05:00 UTC+1 on Saturday 4th May – 06:00 on Sunday 5th
Dawn Chorus Day
Over the first weekend in May, Reveil will make a 24+1 hour loop of the earth, travelling on live feeds from streamers around the world at daybreak. Each stream adds to the detail and diversity of the mix.
We welcome your streams for the 10th edition of Reveil!
Live streams for the Reveil broadcast join the Locus Sonus open microphone network (2006- ), and appear on the public soundmap at https://locusonus.org/soundmap/.
Start by setting up an account.
Go to:
https://locusonus.org/soundmap/dev/admin/join
Use a basic character set.
Your account should be quickly validated and you will receive a confirmation email.
Note your stream name (which is also your user/login name), and password.
You can log into your new account at:
https://locusonus.org/soundmap/dev/admin/login/
> Advanced configurations to make changes and add information about your stream.
Considerations
—Locuscast is a free app for mobile. It works on iOS or Android.
—It is probably the simplest, fastest way to set up a short term stream for the broadcast.
—
Izicast, by the makers of Broadcast Using This Tool, is an excellent mobile streaming software for
iOS (£7.99) or
Android (free). See below: Synching 3rd party software with the soundmap.
—Some onboard microphones (eg on fairly recent iPhones) are excellent. Some are not. But a phone can provide a quick and vivid stream.
—The audio quality depends on your phone (as well as where you put it). To get ‘broadcast quality’ audio, you can use an adaptor.
—Any stream will benefit from thoughtful placement and wind protection. A piece of synthetic fur or something knitted will prevent a stream being heavily coloured by wind roar.
—Streaming is pretty power hungry. Consider an external battery. In some cases this is essential eg an iphone with Zoom recorder as USB interface will give a power shortage error without a battery. In this case, choose an adaptor with a USB data connection and a power input point (<) below).
Open settings at upper right.
Enter your account / stream name and password, adjust quality settings > Done
Click Start to start streaming.
The clock runs..
Connecting an external audio device
A portable recorder with the ability to work as an audio interface can connect to an iOS or Android phone with the right adapter. The Zooms do this (eg H1, H4)
iOS
You can use an Apple camera adapter or a clone.
** Choose the one with the additional charging port. You will likely need a battery for this approach, as the phone will probably report a low power issue if you try to use it to power an external interface.**
The Zoom requires a manual button press to appear as an audio interface (rather than a storage device). Some devices (eg Mix Pre) may be fiddly to interface with. Ask us if in doubt or mail the Locus Sonus streaming list to connect with other streamers.
Once you have an audio interface, you can connect external microphones..
Locuscast + iPhone + camera adapter + zoom + primo mics + battery
You can also connect a studio soundcard this way eg the Native Instruments K2, which lets you connect microphones that need 48V Phantom power.
Minus the microphones, that looks like this:
Locuscast + iPhone + camera adapter + Focusrite 2nd gen 2i2 [hard to find – try Native Instruments Kreative Audio 2] + battery
Android
You can use an On The Go (OTG) cable in the same way.
Here is a useful discussion, which reports Zooms working well.
— https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/111937/connect-a-usb-soundcard-to-an-android-phone-and-use-it-for-videos
** But does this need a power point, as with the iOS adaptor above? **
It probably depends. With Android there are lots of different phones, so harder to be sure what works and doesn’t. Please experiment and share your findings on the list.
The Android version of Locuscast has been updated in line with the version for iOS.
Download is from here:
http://locusonus.org/locustream/#phone
Similar to using a phone but might be more convenient, especially from home.
You can a PureData (pd) patch from Locus Sonus, which synchs with your streaming account.
Download and instructions from:
http://locusonus.org/locustream/
BUTT configuration for Locus Sonus server - image: Stef Cousot
Note:
—Your mountpoint could be any name with restricted character set (perhaps use your location name?)
—The password is not your account password. Please contact us to get it.
—Adjust stream quality, inputs, etc using the Audio tab in Settings.
BUTT is not linked to the account recognition system at Locus Sonus. The same is true of Izicast. When you stream, your stream will appear on the Locus Sonus server as long as your stream name uses basic characters and the password is correct ( <) above ). But it won’t yet appear on the map.
To appear on the map:
Copy the mountpoint from BUTT
OR
Play your stream from the server list and copy the URL from the browser address bar.
Return to the admin page:
https://locusonus.org/soundmap/dev/admin/login/
Log in
Paste the URL into the Custom URL field in the form
Adjust the position of the microphone icon
Enter details on the stream > Save
Reload the map and restart the stream.
Streambox in a willow, Full-stack bioacoustics, Leiden August 2022 - image: Soundcamp
Make adjustments to gain, input, data rate, etc:
Join ** the same network as the streambox **
Use a browser to open the streambox web interface at:
http://streambox.local/
[Android phones will not resolve the streambox.local address. Instead enter the IP of the streambox as reported in a network scanner, or use another device.]
Start Locuscast, run BUTT or power on your streambox.
Streambox on the Locustream soundmap, Full-stack bioacoustics, Leiden August 2022 - image: Soundcamp
You can find it by location or (especially if not in the right place), from the menu available from the icon at upper right. You can also see a list of streams on the LS Icecast server in list form:
https://locus.creacast.com:9443/
To adjust the location of the microphone icon or add information appearing in the ‘Read more’ section of the soundmap (available by hovering over a mic icon), open the admin page:
https://locusonus.org/soundmap/dev/admin/login
Log in > Advanced configurations > make changes > Save.
** If using BUTT or another 3rd party app, your stream will be on the server list, but not on the map, as there is no automatic synching with your Locus Sonus account. To appear on the map, paste the URL of your stream (available from the server list) into the Custom URL field of the form > Save > Reboot your device. **
Check that your stream sounds the way you want it to, and make any changes needed to your installation.
Consider the location, wind and weather protection, and how the sounds will be early in the morning.
Microphones
—Buy microphones or Primo EM-172 / 272 capsules from micbooster
OR
—contact@soundtent.org to order
Make microphones:
—Simple P48 mod to make Phantom powered mics for USB soundcard eg Native Instrument Kreative Audio 2
—Streambox with studio soundcard
—More refined PCB by Grégoire Lauvin (also more complicated to make)
—http://locusonus.org/wiki/index.php?page=Electret+mics.en
—Cheap and good microphones with PUI capsules (thanks to Udo Noll):
—streambox how to
—You can also use any microphones you already have with the USB audio interface > keep dry and use wind shielding
—To use microphones with Plug in Power (PIP) and a raspberry pi, you need a pi hat such as IQAudio Codec Zero.
For more information on streaming, we suggest to join the knowledgeable forum:
—locustream at locusonus.org (joined by opening an account at Locus Sonus <) above)
Streaming from Manizales, Colombia for Balance/Unbalance May 2016. Image: Soundcamp
Streams for REVEIL and other projects appear on server and soundmap created by Locus Sonus at the Ecole supérieure d'Art d'Aix-en-Provence as Locustream (2006–).
Streaming software and hardware have been developed through collaborations by Locus Sonus (especially Stéphane Cousot and Grégoire Lauvin), Udo Noll (radio aporee), Max Baraitser Smith (Soundcamp) and others.
Raspberry Pi streamboxes use the open source streaming software: Darkice by Ákos Maróy and Rafael Diniz.
The open microphone network was widened in the course of Acoustic Commons, a 3 year collaboration for Creative Europe. The Acoustic Commons Network are: FON (Cumbria), Locus Sonus, (Aix-Marseille), CONA (Ljublana), HMU and TUC (Crete), Cyberforest (Tokyo), Soundcamp (London).
Soundcamp live streaming projects are in partnership with our broadcast partner: Wave Farm WGXC in the Upper Hudson Valley, New York; and with Resonance FM / Extra in London.
Soundcamp are based at Stave Hill Ecological Park (TCV) in Rotherhithe, South London.
Reveil, As if radio.., l a g and other projects are made possible through the creative contributions of artists, researchers, activists, ecologists and others, who set up and share the live streams.
Soundcamp are happy to acknowledge funding over a decade from public and private supporters including: Arts Council England, Southwark Neighbourhoods Fund, Southwark Cultural Celebrations, the Creative Europe program of the EU, North Southwark Environment Trust, the British Council, B3Media, the Goethe Institute and private contributors.
Thank you all.
Sasha Baraitser Smith Smith streaming for As if radio.. COP26 Glasgow, November 2021. Super-8 film by Sam Baraitser Smith.
