Sample Checklist

Realizing that I may be living in Japan only about two months longer, I should get moving on recording samples of all those little, sometimes annoying, always characteristic, sounds that I've been thinking about capturing with my minidisc. One problem is that my minidisc mic has gone missing. I could just use a set of old headphones with the result of diminished sound quality, but I really want to be a little more serious than just using old equipment. I'll probably end up trying out the headphones as a mic first and see how that goes seeing as it's not exactly easy or cheap to buy a new one.

Another problem however is a plain lack of organization. And to help, I have decided to make a checklist of sounds that I want.

Train Sounds



• Rail crossing


• Train approaching warning (from the platform)


• Imminent departure (different tunes on different platforms)


• Assorted recorded announcements on the limited express train


• Assorted spoken announcements on the local train

School Sounds



• School chime


• Telephone hold jingle

Other Sounds



• Trucks w/ announcements e.g. the appliance garbage truck or the yakiimo (grilled sweet potato) truck

I'll post what I get as soon as I get it. Hopefully, it won't be long before I can check most of them off of my list.