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PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAY BOERSMA

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The Stereo Beeps Collection

Sound Title Image

When stereo was just beginning to replace "hi-fi," the only stereo vinyl albums available in record stores were often "percussion" albums (on the Command label). These albums, with names like Persuasive Percussion or Provocative Percussion, featured a left/right channel check at the beginning of each song and utilized the most forced and unnaturally separated stereo mix imaginable.

The idea was, "Hey, there are two speakers; let's make that real obvious!" So old standards like The Chatanooga Choo Choo would begin with a freight train roaring from the left speaker to the right. (My pre-adolescent favorite was Standing on the Corner, Watchin' All the Girls Go By which had the sound of high-heeled shoes clicking from speaker to speaker.)

Now that I have a work station with stereo speakers, I find that I have regressed a bit and want each and every sound my computer makes to exploit its stereo potential. With that in mind, I created a few sounds that are inspired by those old vinyl percussion albums.

Hey, there are two speakers; let's make that real obvious...

There are forty-two sound files in the Stereo Beeps collection. Here are four samples:

Three longer stereo sound effects are also included:

The all-time classic stereo sound
Another classic, moves from right to left and ends with a piece of wood falling.
Feel the need to clean up the place a bit but can't drag yourself away from your computer? This sound will help.

Download a zip file with all forty-two sounds:

JBGB

These are "compositions" done with Apple's Garageband application shortly after it was introduced. If you have a video or slide presentation that needs some music, these might work.

Monster Garage Band v1
Monster Garage Band v2
SciFi FlyBy
Two-Car Garage Band





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