In a new entry in their podcast series, SoundWorks Collection speaks to Michael Raphael of Rabbit Ears Audio and Rudy Trubitt, Director of Audio for Lionel Trains. They discuss Rudy and Michaels experiences in sourcing new steam whistles for Lionel's new products, exploring the challenges presented in recording the high-SPL steam whistles and the recording techniques they used, … [Read more...]
Synthesis Tips for the Non-Synthesist
Guest Contribution from Steven Smith Introduction In some ways it seems quite strange to find myself authoring a post on synthesis that has as its main topic: “Not everyone needs to be a synthesist”. But from another angle of practicality, it makes a great deal of sense. Many of us already have found ourselves naturally diving into certain areas of synthesis from within the … [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...]
Planes, Trains and Automobiles …and tanks and bikes and boats and…
Guest Contribution by Stephan Schütze Why I am not going to tell you which microphone to use The simple answer to this statement is, because we don’t have time. The exact choice of which microphone to use for each situation of recording a vehicle is a detailed exercise and would take more pages than we have space for. Even then, there is a major flaw associated with the … [Read more...]
Happy Accidents: Embracing the Unexpected
Allow me to share a story with you: It was the weekend before the holiday break. Our horror film shoot had been going on for a few days, and as was typical of December at the base of Cape Cod, the weather was frigid and rapidly getting worse. With reports of an approaching winter storm, we frantically worked in the freezing cold to finish our exterior shots as quickly as … [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...]
Video Games and Loudness Standards: Interview with Sony’s Garry Taylor
The issues of loudness and dynamic range are common across all audio/visual media, but recently this conversation has been gaining traction within the game audio community. Following his presentation 'Fighting the Loudness War' at the Develop conference in early July, I contacted Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's Audio Director Garry Taylor to discuss the subject … [Read more...]