Sound Design

Elements of Sound Design Objects - The things we have to work with to create soundtracks.  Dialogue  Sound Effects  Music  Silence

Techniques - What we can do with the objects. Mixing - the combination of..., the balance and control of amplitude of multiple sound elements. Pace - Time control. Editing. Order of events: linear, non-linear, or multi-linear sounds

Transitions - How you get from one segment or element to another. Segue - one element stops, the next begins. "Cut" in film. Crossfade - one element fades out, the next fades in, they overlap on the way.

Transitions continued… V-Fade - First element fades to inaudible before the second element begins. Fade to Black - V-Fade with some silence between elements. Waterfall - As first element fades out, the second element begins at full volume. Better for voice transitions, than for effects.

Kinds and Categories of Sound Effects

Real and Unreal Kinds of Sound Effects: Literal Effects - are intended to sound like what it is supposed to be. It associates in our minds with specific events, and tells us clearly what is happening. Once established, they can be used again to return to a place, event, or image, easily and quickly. - Running Water * Over rocks * In the sink * In the shower

Real and Unreal Kinds of Sound Effects: Non-literal Effects - are sounds used to indicate an event, without being "like" the actual sound of it.  A ghost  A shark swimming underwater

Categories of Sound Effects Ambience (atmospheres or backgrounds) - Provide a sense of place where, and perhaps of time when, events occur. Background sounds which identify location, setting, or historical time. "Every place on the planet has its own voice. And that voice changes with the time of day and time of the year."

Categories of Sound Effects Discrete (Spot) Effects - Indicate individual events; tell what, how, and how much.  Brief individual effects, or composite of effects, specifically placed and timed for a single action. Foley Effects are incidental naturalistic sounds of movement and business, recorded to match the action.  Many spot effects can be made with the mouth, the hands, or with small noisemakers.

Categories of Sound Effects Wallas - Crowds. "Walla walla" of many people in a crowded situation, without specific voices or words being distinguishable.  “Soda, water, cheese and crackers….”

Categories of Sound Effects Dialogue - Don't forget that dialogue is sound, too. The character of the voice indicates a lot about who the character is. Also think about vocal contrast; choosing voices that differ enough to be easily identified and differentiated by the listener.

Categories of Sound Effects Silence. … A dramatic element. It can be very loud.

Layering Mixing two or more sounds together to create a combined sound that is more than each of the individual sounds alone. Often consists of non- specific background with added "associative" sounds to help identify or differentiate specifics.

Examples of Layering… Restaurant scene might begin with voices and kitchen noises in background, then add foreground plates, silverware, and pouring of wine begin to define what kind of restaurant we're in. Wilderness scene might have birds and insects, but you add distant wolf howls, or close up footsteps, and chain saws, and the story already begins to unfold without any dialogue.

Audio Library Used to gather audio samples that can be used again in other projects. Online libraries are available to help small indie companies/individual developers 

Foley Artist  Foley Artist It is the responsibility of the Foley artist to create the sound effects. They are responsible for ensuring that all props are brought to the recording studio when needed. The Foley Artist will make sure that the playwright includes all sound effects in the script. Use recorded sounds &/or live sounds.

Fun Videos About Foley Artistry &feature=related &feature=related