I recently had the chance to chat with Jad Abumrad, creator and co-host of WNYC's Radiolab. Each episode of Radiolab explores ideas in science, technology, and the universe at large through a seamless blend of expert interviews, sound design, and music. Together with co-host Robert Krulwich, the show has covered topics such as sleep, colors, cities, and loops, just to name a … [Read more...]
Alternative Reality Sound: Acoustic Remodeling of a City
Guest contribution by Tom deMajo A special thanks to co-founder Tom deMajo of the game studio Quartic Llama. Tom is an artist and sound designer who currently resides in Dundee. Earlier this year, Quartic Llama was approached by the National Theatre of Scotland to make a game as part of a city-wide trans-media project called other, supporting the theatrical debut of “Let … [Read more...]
Can’t We All Just Get Along? Arguments about acoustics and design
Guest Contribution by Steven Klein There are many reasons for conflicting viewpoints and misinformation on studio design / acoustics. This article will examine components contributing to the confusion along with some advice on how to avoid common pitfalls. Chaos (Merriam-Webster Dictionary: the inherent unpredictability in the behavior of a complex natural system.) We … [Read more...]
From Wax to Bits: Dynamics of the Film Sound Medium
As dynamics month comes to a close, I thought it would be fun to talk about the evolution of film sound mediums and how they impact dynamics. Since the widespread introduction of sync sound to films in the early 20th century, the technologies involved have changed quite dramatically. From experiments with wax cylinders and phonographs to magnetic tape and Dolby Digital, each … [Read more...]
Compressor Gain Control Principles
Herbert Goldberg has an interesting article up about compressors and the though process behind designing their inner workings. That fits nicely into this month's theme, don't you think? Technically speaking the same principles are used in audio signal limiting and compression processors but just the transfer curves and envelope follower settings are different. Ultra fast … [Read more...]
Room Tone = Emotional Tone: The Importance of Hearing Ambience
am·bi·ence noun /ˈambēəns/ ambiances, plural; ambiences, plural The character and atmosphere of a place - the relaxed ambience of the cocktail lounge is popular with guests Background noise added to a musical recording to give the impression that it was recorded live Wherever you may be reading this article, stop whatever you are doing, and … [Read more...]
Ariel Gross Guest Post: ‘I Feel Like a Fraud and So Can You!’
This is a guest article written by Ariel Gross, Audio Director of game development studio Volition Inc, which produces such PC and console titles as the Saint's Row and Red Faction series. You can view Ariel's introduction post here. I Feel Like a Fraud and So Can You! Every now and then I feel like a fraud. Every now and then I feel like I'm merely masquerading as a … [Read more...]