Implulse response using hand clap?

[Prime Mover]

I’m on vacation on Big Island Hawaii, and there’s a lava tube with interesting acoustics. I have my field recording with me, but no speakers aside from my iPhone 6s. I’ve never created an IR before, but I’d be interested in putting one together with the equipment available to me. I could do a sine sweep from my phone, or a hand clap for a full frequency noise. My mic is a sensitive stereo AUdio Technica BP4025 with a sound devices audio interface (crystal clear pres).

Obviously without a HiFi audio source I know I’m not going to get the greatest response ever, but I’d like to get the best I can with what I have. What do you suggest?

[stubbsonic]

Use the hand-clap for sure, but record a bunch of them. Get different tones-- deep clap (you know what I mean)-- slappy clap, poppy clap, etc.

Would it be possible for you to get a firecracker? (Don't know if that would put you in danger with the law). Another thing you could try is smacking two flat boards together (like the slap thing in a concert band or orchestra). Pop some balloons. Pop some paper bags-- though I suspect that might have a spike in a particular frequency-- probably hard to keep it quiet after the pop.

Sounds cool!! Have fun!

[Prime Mover]

OMG, It worked! Thanks for the advice of using many different hand claps. Not only did it get different frequency qualities, but it nullified any extraneous noises. There were a bunch of water drips in the tube, but piling about 12 different claps together, with the transients time-aligned greatly diminished these extraneous noises. I used an old recording of a fiddler player in one of my old bands to try it out, and it really sounded like she was playing there! I'll post it soon if she gives me permission to share it.

[stubbsonic]

That's great.

Over the past few years, I've listened to 100s of IRs, and they do sound mostly like clapping or a starter pistol when all is said & done.

Glad it worked!!