In this first artefact workshop, we were tasked with providing sound for two clips. We had to take these short animations and bring them to life using different sound editing, layering, and synthesis techniques that we were taught in class. This was a great opportunity for me to expand my knowledge of sound design and prepare for the final project submission.
The first clip I was tasked with completing was for a user interface loading screen. I had to create all the sound design for this using nothing but sound synthesis. SInce I had experimented already experimented heavily with synthesis in my first year projects, this was a breeze for me. I was able to use 3 different synths to create swirling pads and rumbling bass motifs that lined up with the movement of the animation – Operator, wavetable and analogue, each of which producing a unique layer to add to the overall sound.
For the basis of the artefact I used 2 different sounds of an analogue synth to provide an underlying drone layer. I used an analogue synth for this because of the warm tone it produced. It was also easier to use to produce a full sounding pad in comparison to the other synths which was a welcome bonus. I also used it to create a thumping bass which lined up with the outbursting arrows in the animation. This added character to the video, providing a sense of movement in the image.
I used an arpeggiator accompanied with the operator synth to animate the lightbulb forming. I wanted to create a sound that emulated the movement of the small pieces forming together and the fast arpeggiator was useful to create that sound. I used the operator synth to get a clean thin tone to match the material of the glass lightbulb. Something that the analogue synth might have struggled to replicate.
In the next clip, I was given a choice between three different character animations to bring to life through sound design. I chose the steampunk robot. In this clip, we see a robot walking on what seems to be a metallic surface (perhaps a submarine exterior?) on the ocean floor.
To obtain some of the sounds for the robots’ vocalisations and movements, I used a plugin called Reformer. This plugin allows you to perform pre-recorded audio with a microphone to style, shape, and match your behaviour to what is happening on screen. It uses an algorithm to choose splices of clips to best suit your performance, with several sound libraries to choose from.
I used the electric setting to emulate the sparks on the inside of the robots head. This is something that would be fairly difficult for my to replicate myself or find in a sound library so by using the reformer plugin I am able to create and design sounds to fit my narrative. By doing this I am essentially able to save vasts amounts of time and stress if I were to try record them myself.
You can see a perfect example of reformer being used by sound designer Tsvi Sherman in the youtube video linked below. In the video he is able to use the plugin to design foley using his vocal input to sculpt the dynamics of a scene from the video game ‘Witcher 3’. As you can see, the plugin is simple, effective and very quick to use.
Sometimes to create a sound instead of recording the desired object for the action you want, it is more beneficial to layer multiple different sounds on top of one another to create a more dramatic effect. Usually for something like film or tv, the authentic sound can be percieved as dull or uneventful. This is where layering comes in handy to create more dynamics and add depth to the foley.
A great example of this is in the film ‘Jurassic Park’. In the sound design commentary for the film, the sound designer Gary Rydstrom analyses all of the layers that went in to designing the sound of the T-Rex. Showing us the first on-screen appearance of the dinosaur in the film, he explains how they used the sounds from all sorts of animals including a lion, whale, and most importantly a baby elephant. All of these sounds were combined to create the magnificent roar you hear from the dinosaur, giving an already intense scene a terrifying edge.
As I mentioned earlier with authentic sounds sometimes being perceived as dull or boring, Gary explains in the video that if they were to design the sound of a T-Rex the way it would have sounded realistically, the only noises the T-Rex would make would be the “gurgling of its stomach”, leading to a much less intense moment in the film. Which is why occasionally you have to over-emphasise certain aspects of the sound design to really bring out a reaction in the viewers. You can see this video linked below.