When we say “space”, people generally think of two things: outer space, or a bounded area that something fits into. It's a safe bet that most people in the sound community immediately think of the latter. So often we focus on the characteristics of a space...how far a sound carries, reflections and reverberation time, etc. Certainly that helps us define a space, but...for the … [Read more...]
Article With Neil Benezra In CineMontage
If you made it to the Designing Sound mixer we held during the AES conference in New York last year, you may have met Neil Benezra. Neil is a Brooklyn based sound designer and mixer, and he's just shown up on the cover of the latest issue of CineMontage (the Motion Picture Editor's Guild Journal). We're always happy to see members of our community being recognized. Why not go … [Read more...]
An Acousmatic Invitation
An epiphany Silence! Be quiet! Because listening is active, because the birds have already left but their sound still reverberates. Silent all ears that listen, stunned by the noise that is gone but still relishes. The soundtrack? Our life! That one of changes, transition, mutation and mysteries, that one able to peer into the recesses of the deepest realities, responsible for … [Read more...]
Practical Exercises for Critical Listening
Sound designers by nature have an inherent curiosity towards sound. We explore the way sounds work every time we approach a project. With each new opportunity to design a sound, we ask ourselves questions such as: What object/event produced the sound(s)? Where is the sound source located in relation to the listener, and just as importantly, how does (or how will) the sound … [Read more...]
The New Soundtrack – Perspectives on Sound Design
For those interested in the some of the current academic and research-led themes developing in sound design, the September 2014 edition of The New Soundtrack is dedicated to just this topic. Guest-edited by Sandra Pauletto (University of York), this special issue features contributions that explore the growing maturity of sound design and the breadth of the topic as … [Read more...]
Just Listen
Back around the time I was first starting out, I remember opening up a demo of Cubase VST (on my trusty PowerMac 6400) and taking a look through the various menus. Everything seemed pretty standard, but something in particular caught my eye, a menu item labeled “Ears Only”. Curious, I clicked on it, only to have my monitor go completely blank. After a few seconds of panic … [Read more...]
Designing GuitarMonics for Kontakt
Guest Contribution by Rodney Gates Greetings! Welcome, and thanks for checking out this (TL;DR) article on the creation of the virtual instrument sample library, GuitarMonics, designed for Native Instruments’ Kontakt software. It was a long road from concept to completion, and I thought it might be a good idea to discuss some of the processes and discoveries I learned along … [Read more...]