Calming Crickets and Forest Drip
Crickets trilling and forest drip. 25 September 2017, around 1am. Shindagin Hollow near Brooktondale, New York. © Lang Elliott. AI-gen Image.
Note: The recording featured above is a "3D binaural soundscape". Please wear headphones for a profound listening experience that will make you think you're actually out there, immersed in the natural world!
As autumn begins revealing its colors, there is still a pleasing insect chorus at night in the forested hills of upstate New York. In late September, after an evening thunderstorm passes through the area, I visit nearby Shindagin Hollow in search of soothing, meditative nightscapes.
Well after midnight, the sky clears. A half-moon illuminates the forest, gently filtered through light fog. I stand silently next to a small ravine. Leaves are wet and dripping steadily. Tree crickets trill from all directions and spring peepers call sporadically, even though their breeding season is long passed. At times, a barred owl hoots from far in the distance, barely audible.
I feel fully embraced by this lovely, nurturing soundscape. There is nothing to analyze, nothing to think about, nothing to hold on to. There is only a sense of deep immersion, complete surrender, and effortless communion with this extraordinary place and time.
A Note From Lang:
I am always striving to capture soothing, meditative recordings that evoke relaxation and transport the listener into an altered state ... ones in which the incessant chatter of the mind is gently calmed and cares and woes fall away with ease ... "sleep meditations" if you will. I believe this recording has that effect and I wonder if you agree? Please chime-in below and let me know what you think and feel about this soundscape.
Naturally Yours,
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Extremely zen! The combination of crickets and drips – perfect for relaxation / sleep. Thanks for sharing.
It’s so relaxing. The picture is lovely, too.
Love the ambience here! Very serene and calming – great to paint at the easel with nature keeping me inspired! I’ve tried recording audio of the surrounding here near the studio…often fall quite short, but when the distant traffic or passing planes take a short break – it is very satisfying!
You’re in north central Iowa? Near some tall grass prairie preserves, I presume?
Hi Lang, we’re in the very NW corner and quite near some of the larger tallgrass prairie preserves…the closest maybe 8 miles as the crow flies. We have two small pastures adjoined on both sides of our acreage and they have been brought back to a fairly good restoration – grasses and forbs were already present, just suppressed by heavy grazing. We removed the cattle and the sheep the previous owner had on the ground. Just too small of a footprint for heavy grazing.
I’ve been browsing your photos and paintings … very nice work! And such a lovely, peaceful-looking area for sure. Reminds me somewhat of the rural landscape where I grew up in north central Missouri, but we didn’t have the gorgeous prairie lands at our doorstep.
Thank you! Yes, we became familiar with central Missouri when we drove through it several times when I was stationed down in Ft Leonardwood about 55 years ago! Spent a lot of time canoing the rivers and fly fishing some nice spring fed streams down there.
There is nothing more soothing and restorative than listening to nature in all of its variety day and night.
But have you ever camped on a seabird island during the summer months, with terns crying out incessantly both day and night? That takes getting used to for sure. I guess I’m trying to say that not all of nature’s soundscapes are soothing, but I guess that depends on the listener. All sounds of nature, both pleasing and annoying, can potentially be experienced as music to one’s ears.
I remember my one and only camping experience (I was in my early 40s!).I could not sleep a wink due to the incessant croaks of bull frogs.But I have always loved the sound of crickets at night.
Bullfrogs way off in the distance are soothing, but close choruses can easily disrupt one’s sleep.
Point well taken. Some sounds are more pleasing to the ear than others. Seabirds can be less than melodious!
researchers who spend months on seabird islands during the breeding season say they get used to the cacophony pretty quickly and when the season ends, they find it takes awhile to adjust to the “relative quiet” of normal life.
Love this, Lang. I can feel my whole body relax and just drop into a deep stillness.
Thank you Siobhan! We all could use more deep stillness in our lives!