03 the sound designer

Sound & DesignThe Sound Designer

Computer Sound Production

COSC2190 | Computer Sound Production

Sound Design is the process of creating the overall sonic character of a production.

In terms of Film and Video, it is to producing the sound track what cinematography is to producing the picture.


The term Sound Designer was first used as a professional craft designation in theatrical film in 1979 when an academy award for sound design was given to Walter Murch for Apocalypse Now.

Over the years, the sound designer is the one person responsible for creative control of the audio. Like the cinematographer, who is responsible for the overall look at the picture, it is the sound designers function to put a coherent sonic stamp on the production and the one member of the audio team who has the directors ear.



Element of Sound Structure & Their Effect On Perception


3 domains to work with in creating a sound design:

Speech

Sound Effect

Music

These aural agents are powerful in creating, supplementing and complementing cognitive & affective information.

All sound speech, sound effect & music are made up of the same basic elements:

pitch, loudness, timbre, tempo, rhythm, attack, duration and decay.


Each element contains certain characteristics that affect our response to sound, understanding those effects are fundamental to sound design.

Perception effect ) ) )


Pitch : refers to the highness or lowness of a sound. High-Pitched sound often suggest something delicate, bright or elevated; low-pitched sound may indicate something sinister, strong or peaceful.

Loudness : describes sound in terms of how loud or soft it is. Loud sound can suggest closeness, strength or importance; soft sound may convey distance, weakness or tranquility.


Timbre : is the tonal quality of a sound. It not only identifies a sound source, reedy, brassy, tympanic, but also sonic qualities such as rich, thin, edgy or metallic. Reedy tonal qualities produced by a clarinet or oboe, can suggest something wistful, lonely or sweet. A brassy sound can imply something cold, harsh, fierce, bitter, forceful, martial or big. A tympanic or percussive sound can convey drama, significance or power.

Tempo : refers to the speed of a sound. Fast tempos agitate, excite or accelerate; slow ones may suggest monotony, dignity or control.


Rhythm : relates to a sonic time pattern. It may be simple, constant, complex or changing. A simple rhythm can convey deliberateness, regularity or lack of complication. A constant rhythm can imply dullness, depression or uniformity. Rhythmic complexity suggests complication or elaborateness. Changing rhythms can create a sense of uncertainty, vigor or erratic.

Attack : the way a sound begins. It can be hard, soft, crisp or gradual. Hard or crisp attacks can suggest sharpness, excitement or danger. Soft or gradual attacks can imply something gentle or muted.


Duration : refers to how long a sound lasts. Sound short in duration can convey restlessness, nervousness or excitation - more-sustained sounds can create a sense of peace, persistence or tiredness.

Decay : how fast a sound fades from a certain loudness can create a sense of confinement, closeness or definiteness or uncertainty.


Function of Sound


Symbiotic RelationshipSound places the images in an emotional & physical context, helping us to decide how to take the image & how it integrates itself into everything else.

Speech

The interpretation is not the responsibility of the sound designer.

It has basically 2 functions, Narration & Dialogue.


Narration is usually descriptive & voiced-over.The narrator describes events from outside the action, not as a participant but as an observer.


Three categories:

Direct Narration describes what is being seen or heard.

Indirect narration adds more information to the picture. [For example the narrator tells that the person emerging from the car and going into the building is an ambassador on an urgent mission and is meeting with his counterparts from other countries in that building.]

Contrapuntal narration suggests counterpoints narration & action to make a composite statement not explicitly carried, suggested in either element. [For example, the action may contain people happily but wastefully consuming a more-than-ample meal while the narration comments on the number of starving people in the world. The conflict between the 2 pieces of information makes a separate, third, comment.]


Dialogue is a conversation between 2 or more people. Obviously, the verbal content of the conversation is essential to meaning but non-verbal sound in dialogue also shapes meaning.

-accent,

-pace,

-patterns,

-emphasis,

-mood.

Sound Effectscan be classified as anything sonic that is not speech or music. They are essential to storytelling, helping amplify the reality created in a production.

Contextual Sound emanates from and duplicates a sound source as it is.

-Diegetic sound coming from within the story space.-Non-Diegetic sound comes from outside the story space like the music score.

In other words, contextual sound is like direct narration.



Narrative Sound adds more to a scene than what is apparent and so performs informational function. Could be descriptive or commentative.

Descriptive sound describes sonic aspect of the scene.A child leaves the house on the way to the school, and you hear descriptive sound of the neighborhood: birds, one neighbor calling to another, a car turning down the street and a grinding sound of the school bus growing louder.

Commentative sound also describes but it makes an additional statement, usually has something to do with the story line. For example, a longtime sportive man is released from the team. As he walk across the playing filed for the last time, the wind comes up. Infused in the wind sound Is the faint sound cheering, giving the scene a wistful quality.


Breaking the screen planeThe presence of sounds changes the audience relationship to what is happening on-screen; it becomes part of the action, in a sense. Therefore, it can also be said that sound effects add realism to the picture.

Defining Space It defines space by establishing distance, direction of movement, position, openness and dimension.

Distancehow close to far a sound is, sound perspective.

By varying sound level, it is also possible to indicate direction of movement. As a person leaves the room, sound will gradually change from loud to soft.

Frequency also helps establish distance & direction of movement. As a train,car or siren approaches, its pitch gets higher, as it moves away or recedes, its pitch gets lower. This phenomenon is know as the Doppler Effect. (C.J. Doppler, early 19th Century Austrian Physicist)

Focusing Attention

Sound draws attention and provides the viewer with a focus. In a shot of a large room filled with people, the eye takes it all in, but if a person shouts or begins choking, the sound directs the eye to that event.

Establishing Locale

A cawing seagull places you at the ocean, car horns screeching brakes place you in a city traffic, the machinery places you in the factory

Creating Environment

A prison locale can be established in several ways but add the sound of loudspeakers blaring orders, picks and shovels hacking and digging, grunts of effort, dogs barking and you have created a brutal prison environment.

Emphasizing Action

A car crash becomes a shattering collision by emphasizing the impact and sonic aftermath, including silence.


Intensifying Action

Increases or heightens dramatic impact. Cartoons sound intensify the extent of a characters running, falling, crashing,

Depicting Identity

Sound can also give a character or object its own distinctive sound signature. The rattle sound of a rattlesnake to identify a bad guy with venomous intent for example.

Setting Pace

The controlled professionalism of two detectives discussing crucial evidence becomes more vital if the activity around them includes such a sonic elements as footsteps moving quickly, telephones ringing, papers being shuffled, and a general hubbub of voices.

Providing Counterpoint

Sounds become counterpoint when they are different from what is expected.


Creating Humor

Comic sounds are indispensable in cartoons but also in comedy movies.

Symbolizing Meaning

Sound can also give a character or object its own distinctive sound signature. The rattle sound of a rattlesnake to identify a bad guy with venomous intent for example.

Unifying Transition

Sounds provides transitions and continuity between scenes, linking them by overlapping (when the sound used at the end of one scene continues into the next without pause), lead-in (when the audio to the next scene is heard before the scene actually begins) or lead-out.


-Music in a production can have 3 uses:

As production source, source and for underscoring.

Production source music emanates from an onscreen singer or ensemble and is produced live during shooting or in post-production.

- Source Music is background music from stereo, radio, jukebox and so on, added during post.

- Underscore Music is original or library music added to enhance the informational or emotional content of a scene.


-Function of Music

Music performs many of the same functions shown in Speech and Sound Effect.

One essential diffenrence between sound effect and music in sound design is that sound effects are generally associated with action & music with reaction.



Establishing Locale

Many musical styles and themes are reflecting to particular regions. Asia, Hawaii, Spain, American West, the sea, outer space and other environments.

Emphasizing Action

By defining or underscoring an event. The crash of a chord defines the impact of a fall or collision. A dramatic chord underscores shock or a moment of decision. A romantic theme highlights the attraction between lovers when their eyes first meet. Tempo increasing from slow to fast emphasizes impending danger.

Intensifying Action

Usually by crescendo or repetition. The repetition of a short melody, phrase or rhythm intensifies boredom, the threat of danger or an imminent action.


Depicting Identity

Music can identify characters, events and programs. A dark, brooding theme characterizes the bad guy. A particular theme played during an event identifies the event each time it is heard.

Setting Pace

Mainly through tempo & rhythm. Slow tempo defines dignity, importance, or dullness whereas fast tempo suggests gaiety, agility or triviality. Changing tempo from slow to fast accelerates pace and escalates action, changing from fast to slow decelerates pace and concludes action. Regular rhythm suggests stability, monotony or simplicity, whereas irregular rhythm suggests complexity, excitement or instability.

Providing Counterpoint

Adds an idea or feeling that would not otherwise be obvious. Football players shown blocking, passing and running are counterpointed with a ballet music to underscore their grace & coordination.


Creating Humor

A sliding trombone, clanking percussion can define a comic highlight or underscore its humor. A fight is made silly, instead of violent by adding the sounds of boings, bonk & splats.

Unifying Transition

Same relationship than sounds are used. (transitions by Overlapping, Lead-in, Lead-out) A complete fade-in or fade-out makes a definite break in continuity. The music used at the fade-in would be different from that used at the fade-out.

Smoothing Action Scenes

In kinetic action scenes filled with quick cuts and rapid-fire sound effects, music is often used to smooth the abruptness of the shots and sounds and to create continuity.


Fixing Time

Among the many uses for musical style is fixing time. Depending on the harmonic structure, the voicings in the playing ensemble, it is possible to suggest the Roman Era, the Jazz Age, the Future, morning, noon, night and so on.

Recalling or Foretelling Events

If music can be used to fix a period of time, it can also be used to recall a past event or foretell a predict future event. A theme used to underscore a tragic crash is repeated at dramatically appropriate times to recall the incident. A character begins to tell or think about the first time she saw her future husband at a party as the music that was playing during that moment. A soldier kisses his girlfriend as he goes off to war, but the background music indicates that he will not return.

Evoking Atmosphere, Feeling or Mood

Perhaps no other form of human communication is as effective as music in providing atmosphere, feeling or mood.


SilenceSilence needs to be seen as the same level than audio form. Silence can be extremely powerful. A little girl is walking along a street wall, as she is progressing, silence heightens suspense to an oppressive level as we anticipate a danger, or an apparition working out. Silence is also effective sound. An explosion followed by silence.

The Visual earHearing a particular sound creates a distinct mental image.

The power of Sound to stimulate visual images is another formidable consideration in sound design.


Music in Spot AnnouncementsBecause of the effect on memory and emotion, it is a staple in spot announcement.

-Music creates mood and feeling.

-The purpose of most spot is to have emotional appeal.

-Music is memorable. Music in spot should have a simple, short, melodic line or lyric or both, something that sticks in

the mind and can be easily involuntarily, recalled.

-Music gets the audiences attention.

-Music can be directed to the taste of a specific audience.

- Music style can matched with the product.


Function of SoundIn Relation to Picture


Sound Parallels PictureWhat you see is what you hear.

A character knock at the door and you hear it.

Sound defines PictureAudio is not only dominant but it also determines the point of view.On the screen we can see a Police Squad is standing battle-ready in the middle of the street. A sound track consisting of crashing, breaking, yelling sounds suggests a citizens riot and cast the Squad as the protector of the law of the order. If you add the song Freedom, the music then casts the riot sympathetically and then the Police as oppressors.


Picture Defines Soundby calling attention to particular actions or images.A person walks down a city street with traffic sounds in the background, cutting to close-up of the traffic increases the impact of the sounds.

Sound and Picture Define EffectThe aural and visual elements are complementary.A wave building and then breaking on a beach, accompanied by the swelling and crashing sounds together create the overall impact of the effect. Cumulative effect.A man sitting on a bench in a park, watching a mother playing with her child, lovers walking hand in hand and teenagers playing football, accompanied by a music track that evokes a feeling first of pleasure, then loneliness and finally of futility.

SPOTTING

Spotting is the action of deciding on the placement of sound effects and music in a production on a spotting sheet.

Spotting takes place at different times in the production process, because sound effects can be produced during and after shooting, whereas music is usually spotted after the picture is edited.

It takes on consideration how the effects should be played, how active and dense are they.

In a dinner scene, do the sounds of plates, glasses, fork, continue through the scene and the various shot changes from long, to close-up?

Spotting Sound Effects

SPOTTING

Several questions to consider:

- How much music is there in the production?- Where is it used? How is silence used?- Where does the music enter?- How does it enter, softly or loudly?- How does it end?- What kind of music to use?

Spotting Music

ExerciseFilm or Movie example

Following the visual script, create a sound track.

FADE IN

INTERIOR. BEDROOM. MAN AND WOMAN IN THEIR MIDSIXTIES ARE SLEEPING. A CLOCK WORK SHOWS 6:00. FAINT SUNLIGHT IS COMING THROUGH AN OPEN WINDOW HUNG WITH LACE CURTAINS FLUTTERING IN A BREEZE. THE CAMERA SLOWLY ZOOMS IN.

FADE OUT

Cf. Stanley R. Alten Audio in Media

Computer Sound ProductionSlide Number 2Slide Number 3Slide Number 4Slide Number 5Slide Number 6Slide Number 7Slide Number 8Slide Number 9Slide Number 10Slide Number 11Slide Number 12Slide Number 13Slide Number 14Slide Number 15Slide Number 16Slide Number 17Slide Number 18Slide Number 19Slide Number 20Slide Number 21Slide Number 22Slide Number 23Slide Number 24Slide Number 25Slide Number 26Slide Number 27Slide Number 28Slide Number 29Slide Number 30Slide Number 31Slide Number 32SPOTTINGSPOTTINGExerciseCf. Stanley R. Alten Audio in Media

03 the sound designer

Documents

sound speech

brassy sound

loud sound

percussive sound

sound source

highpitched sound

sound sho

importance soft sound