Lake Trek Sound Piece for WMUK

I'd never had someone record my footsteps, so this experience was a new one for me. My local NPR affiliate, WMUK (broadcasting from Western Michigan University's campus in Kalamazoo), produces short 'sound pieces' to use during the morning and evening news broadcasts.

I met Andy Robins, News Director at WMUK, in South Haven where he walked with me, capturing the sounds of the Lake Trek with his digital recorder.















All of the sounds that you hear in the piece were recorded that morning, Day 4 of Segment 3 of the trek. Even the gulls cooperated, calling out as if on cue.

After the recording session on the beach and in town, I finished the script for the narration (adding a couple of sounds -- like the dredging barge and zebra mussels -- that weren't in the original script). Then, I met Andy at the studio and recorded my part. Andy took the two parts, narration and sound, and expertly mixed them to finish the piece.

This piece plays when you open up this blog.

Next time you're in South Haven, stop in at Black River Books. The owners usually have their labradoodles there, Booker and Dewey, and they love to greet people. Check out all of the independent bookstores that I've visited so far with the links in the sidebar. By the end of the Lake Trek, I will have stopped in at 30 indie bookstores all around the lakeshore.

A big thanks to WMUK for the great experience!