The Different Forms Of Media
Video Games
Sound Creation in video games differ from cutscenes, in a games trailer or for atmosphere in parts to further entice the player in that video game world sound also is a big factor in making a game realistic from guns to car engines to even the sound of the wind. These all allow developers to create the sounds and feeling that they want to show the player.
This video shows how sound is made in different video games and how it effects the player.
They use lots of techniques for sound creation in movies and tv. There are lots of similarities. They will use similar techniques in films and in TV. Also, in the games industry they use the same sound creation or sound design techniques.
Movies
Movies also can use sound creation for trailers but mainly it uses it for ambience and atmosphere when showing new landscapes or a new perspective. For example this video shows how music in the movies changes the atmosphere and feeling of the situation.
This video show the same scene over and over again but with different music to show you how the different types of music changes the mood and general theme the film may believe to be in.
Radio
Radios use sound to introduce someone they would play music or a sound to give a signal as radios are not visual they would have to play sounds for you to understand. However this video talks of tv in a way and the Foley effect they mention the old radios and how the would use foley to make sound.
Animation
Animation uses very different sound creation as its used for almost everything from Movement to Actions. Animation has so many possibilities and the potential is increased with a greater sound effect on the animation itself, for example.
Adverts In TV
For Advertisers they are looking for the very best sounds to entice the audience to buy what there product is for example the sound creation in this Car Advert is used to show the Car is powerful to its viewers.
Types Of Sound Creation
Foley
As shown in the Videos before Foley is where you use real world objects to make sound in Music or sound tracks or movies.
Ambience
Is also shown is used to create an atmospheric background and is usually made for a setting in a film or video game.
Dialogue/Voiceovers
These are usually Narrators who are there to describe something or tell a story for example David Attenborough who Narrates Planet Earth, a Nature Documentary.
Underscore
This is mostly used in a musical theater or film production, underscoring is the playing of music quietly under spoken dialogue or a visual scene. It is usually done to establish a mood or theme, frequently used to recall and/or foreshadow a musical theme important to the character(s) and/or plot point, onstage or onscreen.
At 2:37 the underscore begins and the tone of the scene changes due to this light but effective building underscore. In this scene the underscore also reveals a truth.
Special/Spot effects
A sound effect most often consists of more than one part – usually several parts. It’s like a mini-drama, with a beginning, middle, and end. It is meant to indicate some action or event, and it should follow through to complete that action.
A door opening isn’t just one click of the latch. Answering the telephone must be more than the simple and quiet click we actually make picking up the receiver. Rattle, rattle!
Most effects you hear – especially in the movies – are actually the result of at least two people, long after filming, doing something with two or more objects, probably unrelated to what you are supposed to be hearing.
Methods of sound creation
Physical Props
All the scenery, furniture and props the audience sees at a production of a play make up the set design. The set designer’s job is to design these physical surroundings in which the action will take place.
Environmental Sounds
Wildlife film soundtracks are a combination of sounds recorded in the wild during the filming, or recorded in the wild previously, as well as sounds that must be re-created in a studio and, of course, music.
Some sounds are removed because they would
distract from the tone of the film (e.g. helicopter rotor blades may be replaced by music over sweeping aerial shots). This is normal in documentary filmmaking.
Sound Synthesis
This is where sound is recorded off of MIDI or other Digital programs however it can be made by a user with synthesisers.
Digital Sample Manipulation
This is used to change the ways we hear a sound to a slight change to a big one this is made by FX or equalisers usually to improve sound so it better mixes with the genre or style of music.
Effect Libraries
Effect libraries is where a large amount of sounds the Data is used for different sounds or effects usually used in movies to make a certain noise humans could not make for example Sci-Fi would use a robotic sound maybe.
All of these tools are used in sound creations as well as these methods here I’ve use logic X and some Foley sounds to make my own background to a trailer.
Examples
In this example you can hear the sound creation that has been done. They use dialogue and footsteps in this clip. There are sounds for when the people stand up. They might have used foley sounds for this.
In this example they have music and singing. The have a sound effect for the horse noises. They have sound effects for the snowballs. They also have an effect for the wind.
Here is my sound creation piece
I have used lots of sounds – a combination of MIDI and audio and i did a lot of automation in the project.
For my underscore i used strings. They work really well for setting the scene.
This is my synth
I changed the settings to change the timbre. I changed the drive.
It works really well in the piece.
The percussion kit sets the scene and gives a dark and gloomy feel for the battle.
This is some ambience here
I have used lots of effects library sounds for the explosions and gun shots
I used a fire burning sound for more ambience
I got Sir to say – Apocolypse for me for the voice over
I added some foley – i smacked the desk for the explosion sound
I used a sampler to get it in time
I tried lots of different sounds through the process. I experimented until i got the sounds just right and in time. The sampler really helped with this.
My Review Of My Sound Creation Piece
In my Sound Creation Piece I believe I did well making a large amount of tracks which all fit in with the War theme. My piece has met the brief as it is a response to a film clip and it contains lots of sound creation techniques.
Strengths
I used many SFX and as well as some of my own underscore from strings and percussion making the melancholic war aspect feel real.
It completes the standard and holds a melancholic start which links to the war and its death toll this then changes to the fast paced action, which the game has as a whole.
The slowness makes it sadder than I wanted and it has less sfx than I would have liked to have as well. I did not include some instruments I wanted to and was only able to have some EQ.
Weaknesses
I think i could have made more foley sounds to go with the clip. Because the clip is so busy it needs loads of sounds. I wish i could of added more and experimented more because i really liked doing it.
Although in my opinion I made a great piece that emphasised the atmosphere of the trailers war aspect with its fast paced action. Next time I would pick a longer trailer/advert.