Remember the film “Apollo 13,” where NASA is hastily trying to discern which electronic components can be sacrificed in order to route power to the essential parts of the lunar module? Well, this project has felt a bit like that from the beginning. Once the decision had been made to try to operate a small microprocessor and audio amplifier using solar-charged batteries, we knew that we needed to conserve power as much as possible. One never knows how much sun will be available to charge a battery, and therefore, one... Read The Rest →

Computers are getting smaller and smaller by the minute. For our project, we need both small size and small power consumption. My initial thought was to use a mp3 player-type device, or perhaps a smart phone. We need something which can play back audio (easy), can run a simple script that determines what gets played when (possible, depending on the device), and can detect weather conditions (possible, but may require wifi or cell phone reception). After considering price, functionality and other factors, we decided to move away from manufactured devices... Read The Rest →

In September, I purchased three models of motorcycle speakers from parts-express.com. I chose this site at the recommendation of one of our consultants both because of their low prices and also their generous return policy. The three we purchased were: 1) Pyle PLMCA10: comes with an amp, each speaker is rated at 50W 2) Pyle PLMCA30: comes with an amp, each speaker is rated at 200W  3) Pyle PLMCA60: comes with an amp, each speaker is rated at 300W Each of these speaker pairs comes with a dedicated amplifier that... Read The Rest →

One of the big challenges we’ve laid for ourselves lies in the site location–a remote corner of Seed Savers Farm that is without electricity. From the beginning, we’ve planned to use a combination of batteries and, hopefully, solar power. Along with this reality is the fact that our speakers and audio playback device will need to operate with a minimum of power. On the advice of several consultants, we’re starting the gear research and development stage by searching for the right speakers. And our consultants have also steered us toward... Read The Rest →

As our project is scheduled to happen during the month of May in 2013, we decided it would be good for us to get a sense of the soundscape of Seed Savers in late spring. Currently, we are planning to use sounds collected from the installation site as the primary material for our piece. With a portable TASCAM recorder in hand, we set out on a late May evening and again the following morning to walk the site and record sounds. Here is one such recording, made in the late... Read The Rest →

Thank you for visiting the site for “Talking Trees.” We hope to use this site as a kind of online journal where we can record our progress on the project. First, a little background. I first met Harvey Sollberger at the June in Buffalo new music festival in 2000. I was a participating composer, Harvey was one of the masterclass teachers. I remember his kind and supportive demeanor, as well as his insightful comments and vast musical knowledge. About 9 years passed without further contact, and then at a concert... Read The Rest →