Short of sticking my recorder in the freezer (really really prefer not to), what sort of sounds can you combine to get the sound of something freezing into an ice statue?
I've recorded cracking ice out of an icetray, but I'm wondering what else you can layer it with to get that kind of sound.
Ideas?
Try a frozen, wet cloth? Then wring it out in front of the mic. Also record the ice crystals popping you hear when you open the freezer. A recording I did of those is always a go-to icey swntr I like. Try glass sounds too... Glass cracking, fine glass debris (to create a more hightened version of ice crystal pops.
Think not just of the ice, but of the mist/cold element too.
I've had some success with using styrofoam, like the stuff electrical good are packed in. You sort of twist it in your hands, and as you fingers mover over it, you get that cracking kind of noise.
Ice age, the animated feature, has some good ice sounds in it, as cliched as it sounds.
I got some great ice cracks by holding a stack of about 40 blank CDs tightly and twisting them. You get a good ice-crystals-popping sound like Stavrosound mentions. The CDs should probably not be used for data or music after doing this, however.
Check out the answers to previously asked similar questions:
Tips on creating "frozen bodypart ripped apart"
They should help
I like dropping a bunch of ice into some warm water, but you have to mic it hot in a ridiculously quiet room, it's very quiet. It will give you those initial cracks.
To tag onto what @Dave offered up, try micing ice cubes dropped into warm water with a hydrophone. You'll get a different perspective of the thawing, crackling sound without all the room noise/potential preamp hiss.
Using rubbing sand with sand gives some great gritty layers. be sure to use a carped so you dont get the soudn of the sand you drop.
