Making something creak? - a floor

[Dave m]

I am working with someone who wants to do a performance using contact mics/ tie clips on  a wooden floor (that may have to be made)

The idea is that the floor will be built to deliberately creak so the noise can be miked up.

Any idea on a structure that we could build with built in creak? Obviously getting rid of creaks is a topic on here.

 

ta

[DrV]

I believe floors often creak because the nails holding down the boards have loosened and the creak is caused by wood sliding past the nail. You might recreate this by using screws which have a straight shank at the top (standard wood screws), screwed through holes which are considerably smaller than the screws. You then need to create the movement which would be by making the joists uneven. This would give room for the boards to move as they were walked on. Using short boards only 3 joists wide and making the middle joist the higher one would also help. The screws would need to be not quite tightened down. This is all surmise though - no experience other than my own poor quality DIY which creates just this effect!

[Jivemaster]

Creaks can be made with a resined (violin resin)  rope passing through a sounding board. With a good tech they can happen on time and to the expected extent. Maybe these get recorded then the chosen ones fired on cue. 

[sunray]

1 hour ago, DrV said:

I believe floors often creak because the nails holding down the boards have loosened and the creak is caused by wood sliding past the nail. You might recreate this by using screws which have a straight shank at the top (standard wood screws), screwed through holes which are considerably smaller than the screws. You then need to create the movement which would be by making the joists uneven. This would give room for the boards to move as they were walked on. Using short boards only 3 joists wide and making the middle joist the higher one would also help. The screws would need to be not quite tightened down. This is all surmise though - no experience other than my own poor quality DIY which creates just this effect!

I agree totally with the idea, I also have that floor 😁 However I think it will be unpredictable and also it feels like one of those which may be hard to mic up without getting loads of wrong/unwanted noises.

[kerry davies]

Try one or more of these.

[Jivemaster]

Getting a floor to creak naturally and on cue could be a problem, getting an fx to play on cue should be no problem. Micro switches, alarm pressure pads, opto sensors and skilled people cone to mind, just have enough creak fx that they are just enough without being full house of horrors coffin creaks.

Getting a creaky floor to NOT creak could be a big problem.

[Dave m]

Thanks for the comments.

It is a piece of performance art, so we can’t use triggered sfx.

I don’t have to make it, I am just tying to help someone remotely.

[kerry davies]

Jivemaster is right. If you are going to mic it up and amplify it then the only sensible and controllable method is via Sound Effects.

Creaking only when you want and not creaking when that is wanted is impossible with "live" effects. 

I have worked with artistes with "stomp boxes" and tambourine pedals, which can be problematic, but a pro flamenco artiste needs their own well-rehearsed sound man or it can sound hilariously bad. Doing it live risks amplifying noise that you do not want. 

[sandall]

12 hours ago, kerry davies said:

.......their own well-rehearsed sound man......

Other genders are available🤔

[Stuart91]

On 11/3/2023 at 11:25 PM, kerry davies said:

I have worked with artistes with "stomp boxes" and tambourine pedals, which can be problematic, 

I've seen the Ed Sheeran style loop pedal approach go very well, and incredibly badly. It needs pinpoint accuracy from the artist. If they're 1/64 of a bar out with their stomp, then eight loops later they are 1/8 of a bar out. 

One unfortunate lad ended up with a sound akin to what you'd get if you threw a band down a long flight of stairs. It was a complete train wreck. 

I can remember an article in one of the trade rags about Mr Sheeran's touring setup. They were building custom stomp boxes for him because he was destroying the standard Korg units by stamping too fast/hard on them. 

[kerry davies]

Ed is an amateur compared to my old mates Elephant Talk. Each of them played several instruments and built layer after layer which gets complex when three or four of you are doing it to a drum machine. 

Kizzy Crawford is one of the best around nowadays.... and she sings in Welsh!

[Stuart91]

The act that really impressed me was called Bellatrix (I think, memories are hazy). She had some links to Massive Attack. 

Used a cello and vocal mic into the loop pedal and built a delightfully lush, ethereal soundscape out of nothing. 

It was a couple of weeks after the aforementioned train wreck and restored my faith in the technique. 

[themadhippy]

Quote

One unfortunate lad ended up with a sound akin to what you'd get if you threw a band down a long flight of stairs. It was a complete train wreck. 

wasnt owen fleek by any chance

 

[Stuart91]

59 minutes ago, themadhippy said:

wasnt owen fleek by any chance

Similar levels of technical aptitude...