Food Trucks @ CMC

 

This recording was taken outside of Crown Hall on the campus of Claremont McKenna College. Due to the pandemic, CMC contracted with various local food trucks from the Los Angeles area to serve CMC students lunch and dinner for the Fall 2021 academic semester. These trucks were parked outside of Crown Hall. This recording was taken directly adjacent to these food trucks at the very beginning of a weekday lunch rush. The soundscape is dominated by the hum of the trucks and the mechanical noises of food preparation. At one point, you can hear an order being announced on the loud speaker.  Since these trucks are parked outside of a dormitory, this soundscape potently highlights the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on campus soundscapes. 2 years ago, this same location would have sounded quiet and residential. In 2021, it sounds industrial and lively.

This recording was taken using the Shure MV88 portable microphone, which attaches to an iPhone and operates via an iOS app. The app allows for control over the directionality of the input. For this recording, I used an omni-directional setting which captures the full 360 degree soundscape.