Drongo

I came upon a Drongo late last year and it decided to sing for me. Drongos combine mimicry with their own calls, and when Drongos are alarmed, they mimic the alarm calls of other species as well as the calls of nest predators, eagles and hawks. I decided to sample one of nature’s very own samplers. The method of Grain Clouds is one of my favourite techniques, whereupon I can use a very small duration of a recording and realise all its textures and harmonies via various controls. I have attempted to create an electronic ecological soundscape out of that single sound clip of the Drongo that visited me. The first four seconds of this clip is the original recording of the bird’s call that day, which is then followed by my resultant creation.

Equipment: Sound Devices 744t, AKG SE300B + CK91 x2, NI Reaktor

© Ayush Ahuja