When I think lo-fi, I think lo-fi sci-fi. I think of games like Alien Isolation, Bioshock, SOMA. Films like Alien and Blade Runner. I think of gritty, chunky sounds. Interfaces or devices that click and clatter and that have been through the ringer more than once. I think what makes lo-fi sci-fi so great is how everything seems to be grounded in some sort of … [Read more...]
EQ as a Sound Design Tool
Ah EQ. The first type of DSP you learned how to use in school to make your sounds clean, bright, warm, etc. EQ is so much more interesting and powerful than just changing tonal balance though and I want to really focus on some of the crazy sound design we can do with an EQ, some by exploiting the DSP going on under the hood that makes an EQ work. I'll be going through some of … [Read more...]
Creative Field Recording: How to Record Quiet Nature Sounds
Image from Creative Field Recording In this article, Paul Virostek gives an overview of the challenges which field recordists face while recording quiet outdoor spaces and how he deals with "the threat of noise." [It] is the more subtle atmospheres that prompt one of the most perplexing questions of the craft: how can you record quiet wilderness sounds? Read the full article … [Read more...]
Making a Plasma Gun from a Beer Can
Designing sounds for really large or complex objects can be really intimidating especially for younger sound designers and those with limited access to sound libraries. I’ll be showing you how I go about breaking down complex sounds into simple little sounds that we can easily access with household objects, and then we will build our complex sound using these techniques. This … [Read more...]
Fluidity – Streamlining your workflow
When I think of ‘fluidity’ I think of workflow, efficiency and productivity. How do you connect with your tools to create incredible auditory experiences? Most importantly; How efficient is this process? Working in audio we all know the dream scenarios we envision are far from reality. There’s always less time than we planned. Someone’s added a new animation and decided not to … [Read more...]
Creative Props – Hunting for Insipration
The most fun and creatively satisfying part of sound design, to me, is finding everyday objects and using them in a way no one designed them to function. Recording your own material is rewarding and something I urge everyone to do. In this I want to outline my process in finding new and creative props to create new and creative sounds.. Sometimes the sound you need is sitting … [Read more...]
Sunday Sound Thought #76 – Your First Rig
As established audio professionals working in various industries, we generally have access to the resources we need. We have access to mic lockers, field recording kits, sounds libraries, etc. And with these resources comes the opportunity to learn more about sound recording and to improve our capabilities. And of course, the income we receive helps give us the … [Read more...]