• CNCC's 2026 Annual General Meeting - Saturday 21st March

    This will be held at Clapham Village Hall, commencing at 10am (we will aim for 11:30am finish). The village hall will be open from 9:30am for arrival, to provide time to chat and to help yourselves to a brew and biscuits.

    Click here for lots more info

Seeking a large underground space, cave, or chamber for music recording

I'd suggest that anything harder than a dry walk in is going to need considerable protection for a cello to survive without damage. We are talking a substantial and well padded hard case, which will be expensive and even then, you don't want to be dropping it down pitches, or dragging it through ducks. I believe cellists are loath to surrender their instruments to airport baggage handlers and try and take them as hand luggage, despite the cost penalty. A typical cave is much harder on gear than any airport baggage thrower.
 
TheBitterEnd said:
If you can drop the "natural" requirement then for large quiet reverberant chambers slate mines would be good
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Yes, I was also wondering about these? A fairly easy one to access is the Cathedral Cavern in Little Langdale but there could be potential issues with the National Trust. I'm not sure what they'd be - dangerous cello vibrations bringing the roof down? If this is a commercial project then I believe they have regulations regarding that. Cathedral does have the advantage of daylight coming in but it is fairly popular so restricting public access might not be easy or desirable. I know of other slate caverns in the Lakes but not as accessible or convenient as Cathedral. There are the huge ones up on Coniston Old Man but it's a long way to lug a cello. It wouldn't hurt to contact the Trust about this.
 
wellyjen said:
I'd suggest that anything harder than a dry walk in is going to need considerable protection for a cello to survive without damage. We are talking a substantial and well padded hard case, which will be expensive and even then, you don't want to be dropping it down pitches, or dragging it through ducks. I believe cellists are loath to surrender their instruments to airport baggage handlers and try and take them as hand luggage, despite the cost penalty. A typical cave is much harder on gear than any airport baggage thrower.
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Nonsense, just use a common or garden Peli cello case, most caving clubs must have loads in stores 🤣
 
There are a lot of mines around with big spaces easily accessible. Milwr tunnel limestone quarry workings, Northwich salt mines (active), cathedral quarry, Rydal Cave.
 
I am sure that the Music Room in Agen Allwed had some sort of tonal/acoustic quality. Has anyone stories relating to the sheet music stand ?



 
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While not a natural space, some of the best acoustics I have heard are in slate mines. Depending on the style of music a slate mine might be better audio wise than a cave
 
Victoria Cave above Settle isn't too far to walk if you park somewhere on the road above Langcliffe. It's quite spacious inside but it's a while since I was last there and can't recall what the acoustics are like. Again, it's accessible to the general public so not being disturbed might be an issue.
www.geograph.org.uk

Victoria Cave © Stevie D

Victoria Cave is a natural formation that has been used by animals and people over millennia, but until the middle of the 19th century, the gaping aperture was much, much smaller, and at that time the cave had been forgotten about. After a dog ran inside the cave, its cavernous interior was...
www.geograph.org.uk www.geograph.org.uk
 
The Cathedral, Box Mine in Bath would be suitable. If you can arrange access.

Great looking location for a video too.

1000010362.jpg
 
Duncanswood said:
Hi Mike, thanks so much for this fabulous picture. If you get a few moments could you possibly let me know where this is please? Apologies for my ignorance but I'm a recording engineer, not a caver.
All best wishes, Merry Christmas,
Chris
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It looks like Smoo Cave near Durness, up on the north coast of Scotland?
 
If getting there is part of the fun, and they also want to look at pretty stuff, then the chamber decorated chamber beyond Glasfurd chamber (after the short flat out crawls) in Gavel pot has some awesome acoustics I noticed today... I might have a recording... No it's the wrong chamber bugger.

You will need SRT to get there, though the pitches are simple. Actually could be done on ladders.
 
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Alex said:
If getting there is part of the fun, and they also want to look at pretty stuff, then the chamber decorated chamber beyond Glasfurd chamber (after the short flat out crawls) in Gavel pot has some awesome acoustics I noticed today... I might have a recording... No it's the wrong chamber bugger.

You will need SRT to get there, though the pitches are simple. Actually could be done on ladders.
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"short flat out crawls"? Cello?
 
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