboro is surely such a place. Skilled hands and minds with many decades of experience work in an open air pit to produce some of the most delicious BBQ in the state (and that is to say, the world). Acoustically, the entire site is lively and indicative of a classic roadside restaurant catering to the locals and travelers alike, but at the center of it all is the ember-fired pit house. From a mountain of wood, individual pieces are chosen to build a perfectly stacked pillar, lit with the embers from the previous day's work. The glory of pops, crackles, hisses, squeals, and sizzles quite literally sets tone for the entire soundscape. Prepping the pit, laying out the hog and specialty meat of the day, tending the embers, and chopping and finishing the final product round our what has become one of our most multi-positional mixes to date. What the team has done and continues to do at Wilber's is not only a service to barbecue fans everywhere, it is powerful sustainment of North Carolinian heritage, honor, and culture.

Elements of this soundscape include the making of embers, the prepping of the pit, the chopping of expertly barbecued pork, and a roadside ambiance that sharpens the entire scene to perfection.

Wilber's Barbecue | Willis Underwood IV / Jessie "Jackie" Martin

x # 53 UNCC International Festival
UNCC International Festival modal

All around the world in a single afternoon? Not only is it possible, but one can make the journey with maximum wonder and discovery, and zero jet lag.

For nearly the past half-century, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has been hosting an incredible consortium of representatives of the many international communities both from around the university and the state as a whole. The International Festival has been an ongoing celebration of those communities, cultures, and cuisines, becoming not only an event that draws people from all over the state (and beyond), but also a tradition that continues to grow year-on-year. Always a bustling and lively scene, the festival is held in and around UNCC's Halton Arena, with the outside pavilion and terraces just as full of sounds, sights, and smells from around the globe. The bombastic and reverberant arena amplifies the dance, music, and educational performances that are held center stage on the arena floor, emanating their songs and cheers throughout the festival grounds. Immersion, in the truest sense of the word, best describes the experience of walking the festival grounds, visiting the tents and booths setup, designed, and run by members of the nation which each represent. It bends the mind to try to imagine another place and time in the state where so many languages can be heard in their natural fluency and cadence on a single day's excursion. As patrons move from booth to booth, nation to nation collecting stamps in their festival passports, they learn, chat, feast, play, and listen tapestry of cultures represented before them. Not only a celebration, IFest is of great significance for the students and communities that participate and make the festival what it is. It is a chance to put, on full display, one's love, appreciation, and respect for their and others' cultures. It stands tall and resilient as a keen embrace of international relations, joyful in tone and welcoming in spirit.

Elements of this soundscape include musical performances, tents, booths, and stalls of food and activities from over 35 nations, and a bustling sea of curious and convivial patrons.

UNCC International Festival | Global Education

x # 54 Corn Fields
Corn Fields modal

A staple the world over, with varietals that dazzle the eyes and tastebuds alike, this ancient crop is embedded in the state's land and history before a 'state' was even something to be conceived.

One of the most prominent things a listen will notice sitting quietly in the middle of a giant field of corn, is just how loud it actually is. At first thought, it seems illogical. Corn doesn't move by itself, it is usually grown in quiet rural and countryside locations, and without any people or animals traipsing through it, what is there of interest to actually listen to? Naturally, when one inquiries about recording the sounds of a corn field, one shouldn't be too surprised when asked, "You want to record, corn?" Fair enough. However, posting up inside the green and yellow depths of a late-harvest corn field will unveil a micro-soundscape that is profoundly pleasing to the mind. Wind, easily stirred in these large tracts of land, activates the stalks which starts a wonderful chain reaction of other tiny sounds coming to life. While the grasshoppers and crickets may have already been steadily chirring and chirping, they are prompted to spring forth and take flight as their once stable platforms bend and sway, sometimes colliding when breeze evolves to gust. Birds from the surrounding wood line obviously enjoy the hunt as they seek out both seed and insect alike. And meshing everything together is the random soft clatter of corn stalk leaves tapping and grazing, glancing and brushing up against their neighbors. But with the changing of the season, comes the cyclical duties of the land keepers. Once again, the corn is harvested and the stalks are brought down, filling the field with crescendos of crackling vegetation and churning machinery. It's quite the glorious juxtaposition of perspectives on the same scene. In state of existence, in human involvement, and in sound. Even in what might seem like everyday scenarios, sound truly is all around and sometimes all that is required to hear it is a walk through a field.

Elements of this soundscape include wind delicately tracing its way through towering corn stalks, the soft clatter of chunky foliage, grasshoppers and crickets chirring away, and the munch crunch of a tractor set to bring it all down for the season.

Corn Fields of Historic Rural Hill | Maggie Hewlett

x # 55 The Green Race
The Green Race modal

Wild doesn't even come close to articulating the spectacle that is this event. Stay sharp, keep an open mind, and lookout for those boofs.

In The Narrows, all is fair in water and rapids. Bridging the gap between the outdoor enthusiast and the Olympic athlete, this stretch of the Green River calls all kayakers with a passion for fury and thrills. Incredibly technical and dangerous is attempted without the due level of care and respect, droves of dedicated spectators make the difficult (and sometimes sheer) 2.5+ mile hike to watch what is lovingly referred to as "The Greatest Show in all of Sports". It lives up to the name; without question. Over 170 racers run the course, one-by-one, maintaining an over two-hour continuous stream of eager and hungry competitors who are vehemently cheered from the boulders and tree lines along the riverbank. The first-time visitor might be completely mystified by the entire experience. The crowd is equal parts energized for the show, and relaxed amongst the gorgeous nature surrounding them. Sounds of kayaks skidding rocks and slapping water, birdsongs in the canopy above, hikers treading the damp earthen paths, and even insect or forest chirring is minimized under both the roars of rushing water and excited patrons. These dominate the soundscape in this woodland ravine, leaving behind any semblance of human-made noise from the outside word. Starting upstream closer to where all racers launch their attack on the course, the crowds are smaller and the rapids more focused. This creates a more intimate feel lessens the intensity a bit, letting the race's setting enter more into the sonic fray. But as you move downstream toward larger and larger groups of eager fans, the tone shifts to a more raw and jovial frequency. Though in all of it, there is a constant presence that fills the heart regardless of how you watch and support this event: love. In, around, and through it, the race is absolutely a powerful presentation of love in its many forms.

Elements of this soundscape include daredevil-level kayakers taking on a highly technical class 5 run of rapids, the undeniably powerful roar of The Narrows, and an equally undeniable crowd that earned the privilege to attend.

NRS Green Race | Chelsea Grace

x # 56 The Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway modal

469 miles of paved roadway boasting an astonishing 272 overlooks supplies visitors with spectacular sights and sounds of the Carolina highlands throughout the four seasons.

Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway is a treat for the sense. You see incredible vistas, smell by way of the breeze the flora of the seasons, and hear the mixture and blend of humans and nature intermingling in very familiar way. As the seasons change in the Blue Ridge mountains, the differences can be heard through both the weather and wildlife as well as the vehicles and visitors. Heavy traffic during the autumn when the leaves are changing, more motorcycles faster cruising speeds in the spring and summer, and lighter loads at the overlooks in the winter. Year-around however, avid cyclists are trekking all up and down the BRP, a mainstay for the scene. The birds will change in type and density, snow melt will trickle down rock faces straight onto the roadside, and winds that sweep up and down the mountains varying in intensity and the temperatures and pressure systems fluctuate. If you are lucky, you may even get to experience that magic of rolling fog filling the low-lying valleys around the parkway, quieting the landscape in a wonderful way. Across the world, humans are driving in and out of protected parks, becoming regular patrons of some of the planet's most inspiring and beautiful wildernesses. The BRP is unique in that it covers such a great distance and invites anyone to traverse it openly and at their own pace and convenience. Spending a day moving from overlook to overlook, taking a few (or more than a few) minutes to enjoy the splendor of the Appalachians, gives one a greater sense of our relationship and impact on the land around us. You hear so much in such a convenient way, that driving the BRP is almost a lesson in and of itself. No matter how you embrace it, it is an opportunity to get out and explore a brilliant soundscape of North Carolina.

Elements of this soundscape include a melangé of passing vehicles crusing the parkway amidst a backdrop of multi-seasonal mountain wildlife, trickling water, birds, breezes, bikers, visitors, and vivacity.

Blue Ridge Parkway

x # 57 COCOCO Furniture Workshop
COCOCO modal

A staple industry for as far back as any can remember, a day spent with one of the new guard of furniture makers paints a sonic picture of design and craftsmanship.

Hand-built furniture is difficult to come by these days. Though, there are still teams of dedicated individuals that continue to pursue the lofty goals of making such invested furnishings for all to enjoy and keep for generations. 'Factory' then, seems to be an inappropriate term in many ways. Perhaps, 'craft house' or 'workshop' is more on-point. In COCOCO's world, a highly-skilled team of professionals combine decades of experience in the design, construction, tailoring, upholstery, and finishing of refined (and comfy) pieces of furniture. The highly reflective floors, walls, and girders of this dynamic workspace give all who enter and immediate understanding that all around them focused effort and attention is being poured into labors of love. The firing of pneumatic nailers and staplers, clamps and compressors, tack hammers and mallets rap and thwack away in the building of robust wooden frames and support structures as well as adding the finishing touches to specific designs and models. In the middle of the shop cushions are being tucked and stuffed, shaped and formed into all types of comfortable compliments, breathing life into each piece. Amongst rows and racks of every fabric you can imagine, the upholsterers choose, measure, mark, cut, stitch, and apply beautiful coverings, bringing each piece full circle in its construction. Both automated, mechanized machinery and a well-worn array of hand tools create a rotating symphony of furniture-making tones. As the craftsmen and craftswomen build, talk, and move throughout the shop, the pride and energy committed to one of the heritage trades of the state rings loud, crisp, and clear.

Elements of this soundscape include a wonderfully percussive warehouse tone, carpenters building and modifying frames, upholsterers forming and working fill materials, and tailors marking, cutting, and sewing fabrics.

COCOCO Home | COCOCO (Ig)

x # 58 Christmas Town USA
Christmas Town USA modal

Awash with endless lights, cheerful festivities, and a powerful holiday spirit, December in McAdenville truly defies all expectations of even the coziest of Christmas communities.

The tradition of Christmas Town USA in McAdenville is well-known across the state and beyond. For nearly 70 years the town has held a Tree Lighting celebration on December 1st to commence the illumination of the entire town with millions of lights only to be followed up two weeks later by the Yule Log parade, where an annual yule log is lit in an outdoor fireplace and chimney at the local park. These two events highlight the grand reverence and joy that residents and visitors share for the Christmas season and serves as one of the most, if not the most, endearing celebration of the holiday in the state. Speeches are given, music is performed, prayers are made, and countdowns rally the festive patrons into collective jubilant cheer. The juxtapositions are not lost. Lights brightening the dark of night, the yule log burning warmly in the cold winter evening, the quietude of a beloved small town dancing with the pockets of joyful celebration scattered around it. More than the other soundscapes of this collection that feature an event or festival, the focus here is truly on the people. To be a bystander in the crowd, an attendee of the jollification, to follow the parade up the streets and into the park, that is what is at the heart of this sound scene: people, and holiday hygge. With an abundance of laughter, light, jingles, and of course hot coffee and/or cocoa, a mind can be calmed and a soul made merry. Brave the traffic, and you will be rewarded.

Elements of this soundscape include celebrations and walla of the town lighting ceremony, a parade, musical performances, countdowns, crowd cheers, and the mulling about of festive patrons.

Christmas Town USA | Christy Gliddon

x # 59 Lumber River State Park
Lumber River State Park modal

Though fairly remote and teeming with wildlife, the human / nature interactions in this precious state park are prime examples of our impact on natural soundscapes.

Almost every square mile, kilometer, acre, and hectare of our planet has been traversed, settled, or built upon. It is an exceptional task to locate a natural space that is consistently and continuously void of human-generated noise or disturbances. In many ways, this means that our regular daily activity in, around, and through nature has become part of the natural soundscape, moving from the separate to the auxiliary, if not yet fully assimilated. Throughout the many wild spaces of North Carolina there are plenty of areas that we have made more accessible through conscious development and careful work. Of those areas, many still are protected and designated as state parks; 39 of them to be exact. While they come in many shapes and sizes, each with their own unique features, Lumber River stands as an incredibly balanced example of abundant and variegated wildlife contrasted with the many recreations of its human patrons. Due largely to its geography and topographical features, this park has the signature feel of a far more outlying preserve, but with the human activity of a more accessible space. In one minute you might hear the hoots and calls of barred owls, herons, turkeys, and warblers, while in the next the howl of a hound dog and putter of a fishing skiff break through scene. The laminar waters of whirl pools and eddies make for a docile and dreamy scape out on one of the launches or docks, but only until the next avid hiker or trail runner passes by. As tucked away as the park is, the wavering hum and occasional blurt of distance road noise is mostly unavoidable. Yet, in this particular place, it all just seems to work. One would expect the strong sounds, sights, and smells of nature, but also simultaneously the setting up of campsites, paddling of kayakers, and the not-so-infrequent shout or laughter of all those who enjoy their time in such a densely thriving place.

Elements of this soundscape include the convolutions of a steady river bend, a breeze through bare trees, raptors, squirrels, distant fishing boats and hunting dogs, and a few jumping fish.

Lumber River State Park

x # 60 Lake Waccamaw
Lake Waccamaw modal

In the dark of night under a nearly new moon and along the water's edge, aquatic and land dwellers alike talk, play, and commune with their after-dark friends around the state's largest freshwater lake.

When the sun goes down and no moon comes up, the depth of the darkness around the shores of Lake Waccamaw is almost palpable. You feel it in the space of the air around you, a feeling that is reinforced by the vibrant sounds that start to take over a greater share of your mind as the weight of addressing the many elements of a normal visual scene is considerably lighter. The chirring is powerful, the lapping of the water is soothing and crisp, the croaks and vocalizations of frogs and toads are choral, and random movements of creatures both in the lush foliage and the smooth waters alert and surprise as they disrupt the lacustrine drones. With the lights of the recorders covered in order to not distract the wildlife and no moon to cast even the faintest glow along the water, there is only blackness. As you wait for your eyes to adjust so that you can note any degree of form or shape in the brush off to either side of the catwalk, you realize that your ears are adjusting much more quickly. The soundscape is rich and peaceful and allows the mind to ponder what it might sound like throughout the year as the seasons roll through their obligatory rotation. Somewhere in the inland distance further away from the water, a small band of coyotes howl and yip as they amble through the night. With the northern, eastern, and western edges of the lake all being well-populated, you won't necessarily be fooled into thinking you've escaped to some haven of watery wilderness, but when the neighborhoods are quiet and the night is exceptionally dark, even if just for a few minutes, you'll come terrifically close.

Elements of this soundscape includes a wash of noctural fauna, richly chirring insects, energetic amphibians, and water lightly lapping the lakeshore.

Lake Waccamaw

x # 61 NC Pickle Festival
NC Pickle Festival modal

Brined in joy, flavored with celebration, and infused of both history and novel innovation, the great pickle gala of NC is a trip for all of the senses unlike any other.

The first thing that strikes your senses is the sound. Music for a dance routine, classic cars revving and rolling into position, an excited crowd of curious visitors, and the occasional yet unmistakable crunch and slush of someone chomping on a pickle at just the right moment as they pass you by. But nearly simultaneous to the sound, is the wonder of the smells. The air is full of a unique aromatic blend of roasting charcoal, barbecue meats, and warmed picking herbs and spices. Fried pickles? Check. Pickle-brined steaks? Check. Pickle roasted popcorn? Check. Fresh squeezed pickle lemonade? Surprisingly (and deliciously), check! Chocolate covered pickles? Well, yes, in fact, check. Pickle cupcakes? You guessed it. As it turns out, you simply cannot have enough pickles. For one day each year in late spring, the town of Mount Olive (which is home to the titular pickle producer) rolls out the green carpet for one and all to gather for one of the happiest downtown street festivals conceivable. The flavors are abundant, the music performances are joyful, the reverie of the attending crowd is always flowing, and without question the unique presence of all things pickle is pervasive throughout the entire celebration. Whether it is a pickle race, a pickle ride, a pickle eating competition, dressing up in your pickle best, or trying out some new pickle flavors, it all translates through the auditory scene as curiously wonderful delight. Quickly approaching its 40th year, this fête of preserved produce had solidified its position as one of the tastiest NC festival institutions out there. As the saying goes, do yourself a flavor and find your inner pickle-self.

Elements of this soundscape include pickle patrons and vendors enjoying the festivities, folks posing at the pickle wall, a pickle eating contest, a pickle costume contest, helicopter rides, performers, and lively pickle walla.

Julie Beck | NC Pickle Festival

x # 62 South Mountains State Park
South Mountains State Park modal

Tucked away near the edge of the State Park and Game Lands is a bevy of serence trails and waterways that encircle one of the most distinctive tiered waterfalls in the region.

Some destinations have no instructions on how to get there. We often rely on lists and directions, guides and reviews to lead us to places we aim to discover or explore. But in doing so, an important element of exploring, or even wandering, is lost. Novelty. In many ways it is a trade-off, and a fair one at that. Security and added safety of knowing where you are going and what to expect for a severely lessened or eliminated sense of surprise when you arrive. We have become exceptionally skilled at being satisfied with this level of experience, valuing the assurance of predictability over uncovering the unknown. The Pot Branch river along with its adjacent walking trail and beautiful waterfalls are known by those of the area around South Mountain State Park and for others whom know how to bend search engines to their will. But for the moment, there is little information on the trail of the surrounding area beyond confirming that it exists and a few pictures of the waterfalls. Driving to the closest parking destination has a high probabiltiy of leaving you with little to no signal on your phone. There are no signs indicating the trail, no trail markers once on it, and no clear directions to the falls or the wonderful forest path that cuts over and along ridges, across streams and fern carpeted embankments, and allows for sightings and crossing paths with the wild fauna if you are vigilant. Trekking to Pot Branch is a bit of treasure then, in a universe where we often do not step beyond our front door without thorough certainty of where we are going, how we will get there, how many resources we'll need to expend, and what the experience will be like when we arrive. A treasure, and a breath of fresh, argillaceous air. The waterfall is intimate and secluded, but once in front of it, booms and roars with the turbulent flow of a passing jet. In so many ways, it is a place of respite and reflection, natural sonic balm for an overly pressed mind.

Elements of this soundscape include a quiet, deep, and breezy forest, flying and chirring insects, birds, and the unique combination of a tiered waterfall, drop pools, and a turbulent stream.

South Mountains State Park

x # 63 Southern Grace Distilleries
Southern Grace Distilleries modal

Where there once was sorrow, now there is joy. Planted in the historic remnants of a 1920s prison campus, one of the most heartful distilleries in the state springs forth.

It may seem sensible to assume that there aren't too many interesting sounds that come from the act of distilling. It is a slow and enclosed process that is much more about the chemical and olfactory effects than the auditory or even visual ones. But with the right amount of patience and active listening, a truly intriguing world of sound emerges. Much like the act of distillation itself, from what may appear to be ordinary items comes an extraordinary result. Though, the attention-clenching pops of those thumpers heating up as the second distillation really gets kicking, will surely dominate the soundscape for period of time. This is the uppermost portion of the process' dynamic range, with the lower being marked by stethoscope-like contact mics picking up the delicate dripping of spirits as vapors become liquid once more and gathers for filtering. While the equipment used makes the entire process feel industrial, all of the flowing, vaporizing, and condensing fluids weave in a strong sense of the organic. Alluring, appetizing, and delightfully miscible, you can hear the chemistry as it occurs. The rustle and crackle of boiling liquid strikes at a truly instinctual part of our auditory cognitive system. Tonally and timbrally reminiscent of rain, the movement of foliage, or even the consuming of food, it evokes mental conceptions of comfort and fulfillment, as well as anticipation. The entire distillery is filled with a perfume of that which they produce, as if it were almost embedded into the very building itself. The building, with its long and storied past of tribulation and confinement, now reverberates with an openness of the very same doors and corridors that were historically required to be closed. Dedicated to bringing that history forward through the cultivation of local, emblematic spirits, the Southern Grace team is quite magically making whiskey out of corn. And rest assured in your anticipation, it will undeniably comfort, and fulfill.

Elements of this soundscape include the roiling and rocking of thumpers, the bubble and rattle of the boiler, the filling and chilling of a worm can condenser, the drip and patter of a catch cistern, and the deeply resonant ambience of this concrete and iron bastille.

Emily Burkhart | Southern Grace Distilleries

x # 64 Black River Cypress Groves
Black River Cypress Groves modal

On a river of juxtapositions, flanked by properly wild wilderness, a day on the water is unavoidably grounding, enveloping you in a lesson you may not have known you needed.

There are many places in north Carolina where the natural world is thriving. There are others where it struggles and is straining to find equilibrium. Nature has too continually reinvent itself in order to shift from straining to thriving, from dislodged to re-centered. For the majority of a trip down the Black River, the water is not clear. It is mysterious, clouded, and dark. Yet, this is a good thing in many ways, especially for the plants and animals that inhabit it. The darkness in the water comes from the tannins that are released by the abundant vegetation that feeds into and from the river, decaying underneath and alongside the riverbanks to provide a constant source of vital nutrients throughout the waterway. Unlike the water however, the effects of this ecosystem are incredibly clear. Not only are some of the oldest trees in the country located within a preserve centered on a key delta of the river, the wildlife is so rich, so dense, that even in such a tranquil habitat the sounds are of the clarion variety; pristine and clear. Life along the river is by its nature transient. Everything is always moving. In one manner or another, by water, land, or air, the animals and insects that call this unique section of NC home are traversing the spaces with what always appears to be a lessened sense of urgency and stress. While all sound emitted by the natural world is precious, this particular soundscape resonates with a deeper sense of healing. It recuperates. Listening to it and understanding the place itself is both autodidactic and axiomatic. As it transitions and heals itself, creating this wonderfully lively space, it provides healing to those who carefully and consciously venture into and through it. You hear, you see, you smell...and you feel better. If you are willing to brave a few flies and mosquitoes, taking some time to glide along these waters in your apparatus of choice is entirely recommended.

Elements of this soundscape include the gentle flow and tumult of a winding river, a distributed flight of dragonflies, jumping fish, curious turkeys, and both the late evening and early morning on the river's edge.

Jamey Ewing & Zachary Osborne | Black River Cypress Groves

An extra special thanks to Mr. Ewing and Mr. Osborne for their efforts as master wilderness guides (in and out of the river), resilient problem-solvers, and just all-around excellent human beings.
x # 65 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games modal

A festival's festival. A celebration's celebration. Joyful, encouraging, raucous in all the best ways, and blissfully melodic in sound, sight, smell, and spirit.

Every summer, for 3 days along the verdant slopes of GrandFather Mountain, the Games are held. What Games? Well, from the moment you park to the moment you depart, there is no mistaking where you are and where you have just been. For the bagpipes, they do declare. It is a consistent and murmuring timbre that pervades the totality of the Games. The rolling grounds around MacRae Meadows are a picturesque locale for the cultural festivities, attire, decorations, and scents that all blend together to make the Highland Games what they are. But even in such a naturally abundant soundscape, the bagpipes reign above all other sounds, bringing the entire festival together over their collective chorus. Athletic feats take center stage, supported and cheered on by jovial and jubilant patrons that blanket the surrounding hillsides. The heaving and throwing of heavy objects demands a steady flow of grunts, screams, and shouts from contenders that are vying for the top spots in each event, but whom spend their next breath congratulating and joking with one another throughout the competition. Incredible music is performed and revered (including a spectacular Mod, traditional Gaelic singing competition), language is taught with sincerity and passion, food is served to feed the throngs of visitors, gifts are purchased and traded. Yet, much like the ubiquitous bagpiping, a display and constant conversation of cultural heritage is woven throughout the many activities of the Games. An unbroken ring of Scottish clans, family tents representing a dizzying range of the Highland Scottish peoples, twice encircle the outer track around the Meadows. This circuit provides a wealth of knowledge and insight into the histories and journeys of all of these clans, from where they hail, and how they endeavor today. And amidst those stories, one thing is so very clear: from one highland to another, the welcoming exuberance of the Scottish ethos continues.

Elements of this soundscape include a host of main field Scottish athletics, traditional dancing, a huge drum and pipe band, bagpiping competitors, and wonderful Gaelic singers of the Mod.

Sarah Lowery | Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

x # 66 Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge
Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge modal

A pocket haven of abundant and thriving life mixed between the wetland and the forest, whether by foot or by wheel, it is a gem for the naturalist at heart.

Cruising along some of the more quiet miles of US Hwy 52, spanning both Anson and Richmond counties is a wildlife refuge that is sonically in a league all its own. Not only for all of the abundant fauna that fill both the forest and wetland biomes, or the span of flora that can easily justify year-around visits to witness the landscape transform beautifully again and again, but also for a good number of things that, on any given day, the 8,500 acres don't have. Though it is fairly close to the aforementioned highway, the topography of the land shields it from road noise, rarely if ever causing a disturbance. Flight paths over and around the area are also minimal (a rarity these days), oftentimes giving visitors a true escape from the calamity of human activity. There are paved and gravel roads throughout the refuge, but you'll likely discover that anyone choosing the drive the trails will do so at a leisurely rate, minimizing their impact on the soundscape as well. Walking the trails, the forests, ponds, wetlands, grasslands, backwaterways, and dense arching canopies gives the wanderer a true sense of investment; they into the land, and the land into them. Both in and out of the water you will find creatures of all sorts traversing the refuge's terrain, from wild turkeys and river otters, to ospreys, racoons, and all manner of lizards. And during the warmer months, the dragonflies are boundless, generating a pulsating hum that saturates all of the aural negative space. This is for good reason though, as the dragonflies' favorite foods are beyond plentiful. This doubles for migratory birds as they pass through the refuge during seasonal transitions to shelter, rest, and fuel up for their continued meridian journeys. To those ends, the premise herein is one of cycles and observation: walk the refuge keeping your ears and eyes open and you will be rewarded with an immersion into nature that is difficult to find anywhere else.

Elements of this soundscape include moving from the forest backwaters > forest/wetland edge > middle of wetland, waterfowl and herons, raptors and passerines, chirring crickets and coursing dragonflies, animal play at the water's edge, and the psithurism of the forest.

Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge

x # 67 Raleigh Drum Circle
Raleigh Drum Circle modal

Building a community around rhythm and joy, this ever-growing gathering of dedicated drummists demonstrates the power of letting the collective find their beat together.

Meeting every month for the last 23 years, a group of passionate rhythmists, expert and novice alike, have gathered to build a community of celebration and well-being. Exploring beats and rhythms from all across the globe, the Circle is a constant process of learning and sharing, with a devotion to the discipline of drumming that knits them all together. As we joined the Circle for this particular gathering, they were hosting a proper birthday bash with food, dancing, yoga, other movement artists, instrumentalists, and of course plenty of glorious drum work. The drummers sat arranged in a half circle with the MC, presenters, and instructors positioned in the center of the group. As one may guess, this made for a more than ideal setup to capture the ambient ambisonics of the event. We recorded and worked around the group from multiple perspectives, taking in the wonderful intensity of the drumming amidst the open-air acoustics of Pullen Park. Anyone attending is invited to either bring their own drum or to borrow one from the Circle and join in on any of the songs or patterns that are being performed. With so many contributing to the beat, it has the potential to become more erratic or even chaotic. But surprisingly, this does not happen. Instead, slowing aligning and moving together as one drumming body, the group becomes in sync and the thread of the rhythm gets amplified. It is quite amazing to experience and the therapeutic nature of the activity truly resonates. This soundscape demonstrates (particularly well, and in a short period of time) the effect of an ambience shifting as the activity within it changes. A delight for both the casual listener and the nuanced investigator alike. There is a charity to the Circle's mission. A giving that takes place between all of the attendees and participants that in many different and non-verbal ways, says "I see you, I hear you, and I celebrate you." The synergy that results from that attitude and effort, is astounding. An NC hand drummer's dream if there ever was one.

Elements of this soundscape include a vibrant and jovial drumming family playing together, a large variety of percussive instruments, the ambience of a community park, and a woven collage of rhythm and timbre.

Tony Griffin | Raleigh Drum Circle

x # 68 Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing modal

Automotive preeminence, constant discovery and innovation, mental and physical precision, and a love for all things fast produce the magic that drives a winning NASCAR team.

In the world of NASCAR, preparation, precision, and practice (and then more practice) gives teams their edge to persist as contenders for top positions in the field. The effort, and readiness, is all. Across the shop, in the bays, and alongside the practice pits this effort is relentlessly cultivated. The reverberations of impact drivers, wrenches, rachets, diagnostic devices, auto clamps, pneumatic lifts, part carts, and more swim throughout the bays and corridors as any number of vehicles are prepped, checked, and tested. The walla and banter throughout this emporium of speed is as reliable as the tool-work, reminding the listener that no team can operate without continual stream of communication. Whenever an engine test needs to be run, bay doors are closed and large ventilation systems activate to collect and filter the car's exhaust while idle and throttle play tug'o'war. Though even amongst this raucous cloud of sound, the ticking of rachets and snap of parts cuts through the engine's thunderous rumble. Details persist everywhere. The commotion of the race shop is constant and complex, giving the entire space a tone of unending endeavor and development. Outside in the practice pits, crews from both the Cup and XFinity race teams sharpen their skills and improve their times with run after run of tire changes, refueling, and simulated adjustments. Squealing tires and squeaking sneakers chirp loudly to hint at the speed and dexterity required to execute a perfect pit stop. It is rigorous, powerful, and fast, tearing through the otherwise tranquil ambience of the shop's outer lot. All of this culminates in a collective campaign to help driver, crew, and team shave millisecond by millisecond off of task times wherever and whenever possible. While the sounds of a live track may be well-embedded into the minds of any dedicated race fan, all of the ones that take part in building up to that moment have a character and insight all their own. A character of anticipation, passion, and resounding will.

Elements of this soundscape include the an active race garage, a plethora of tools, the walla of technicians and mechanics, trial runs at multiple pit practices, and the purr and hum of engine testing.

Carl Schweppe | Joe Gibbs Racing

x # 69 Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park
Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park modal

Unlike anything else in the state (and perhaps the world), the 'gigs' are a feast for the eyes, candy for the ears, and endless sustenance for the imagination.

The mind struggles to compare them to anything it has previously encountered. While they vary in size, they can all easily be described as some version or another of 'large', towering overhead as patrons wander through the downtown central park. Just as one would on a sand dune with a kite, the more studious visitor hopes for wind. Any bit will do, but once the averages reach 10-15 mph, the whirligigs of Vollis Simpson's engineered creativity really start to sing. To sit on the park lawn, close your eyes, and listen deeply, one may find themselves in need of a thesaurus in order to properly describe all the varying 'clatter' that emanates from these works of functional art. Even still, it is in no way unpleasant or disengaging. Quite the opposite, in fact. There is a deeply soothing and heartening effect that the aleatory activations of dozens of whirligigs has on the soul. There is a softness to their steady rise and fall; a harmony to their pivot and squeak. All manner of repurposed metal was used in fashioning these incredible works, utilizing not only color and texture, but reflectivity and shadow to heighten their dramatic effect. In this way, a guest should not only hope for wind, but a cloudless day as well. On this particular visit to the park, it was just such a day. Traditionally, one cannot hear sunlight and shadow. Yet the overall effect can be gleaned from the soundscape as the attitudes and causerie of guests is jovial, more curious, and laced with admiration for the spectacle they so luckily get to stroll through. Each visit to the park has the potential to be different, not only due to the weather and musings of the downtown scene, but also since new 'gigs are prone to being installed over time. With a large collection of sculptures stored for future display, the layout of the park can shift with the introduction and relocation of Mr. Simpson's dynamic works. But no matter the specifics, this park has no equal and will continue to nurture wonder and amazement for countless years to come.

Elements of this soundscape include the mechanical conversations of towering whirligigs, the rise and fall as they randomly activate, the bustle of a downtown park, and the musings of delighted patrons.

Roy Palmer | Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park

x # 70 Cotton Man Farms
Cotton Man Farms modal

A staple of North Carolina agriculture, the growing, gathering, packing, and processing of this wonder plant creates a sound field blending the delicately organic with the powerfully mechanical.

As Autumn’s late surge flows across Eastern NC, one cannot help but stare in awe at the bursting cotton bolls primed and ready for the coming harvest. The serene sprawl of farmland is welcoming and much like the crop that fills its countless rows, conjures a strong vibe of softness and comfort. Juxtaposed against this natural serenity is the fleet of mechanical behemoths that help bring those bolls through the many steps required to create the material and fabric that proudly sits on the throne as the most popular and widely used in the world. Piloted by expert hands with generations of knowledge and cotton farming savvy, hundreds of acres of cotton fields can be cleared and transformed into 'modules' the size of freight shipping containers. Cotton Man Farms is keen on the modular process, extracting the bolls with a picker, offloading and transporting them from field via a loader, and filling the giant hydraulic module builder so that everything can be compressed into neatly packed rectangular bundles. Once the modules are ready, they are hauled by truck to the cooperative warehouse and gin just down the road where many of the local farmers deliver their payloads for processing, turning the raw cotton plant mélange into clean, homogenous fibers ready for manufacturing and production. Even amongst all of this machination, the fields themselves are not without their ecology and wild biota. As the land is traversed and rows are harvested one by one, meadowlarks, wrens, and chickadees scour the grounds for food and nesting materials. Once the picker passes by and drifts off to the end of the field before turning around to start a new row, grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles fade back into the sound scene to fill the quiet empty space. And, if near enough to a freshly picked and striped row, you very well may catch a glimpse of a mouse or rabbit making their escape from both the picker and that circling raptor who recently set out from the nearby woodline in search of a meal. In all of its facets, it is a phenomenal system to witness and a living example of how one genus of plant can auditorIly hold so many stories and near limitless potential.

Elements of this soundscape include cotton picker passbys, a fleet-footed loader, a massive module builder, wind, birds, and crickets rushing through the dry unharvested plants, and a roaring multi-story gin.

Butch Byrum III | The Cotton Man Farms

x # 71 Location Name
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100 North Carolina Soundscapes logo

A compendium of ambisonic recordings from across the state


Every location on our planet has a unique sonic signature. The portion of Earth that makes up North Carolina, USA is no different, with a diverse and varied landscape of geographic and biological features, cultural identity, industrial heritage, and social engagement.

A state-wide project that aims to capture, design, and present these rich elements of the North Carolina aural environment, The 100 Soundscapes of North Carolina is a collaborative effort between Eiravaein Works and individuals, small businesses, government departments, and cultural groups working together to create immersive listening experiences of one hundred of NC's most iconic soundscapes. From fields to factories, festivals to fauna, or fanfare to the serene natural locales, we're building a comprehensive audio image of the Old North State, nestled boldly in the central Eastern coast of the United States.

Each of the 100 soundscape recordings will be an immersive 5-15 minute loopable ambisonic (3D) and optional stereo (2D) audio file. They are presented here as a binaural recording (stereo), allowing you to listen to them through headphones and feel enveloped in a designed ambient cloud of sound. This is an ongoing list of the project's recordings while it is still under production. Once completed, the entire final recordings of all 100 soundscapes will be released in a comprehensive collective format in tandem with public listening events across the state.

Read the project's Creative Brief.

Check back often for updates and stay tuned!


  Select a soundscape  
(headphones suggested)


#1

Old North
State Press


Letterpress Shop
Waxhaw

#2

CAMP
North End


Historic Factory
Charlotte

#3

Carolina
Raptor Center


Bird Conservatory
Huntersville

#4

Carolina
BalloonFest


Hot Air Balloons
Statesville

#5

Sky Top
Orchards


Apple Picking
Flat Rock

#6

North Carolina
State Fair


Fair
Raleigh

#7

Daniel Stowe
Botanical Garden


Public Garden
Belmont

#8

Carolina
Renaissance Festival


Festival
Huntersville

#9

Crowders Mountain
State Park


Mountain
Kings Mountain

#10

Charlotte-Douglas
Int'l Airport


Airport
Charlotte

#11

Town Creek
Indian Mound


Pre-historic Site
Mount Gilead

#12

Weymouth Woods
Sandhills N.P.


Nature Preserve
Southern Pines

#13

Boone's
Cave


Cave
Lexington

#14

Whitewater
Falls


Waterfalls
Cashiers

#15

Moore Cove
Falls


Waterfalls
Brevard

#16

Stone Mountain
Cicadas


Mountain
Cherry Lane

#17

US National
Whitewater
Center


Recreation
Catawba River

#18

Reed
Gold Mine


Mine
Midland

#19

J Douglas
Galyon Depot


Train Station
Greensboro

#20

Uwharrie
National Forest


Forest
Troy

#21

Black & White
Coffee Roasters


Coffee Production
Rolesville

#22

Old Mill
of Guilford


Grist Mill
Oak Ridge

#23

Sylvan Heights
Bird Park


Bird Sanctuary
Scotland Neck

#24

Blowing Rock
Charity Horse Show


Equestrian Event
Blowing Rock

#25

NC Granite
Quarry


Rock Quarry
Mt. Airy

#26

Pilot
Mountain


Mountain
Pinnacle

#27

MCAS
Cherry Point
Air Show


Air Show
Havelock

#28

From the
Ground Up
(Potter)


Pottery Studio
Robbins

#29

Emerald
Village


Mine
Little Switzerland

#30

Mount
Mitchell


Mountain
Burnsville

#31

Historic
Occaneechi
Speedway Trail


Walking Trail
Hillsborough

#32

Rockingham
Dragway


Auto Track
Rockingham

#33

Carbonton
Dam


Abandoned Dam
Sanford

#34

Cannon Ballers
Baseball Game


Sporting Event
Kannapolis

#35

Wright Brothers
National Memorial


Monument
Kill Devil Hills

#36

Jockey Ridge
State Park


Sand Dunes
Nags Head

#37

Albemarle Sound
Wildlife


Coastal Forest
Kitty Hawk

#38

Killer Bees
Honey


Apiary
Lake Toxaway

#39

Grandfather Mountain
Mile High Bridge


Mountain
Banner Elk

#40

Overmountain
Shelter


Hiking Trail
Newland

#41

Wilson Creek
Wilderness


Waterway
Wilson Creek

#42

Oak Island
Pier


Pier
Oak Island

#43

Hurricane
Ian


Storm
Southern OBX

#44

RR Haynes
Memorial
Clock Tower


Clock tower
Cliffside

#45

Road to
Nowhere


Forest Tunnel
Bryson City

#46

Lake Norman
State Park


Wildlife Park
Troutman

#47

Bamboo
Groves


Agricultural
Swannoa

#48

Bat Cave
Preserve


Granite Fissure
Chimney Rock

#49

Haw River
State Park


Marshland Park
Summit

#50

Emerald
Hollow
Mine


Prospecting Mine
Hiddenite

#51

Raven Rock
State Park


Rock Formation
Lillington

#52

Wilber's
Barbecue


BBQ Restaurant
Goldsboro

#53

UNCC
International
Festival


Festival
Charlotte

#54

Corn
Fields


Agriculture
Rural Hill

#55

The Green
Race


Competition
Saluda

#56

The Blueridge
Parkway


Scenic Road
Boone to Canton

#57

COCOCO
Furniture
Workshop


Furniture Maker
Claremont

#58

Christmas
Town
USA


Festival
McAdenville

#59

Lumber River
State Park


River Park
Orrum

#60

Lake
Waccamaw


Crater Lake
Lake Waccamaw

#61

NC Pickle
Festival


Festival
Mt Olive

#62

South Mountains
State Park


Forest
Bostic

#63

Southern Grace
Distilleries


Distillery
Mt. Pleasant

#64

Black River
Cypress Groves


Ancient River
Black River

#65

Grandfather Mountain
Highland Games


Festival
Linville

#66

Pee Dee
National Wildlife
Refuge


Wetlands
Wadesboro

#67

Raleigh
Drum Circle


Community Drumming
Raleigh

#68

Joe Gibbs
Racing


NASCAR Team
Huntersville

#69

Vollis Simpson
Whirligig Park


Sculpture Park
Wilson

#70

Cotton Man
Farms


Cotton Fields
Edenton

#71


Type
Location

#72


Type
Location

#73


Type
Location

#74


Type
Location

#75


Type
Location

#76


Type
Location

#77


Type
Location

#78


Type
Location

#79


Type
Location

#80


Type
Location

#81


Type
Location

#82


Type
Location

#83


Type
Location

#84


Type
Location

#85


Type
Location

#86


Type
Location

#87


Type
Location

#88


Type
Location

#89


Type
Location

#90


Type
Location

#91


Type
Location

#92


Type
Location

#93


Type
Location

#94


Type
Location

#95


Type
Location

#96


Type
Location

#97


Type
Location

#98


Type
Location

#99


Type
Location

#100


Type
Location