Lately I try to grab small ambient sounds whenever I’m already out, but if I don’t bring my usual recorder, I finally skipping it entirely.
It’s never anything planned, just stuff like wind in trees, low traffic hum, footsteps on different ground. Carrying a full setup for that feels like too much, so I picked up a tiny wireless mic (DJI Mic Mini 2) to see if having something always on me would actually make a difference.
I’ve tucked it under a hoodie or clipped it inside a pocket and basically forgot it was there, which makes it way more likely I’ll actually record something.
Placement is still a bit tricky though. Clipping works until fabric starts moving, I lost a couple of nice takes just from my jacket brushing against it. I’ve also tried using the little magnetic mount on nearby metal (benches, railings, that kind of thing) to get it off my body, which helps with movement noise, but obviously doesn’t work everywhere.