Want to see something that’ll mess with your head? [youtube]http://youtu.be/73LE1vKGfy4[/youtube] Now, you may not have noticed anything all that strange watching the video, but mute the sound and watch it again. After that, close your eyes and listen to just the audio. Notice anything strange now? You’ve just witnessed one of the more interesting perceptual illusions, … [Read more...]
The Field Recordist
A short film about a lifetime of field recording from Lawrence Barker. Best heard with headphones to appreciate the full stereo field. This film is a personal reflection of my own passion for audio field recording over the past 45 years. “Audio field recordings act as a powerful trigger, transporting me back to the original place they were captured………they are more … [Read more...]
Psychology of 10 Years of Sound in World of Warcraft
For this month's topic of "Psychoacoustics" I thought I'd stretch the definition a bit and finally write an article I have wanted to for a while now, and discuss the sound design of World of Warcraft. Specifically the unscientific observations of someone (me) who has regularly experienced these sounds for fully 1/3 of their life. What I would like to discuss are my own … [Read more...]
Soundsnap gets a makeover
Online sound effects library Soundsnap has unveiled a brand new website. Whilst the main objective was to refresh a website design that had undergone only hairline changes since launching in 2007, the cosmetic overhaul also boasts a new user interface for searching and downloading sounds. Some of the improvements that users can benefit from include bigger and more detailed … [Read more...]
Designing Sound Discussion Group – Psychoacoustics for Sound Designers
You can watch today's webinar here on Designing Sound, or...if you'd like to ask questions...you can join us over on Google Hangouts to participate more directly. If you'd like to ask some follow up questions, please reach out to us through our contact page, ping me on twitter or drop a comment below. Additional media used during the presentation after the break. … [Read more...]
The Sound of Story: Workshop – 5 & 6 December 2014
A two-day sound event will take place in Brighton, England later this week, 5-6 December. Presented by Lighthouse and Creative Skillset, The Sound of Story will feature talks and workshops from from of the UK's top sound practitioners including Ray Beckett and Stuart McCowan, plus many others. For more information and to buy tickets, go to: … [Read more...]
It’s All in Your Head…
Have you ever stopped to consider the fact that all of the sounds we hear in our life are actually the result of post-processing in our brains? That what you hear might not actually be what the person next to you hears? The combination and coordination of organs that goes into the interpretation of fluctuations in atmospheric pressure is truly a marvel. We've given ourselves a … [Read more...]