Sound effects. Sound effects are used in so many of our
popular media today. Can you think of
one area of medium in which we don’t, at least once per show, hear some type of
sound effect? I might even go as far to
suggest that music can be considered a sound effect. Have you ever listened to an older radio
program and hear the classic sting instrument accompaniment? The classic “Duhnt Duhnt Duhnnnn” for
suspense or the stringed instruments violently ranging up the keys to build
tension? How about a plain old frog? How
about the sound for a blow-dart? These sound
effects are not generated from the original source, but re-reacted in a studio
with what have you. Who has time to
bring in frogs and bugs to recreate a bayou or fifty thousand people to
recreate a crowd? No one that’s who, so how do they do it? Lets talk about it!
Apart from using a studio that can
isolate the abstract and random noises you don’t want in a recording, sound
effects can be crated in your own home.
Have a quiet space, no distractions, and hopefully no outside sounds
such as construction or heavy vehicles.
Let your imagination wander, I remembering reading up on a technique to
re-create frogs crocking by using a stick with a tight cord tied to both ends
of a bow. By making the cord as tight as
possible and lightly dragging the bow across the string recreated a strange low
sound similar to sandpaper and humming.
The result was a sound that, with a little practice, was very similar to
a frogs croak.
Here are some more random fun sound
effects discussed by the pros!
1. Car Engine:
If you need a car engine sound, buzz into a brass mouthpiece – (tuba/baritone) or bassoon reeds – and pitch shift it down. -Ellen Lurie
If you need a car engine sound, buzz into a brass mouthpiece – (tuba/baritone) or bassoon reeds – and pitch shift it down. -Ellen Lurie
2.
Body Hit / Face Hit
Rolled up newspapers being hit with
a (soft wooden) stick are meant to be good for body and face hits.
- Paul
Arnold, Gordon Hall
Take a steak cut, and slice against
the gain into two pieces. Slap the meat
tighter to create an over the top “slap” of flesh on flesh. – Richard Sample
3.
Arrow Fly By
Use a thin bamboo stick, such as the
type used to hold up plants in a garden. Whip it past the microphone.
- Adam
Johnson
4. Mine Car
Roller coaster. - Ben Burtt
Roller coaster. - Ben Burtt
For more fun check this out!
Thanks for the tips. I could've used the one about a car engine on my last sound design project. Instead I went with the over complicated idea of using animal noises pitch shifted.
ReplyDeleteThat sound like an interesting project, Wendell. You should share it here.
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