Sound Creation – there are many ways that sounds can be created for a number of different scenarios – in this blog I will try to explain a range of examples that sound creation is used in.
Different Forms of Media
Video Games
Sound creation is used in computer games. The sound creation adds to the overall playability and experience of the computer game. Developers commission composers and recording engineers to create the music and sound effects that are used in the computer game production.
Movies
In the film industry, sound creation is used to improve soundtracks. Film composers are employed to create the music that goes along the acting in films – it goes from every little thing that goes on in the movie, for example, pin drops, loud thuds. Sound effects are also used in films to create unique experiences to enhance the impact of the visual imagery. Foley: The best Foley art is so well integrated into a film that it goes unnoticed by the audience. It helps to create a sense of reality within a scene. Without these crucial background noises, movies feel unnaturally quiet and uncomfortable. Foley artists recreate the realistic ambient sounds that the film portrays.
TV Adverts
In TV Ads Sound Creation is used to add more of a purpose of what the advert is directing at. The advertisers spend a lot of money to try make the advert rememberable and attempt to do what ever they are asking. In this advert here, we are shown how multiple little sounds are layered together to make one ambient, goose bumping sound. Here is the BMW M4 advert:
Radio Broadcasts/Podcasts
In radio producers call upon a range of sound creation techniques to make their radio broadcasts as interesting as possible. They do this to try to get the maximum amount of listeners. They create jingles to introduce their frequencies.
Types Of Sound Creation
Foley
Foley effects are sound effects that are easier to perform to picture. You project the movie in a studio and one or two people actually perform the sound effects. The sound effects are recorded live and are used in the final movie.
Ambience
Ambient sound is the background sounds which are present in a scene or location in sound creation. It has a strong effect of enhancing a scene.
Dialogue/Voiceovers
The voiceover is read from a script and may be spoken by someone who appears elsewhere in the production.
Underscore
In a musical theater or film production, underscoring is the playing of music quietly under spoken dialogue or a visual scene.
Methods Of Sound Creation
Physical props, this can be tied down under foley. The set designer’s job is to design these physical surroundings in which the act or play will take place.
Environmental sounds is using environmental objects as props to replicate sounds. This is very effective because it gives sense of realism.
Sound synthesis is a way to create sounds for musical and non-musical use. For example, manipulating the timbre of a synthesiser to change the sound for a particular use. This can be done by changing filters and envelopes and gain, drive and threshold on a synth.
Effect libraries are also a way to create sound creation. They are collections of sound effects that you can use in your sound creation pieces. The easiest way to get them is b y using the search engine of MP4 and MP3 is Youtube.
EXAMPLES
I am going to use two examples: TV advert and a cartoon to talk about how they use sound design.
In this advert they use environment sounds at the beginning – they use voice overs and background music. They use foley for the sounds of the sweets going into the chocolate. They use synthesis for the sloshing chocolate sounds. They use spot effects when the characters jump at the end.
In this clip they use orchestra music and voice overs at the beginning. At the end when Spike chases them there are lots of foley sounds crashing to signal the chaos.
Another way is by using a DAW…
A is a Digital Audio Workstation is an application software used for recording, editing and producing audio files. Logic Pro X is a DAW. This is Logic Pro X.
Here is my attempt at some sound creation. I chose the Audi A3 advert to do.
As you can see i have a combination of MIDI and audio. Some recorded myself and some from effects libraries.
These are my synths – i used them for underscore
This is the particular synth
I changed the way the synth sounded by adding more strength to it.
I got a drill sound from an effect library
This here is the voice over.
This is the foley that i used – i made a sound like a plug coming out – like a popping sound
I used a smpler to get it in time
This synth here added ambience like the sound of a factory. Right at the beginning.
I did lots of automation too
Unit 4 review
I chose the car advert audi RS 3 Birth
I chose this because there is a lot of opportunities for making sounds for the factory.
As you can see I used loads of sounds.
I think my piece met the brief as i have used lots of sound creation techniques and methods.
Here are the sounds I have used.
I used a combination of midi and audio.
I used synths to give the sense of a new age i changed these synths to make them sound more interesting. I used my voice for some of the drills/steam and machines. I recorded these on the built in mic.
I used violas deep down with a cluster chord to add suspense.
I did a voice over too.
At the end I made a happy sounding piano part to signal the birth. I used automation to help the piece. There are loads of sounds that I think work really well as factories are noisy places.
Overall, it is a successful piece of sound creation. I could improve it though if i had more time.
Weaknesses
There is a bit where it is blank and I couldn’t think what to do. The voice over is not the best quality.
Improvements
I need to record some of the audio again to make it better. I need to do more mixing to produce the piece better.