Class Notes & Exercises
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Practical & Tutorial Class
In today's class, lecturer brief us through the module information booklet and our future assignments. He also showed us seniors' works. I am really looking forward to these assignments because it sounds so interesting especially the audiobook. So far, we don't have a lecture today, but we are to watch the tutorial video as this helps with our exercise and following works.
Seniors works:
Exercise 1
We are given 6 different music clips (eq 1-6) to match 1 of the given music clips (flat). Lecturer teaches us how to use Adobe Audition to do some basic musical adjustments. Before we do anything, lecturer teaches us to do a simple setting: Edit > Preferences > General > Multitrack > Exclusive.
For this exercise, we are to upload the given music clips onto Audition, then create a multitrack session, we will use this to align all the music clips together, allow us to do comparing and adjustment more easily. Then, we use Parametric Equalizer to start adjusting the bass, treble and mid of the music. We need to adjust it until it sounds the same as flat music clip.
The following are my submission for this exercise:
1. eq1
3. eq3
4. eq4
5. eq5
6. eq6
Reflection
From this exercise, I get to train my listening skills, observed the details, major and minor differences of each music. This will help me to notice the details in music and makes me realize small changes can change the quality and uniqueness of music a lot. I also learn some components of music. It is an interesting learning technique, and I enjoy the music too. I feel this sound design skills can really help me to develop better interactive spatial design in future. I feel grateful for being able to learn this.
Week 2
Self-Directed
In self-directed lecture class, we learn about nature of sound. Sound is a vibration of air molecules that stimulates our eardrum. During production stage is a vocal cord or speaker vibrate and causes air molecules to vibrate and travel. While in propagation stage, the medium which is air molecules, they vibrate and travel to destination (our ear). How does the sound perceive? The vibration of air molecules/sound is captured and translate by our brain.
A graphic show how does the sound produced, traveled and perceived:
Sound travels in a wave motion named as sound wave. It is interesting to see the motion graphic that mimic how the sound travels. The sound can travel through different medium no matter it is solid, liquid or gas, this explains why we can hear sound even though we are surrounded by closed wall. During the travel of sound, the wavelength, amplitude and frequency affects the properties of sound.
6 properties of sound:
a. Pitch - Squeaky / high-pitch sound
b. Loudness - How loud the sound
c. Timbre - Quality of sound
d. Perceived Duration - How do you perceived the sound
e. Envelope - when does the sound get loud or softer
g. spatialization - the placement/location/direction of the sound
Vibration per second = Frequency
- means that less vibration ~ low pitch ~ low frequency
Tutorial & Practical class
In today, we learn about 'Sound shaping'. We use equalizer to adjust human voice, by adjusting the bass, treble and mid, we can remove or add the noisy 'sizzling' sounds that usually produced when human record their talking sound in a device or we can add in more bass to create a muffled sound. The purpose of this procedure is also to make different types of recorded human voice that can be used in a lot of scenarios. We also learn to apply the equalizer in order to export an adjusted audio clip in a mp3 format. Basically, we need to adjust the frequency of the audio clips to differentiate and change the audio.
The next exercise is to create sounds from different space. Decay time is about how long the sound get faded out, perception is about how much the sound travel/bounce in the space, whether it is easily absorbed or reflect around.
Exercise 2
1. Sample_voice_telephone
2. Sample_voice_in the closet
3. Sample_voice_walie-talkie
4. Sample_voice_in the bathroom
5. Sample_voice_in the stadium
Reflection
Self-Directed
We learn about basic designing tools in today's self-directed class. Basically, it is about various tools in Adobe Audition that we can use to create different kinds of sound effect. These are the 5 simple and basic steps of creating sound effect. First, is layering, this helps us to create a richer, more high quality and interesting sounds. Next, it's time stretching, this helps us to slow down/speed up the sound if needed when there is a time limit. By doing this, we can actually create a more high or low pitch sound too. Pitch shifting is just adjusting the pitch just like its name. High pitch sound creates a more cute, squeaky sound while low-pitch sound is deeper and calmer. While for reverse technique, it helps us to create a weird sound, it helps us to add in an unnatural sound that might needed for a purpose, or we use it for layering. Mouth it is when we cannot find any sound effect we want, we create it ourselves by recording it.
The art of sound design, sound can be more important than visual; by using sound, we can use sound to create a story on itself. Sounds create emotion. With sound, a video clip can be more interesting, immersive and brings out more emotions and curiosity.
Sound effect sources:
- Video Co-pilot motion pulse
- YouTube
- Epidemic sound
- Any online sources
To start learning sound design, finding high-quality sounds is important. Next, experimenting. It helps to sharpen your skills and explore more sound design techniques. Start by adding atmosphere sound, like ocean, mountains, birds chirping, water flow and etc. We then observe the characters in the video clips, what they are doing and what kind of sound would they made. Then, observe it more in details, is there a bird flying through, is there a leaf falling indicating wind flow, etc.
Normally, 3 sounds per scene is enough. Find a focus point in the clips, focus on creating sound for that and create sounds around that. The sound should be very obvious, if it is loud, it's ok, because the volume on devices is usually low due to personal preferences. Thus, people might not be able to hear it if the sound effects are too low.
Adding sound to dynamic movement, the sound of movement might be subtle as we don't want to cover the focus point there unless the movement is the focus point. The movement sound should be timed perfectly to match the movement in order to really create the feel of movement. When the video with sound effects feels better than the video without it, it is already a success. 'Less is More', do not add too much sound effects as it might ruin the video.
Tips:
- Organize your sound, name it correctly.
- Add constant power to smoothly fade in/out
- Be creative
- Don't use the same sound effects all the time
- Set your volume to 60-70% while sound designing
Tutorial & Practical Class
Today, we learn about more features in Adobe Audition to adjust the audio. For examples, we learned about effects feature, we are given some more exercises to train our skills. We need to create an explosion sound, a fire-crackle or fireworks sound and a triple-punch sound effect. I have a really difficult time to create the firework sound as all the mix and match just made me lose the essence of firework sound. I tried at least 4-5 times until I really create something that I think is similar to firework
What is Diegetic VS Non-Diegetic sound?
Diegesis - The world of the film and everything in it.
Everything the character interact is diegetic while everything audience received are non-diegetic.
Michele Chion creates the visualization of differences of diegetic and non-diegetic:
Acousmatic zones: sounds we hear but don't see
Diegetic sounds include dialogue, sound effect in the settings like fly flying, basically everything a character can hear or acknowledge. Thoughts that sound are considered as inner-diegetic sound. When a character is thinking something in their mind, there are narrative sound, this is also diegetic sound.
But a narrative from a narrator that don't have a role in the film, is non-diegetic sound. Because the characters cannot hear it. Like music score, some sound effect that create a joking ambience, sad ambience and etc. are all ono-diegetic sound.
Trans-diegetic, happens when the diegetic and non-diegetic sound switch places. When we expect a sound is non-diegetic but actually it appears as diegetic, that is actually trans-diegetic. Trans-diegetic plays with audiences' expectations and it contribute to add more characteristics into a scene, amplify an ambience and overall, makes a scene more interesting.
Creative expectations are when sounds do not belong into these two categories. Sometimes, it confused audiences, but it definitely adds a fun element into the scene.
In today's class, we learn to do sound design inside the multitrack session, adjusting the pan, volume and equalizer. To add pan or equalizers, Multitrack > Show Envelopes > Enable Pan/Equalizer 1/2/2/... Our class activity is to create a distant plane jet and human voice sound from left to right or right to left from a distance. The below audio clips and screenshots are my outcomes for this activity.
1. Distant Plane
We also got a chance to view the recording studio in Taylor's University. Mr. Razif introduce the devices and equipment to us one by one. The studio is surrounded by sound-proof foam material for blocking the distractive noises, prevent the sound disturbing people outside the studio and keep the sound inside studio. We also have multiple wooden structure that reflect the sound waves to keep the sound evenly distributed. Mr. Razif work on the digital workstation which basically is like Adobe Audition but in a more convenient display and control form.
We also go into the recording space to view the interior design and learn about microphone use for recording purpose. There is a pop filter for filter pop/powerful vowels sound like 'p' and prevent saliva entering the microphone.
Some pictures I took in the studio:
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Exercises
In today's exercises, we need to create an ambience sound based on the picture given. We are to observe closely and analyze the elements inside the picture. We need to figure out what kind of sound we need to include in and which parts we need to focus more.
Analyzation
From my observation, this space is quieter as there is only two people which looks like soldiers who are guarding the facilities here. They look like they are talking peacefully which means that currently, this place is safe, and they are relaxing a bit during work. There are no other people in this facility which means that they are probably on break or are in other mission. Thus, this place should not have other human voices other than these two soldiers with walking and metal rattling sound.
It is daytime, as the sunlight are pouring into the facility. I can't really see what the environment is outside but based on my analyzation, since the people here are protecting the trees, this might indicate that they might in a dangerous situation where nature elements are going through extinction. Thus, the environment outside should be dangerous to live in indicates there are no living things outside. The environment outside should be hauntingly quiet, but there will still be wind blowing sound.
The interior environment should be quiet too. There might be some computer system sounds like beeping, fan turning sound. The structures that contain the trees should have some nature sound because there is still air inside that structure, but all the sound should be muffled. There might be water pumping and flowing sound inside the pipes as the trees need water.
My production for this environment:
It looks like a science factory where scientists work together to create something. This looks quite futuristic. There should be a lot of machines working sounds with some computer sounds. The focus should be on the big machine which shooting out a laser shot. There should be some constant lasering sound here.
There are scientists talking in the background. So, there will be some talking and walking sounds here too. The floor looks very smooth as it reflects the light well, this might be smooth concrete floor. It looks like a very large space. Thus, the sound should be echoed. There should also be a little bit of air puffing sound here and there as the machine moved.
My production for this environment:
Thanks to Mr. Razif, bringing us to view the recording studio, it was a unique experience as I have never been to one. For this week's lessons, we learn more about Adobe Audition. I really like the exercise given as I can explore my creativity in it. I have fun analyzing the two environments and try to create ambience to it. I think I done a pretty good job for the first one, but I am not too sure about the second one. I try to mimic the machine sound, but the outcome seems too complicated. I hope it does create the ambience it needed.
After we select a category, we proceed to create a story with first person-perspective. We need to figure out what kind of sound we need to use in these scenarios and find it online. Then, we need to do layering, editing and combine these sounds to create the ambience we want. The final product should be able to tell the whole story by just using sound. People should understand our story by just listen to the audio.
I choose the cities + transport + exterior atmosphere. I create a story in class, about an office worker, getting tired by the office environment and take a short break at outside of the building.
Assignment 1
Week 9
Class Notes
Every microphone has a different polar pattern. We need to choose the suitable pattern for the kind of sound that we want to record, for example, like surrounding sound, voice recording and etc. Because each pattern can capture different kind of sound better. Thus, understanding polar pattern of microphones helps with the recording process.
The proximity effect is about the distant of the sound recorded affecting the final recoding sound. The closer the sound to the microphone, the base sound, the breathing will get stronger and obvious. While recording a sound further away, there will be another effect.
We have mixer to record different kinds of sound together. For example, recording a band music, the microphones are placed for every instrument to record the each of them clearly. Then, we have mixer to adjust the sound of the recording.
Lecturer introduce a way for us to record our sound for our project in individual room. We need to cover ourselves with clothes to block of all the noises outside and switch off the fan, aircon, anything that makes noises to produce a very suitable environment for recording the sound.
Practical and Tutorial Class
We do a small activity using the sample voice given before. Basically, we cannot reduce noise by cutting out the noise because this will affect the continuity of the sound recording. Thus, we need to use noise reduction to reduce the noises. First, we identify which part are the noises, select one of them and
Next, we need to make sure the sound is consistent. We identify the sound that is too loud, which is very easy to notice in the waveform, the loud noises are the one that is very long in vertical. Thus, we reduce the volume.
Then, we use DeEsser to reduce strong "S" sound.
add new multitrack - file - add video
Class Activity
Week 10
Class Notes
We have a very fun class activity today. We mainly do the class activity and our lecturer explain and guide us further on how to do our assignment 2. We can use AI to prompt our story content and generate the image for the story, by using ChatGpt and Leonardo.AI to create story and also images. We have a small tutorial on using these.
Class Activity
Lecturer gives us 5 different content to do voice recording, we need to pick only one and I choose the Cat Show. Then, I record the sound, clean the sound a little bit using mainly the noise reduction function. I also cut the start and end part of the recording as there is no content. Then, I find cat meowing to add in some cute sound effects and also 2 different music clips as background music. I blend the two music clips by lowering the volume of the music clips. The reason I use 2 music clips because I want to start the advertisement by a soft piano music, then I
How I record?
I use my phone, OPPO A96 to record this audio clips, I am in school's classroom so there is a lot of background noises. I only have a small towel to cover a little bit. I record the audio clips in the corner of the classroom to minimize the noises.
Product:
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