METHODS OF SOUND DESIGN:
Vertical: mixing different components together in a multi track application: - Sounds that blend best together are those of DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES.
Vertical Sound Design or "mixing"
Horizontal: sequencing different components in time: - Proximity of short clips in time provide profound changes in how the sound is percieved.
Replicating the ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, and RELEASE of a natural sound event
is a handy way to visualize a "horizontal" or "sequenced" sound design
Listening for Layers
What do we hear?
- dialogue
- hard drive noise
- fan noise
- no low-end due to small speakers
- keyboard or controller clicks
Natural Ambiance: Reverberation and wind
- Once it is recorded, it is impossible to eliminate!
- There is less reverb away from walls, record in the middle of a room.
- Keep the mic closest to the source (i.e. mouth).
- To eliminate both wind and breath sounds, use a windscreen (foam sleeve) on the mic.
- In a given situation, keep recording levels as consistent as possible.
Common Production Shortcuts In Audacity
Tool Modes
Selection Tool - for selecting the audio to be edited
Envelope Tool - for creating fades in, fades out, and changing volume in different places of a track
Pencil Tool - for fine detail waveshape editing (pops and clicks)
Zoom Tool - left click to zoom in, right click to zoom out
Time Shift Tool - for moving regions of sound with in a track
Multi Tool Mode - position specific for faster access to the above tools
Zooming
Zooming in and out horizontally - CTRL scroll wheel
New Track Command
Ctrl-Shft-N
Transport
Play/Stop - Space
Loop Play - Shft Space
Pause - P
Skip to start - Home
Skip to end - End
Record - R
Importing (ripping) Audio from CD
Quicktime or Windows Media Player
Excersises:
Compositing an ambience with multiple elements; foreground (VO), middleground, background
Compositing a sound effect from multiple elements: initial sound, envelope elements, ambient elements
Compositing a musical cue from tracks for: melody, ambience, action
Creating a musical cue and spotting to video
Reading Assignment - Help Files
- Working with Tracks
- Advanced Editing
- Recording