George Spanos has published a new article at GameSoundDesign, this time talking about the use and approach of silence in sound design.
Silence is a very powerful sound.
Sound? Silence is not a sound… right?
Well I think that silence should be considered a “sound”, a “sound effect”, and “music”. But that’s crazy isn’t it… how can the lack of sound be considered the same as the presence of sound? After all, sound is created by sending electrical energy to an amplifier which is then sent to a transducer that converts the electrical signals into sound waves that we hear. But the lack of sound in a game can often have a profound impact to the gaming audience.
I completely agree that silence is a sound….well lack of a sound but just as important. Just like the tension and release in music being caused by certain chord progression and yes of course silence…..it’s exactly the same for silence in sound design. That silent moment before the auditory ” crap your pants ” moment or that moment of silence that enhances the pain a character feels….all perfect examples.
As Debussy told, “Music is what happens in the space between the notes”.
Not many people have written about silence in media, and for that matter, there are very few writers who have explored sound design. I came across this new publication by Danny Hahn called ‘The Silent Sound Designer – Rediscovering Cinema Through Quietness’. Maybe this is worth a read: http://www.dannyhahn.com/books/