chapter 01 intro to audio in mm

ChapterChapter0101::Introduction to Audio in MultimediaIntroduction to Audio in MultimediaPrepared by : Nur Muizz Mohamed SallehPrepared by : Nur Muizz Mohamed Salleh

TalkTalkLayoutLayout

Overview of Audio ApplicationOverview of Audio Application

Audio for Video and FilmAudio for Video and Film

Audio for MultimediaAudio for Multimedia

Audio for WebAudio for Web

Audio Production Team Audio Production Team

Audio ApplicationsAudio Applications

Sound Versus AudioSound Versus Audio

Sound is a form of energy, just like electricity and light. Sound is made when air molecules vibrate and move in a pattern called waves, or sound waves.

Audio can be defined as any sound in a form of digital like voice, music, narration and others that can be heard.


Audio DefinitionsAudio Definitions

A popular form of sound used in multimedia A popular form of sound used in multimedia is called sampled sound or digital audio.is called sampled sound or digital audio.

Hi-Fi, stereo, digital audio, CD-ROM quality – terms relative to sound.


Audio DefinitionsAudio Definitions

Digital audio data are the actual Digital audio data are the actual representations of sound, stored in the form representations of sound, stored in the form of thousands of individual numbers (called of thousands of individual numbers (called samples). samples).

The digital data represent the instantaneous The digital data represent the instantaneous amplitude (or loudness) of a sound at amplitude (or loudness) of a sound at discrete slices of time.discrete slices of time.


Sound has been a vital element in our lives. We invented words to communicate with each other.

Babies make up their own sounds when they Babies make up their own sounds when they want t o tell you something. want t o tell you something.

Today sounds has become so integral in our day-Today sounds has become so integral in our day-to-day functions – appliances like the TV, radio, to-day functions – appliances like the TV, radio, CD player and even our car alarms and hand CD player and even our car alarms and hand phones are examples of technologies that can phones are examples of technologies that can play sound or have sound added to them.play sound or have sound added to them.


Sound has become a crucial element in our Sound has become a crucial element in our efforts to communicate our messages to one efforts to communicate our messages to one another.another.

Moving towards integrating the sound media in Moving towards integrating the sound media in our applications only serves to make our our applications only serves to make our presentations truly multimedia.presentations truly multimedia.


It captures attention. In a kiosk presentation in a trade show, for example, the sound will draw a passerby to your station, as it complements the graphics on the screen.

It increases the associations the end-user makes with the information in their minds.

An end-user is more likely to remember what he/she saw on the screen if he/she can associate it with the music he/she heard.


Sound adds an exciting dimension to an Sound adds an exciting dimension to an otherwise flat presentation. otherwise flat presentation.

It stimulates our aural senses, heightens our It stimulates our aural senses, heightens our awareness to the other elements at play in the awareness to the other elements at play in the presentation, thus receiving the message sent presentation, thus receiving the message sent in an enjoyable manner.in an enjoyable manner.

Audio for Video & FilmAudio for Video & Film

In recent years, audio become more important In recent years, audio become more important part of video, film and broadcast production.part of video, film and broadcast production.

With the introduced of multichannel television With the introduced of multichannel television sound (MTS) and surround sound - audio has sound (MTS) and surround sound - audio has grown to being a highly respected part of film grown to being a highly respected part of film and video media production.and video media production.


The public has come to expect higher level in The public has come to expect higher level in audio production quality due to the:audio production quality due to the:

common use of surround sound in the creation common use of surround sound in the creation of movie soundtracksof movie soundtracks

the growing popularity of the growing popularity of surround in-home entertainment systems and

an ever-growing number of playback systems for sound, visual media, and computer media . .

A small studio. (Nathan Whiehead) (Courtesy of Loud Technologies, Inc., www.mackie.com.)

Studio 3 at One Union Recording Studios, San Francisco, CA. (Courtesy of Euphonix, www.euphonix.com; photograph by Edward Colver.)


http://www.mackie.com/


In this day and age, MIDI, hard-disk recording, time code, automated mixdown, and advanced processing have become everyday components of the audio environment...

..... requiring that professionals be highly specialized and skilled in order to meet the demanding schedules and production complexities.


With the integration of text, graphics, MIDI, digital audio, and digitized video into almost every facet of the personal computer environment...

..the field of multimedia audio has become a fast-growing, established industry that represents an important and lucrative source of income for both creative individuals and production facilities alike.


products for education, business, and entertainment, most of the robot-zappin’, dare-devil flyin’ addicts are probably aware that one of the largest and most lucrative areas of multimedia audio production is the field of scoring, designing, and producing audio for computer games.


Electronic Arts, Vancouver, Canada. (Courtesy of Walters-Storyk Design Group; designed by Beth Walters and John Storyk, www.wsdg.com; photograph by Robert Wolsch.)


Two types of sound for multimedia

Content Sound - Sound that included to give information in multimedia application

eg: narration, voice over

Ambient sound - the sound that did not provide information to audience

eg: sound effect, background music


In this day of surfing and streaming media off the Web, WWW has become an important marketing tool for cost-effectively getting downloadable - songs, promotional material, touring info, and liner notes.

As with other media, mastering for the Internet can either be complicated, requiring professional knowledge and experience, or it can be a straightforward process that can be carried out from a desktop pc


In this iPod world of MP3s, Windows Media, desktop video, Internet radio stations, and who knows what other types of streaming media, the rule that all cyber-producers live by is bandwidth.

the bandwidth of a media and delivery/receiving system refers to the ability to squeeze as much data (often compressed data) through a wire, wireless, or optical pipeline in as short a time as is possible.


Transmitting the highest audio and/or video feed over a limited bandwidth will often require specialized (and often accessible) production tools.

The Internet works by communicating requests and data from a user’s PC to a single server that’s connected to other servers around the world, which are likewise connected to other users’ PCs.


There are many advantages to adding sound to a website such as:

providing another dimensional aspect to the experience

creating otherwise unseen intentions to a website

adding another sensory perception to the multimedia experience.


Three possible way to put sound into a web

music - sound background

sound effects - sound of button clicked

narration - explanation about product


Background Sound

Here the audio file being played is one that will Here the audio file being played is one that will set a mood or ambience for the presentation. set a mood or ambience for the presentation.

Product launches will invariably have upbeat Product launches will invariably have upbeat music playing to create an environment of music playing to create an environment of excitement and anticipation. excitement and anticipation.

Company sales presentations may have a Company sales presentations may have a more melodic tune in the background to give more melodic tune in the background to give attention to the speaker supporting the attention to the speaker supporting the presentation. And edutainment titles will play presentation. And edutainment titles will play children's music, simple yet up tempo.children's music, simple yet up tempo.


Sound Effect

These sounds serve to punctuate an event. These sounds serve to punctuate an event. Clicking on a button may trigger the sound Clicking on a button may trigger the sound effect "Ding!" so that the audience is alerted effect "Ding!" so that the audience is alerted to the action. Transitions may have a to the action. Transitions may have a sweeping sound effectsweeping sound effect

Attached to them to accentuate the changing Attached to them to accentuate the changing of the screen. These effects are small in size of the screen. These effects are small in size but they are powerful in effect.but they are powerful in effect.


Sound Effect

Here speaker support is brought in. You may want Here speaker support is brought in. You may want to have built-in narration introducing your product to have built-in narration introducing your product over some background music. over some background music.

These eliminates the need to have someone These eliminates the need to have someone standing at the front talking. Narration breaks up standing at the front talking. Narration breaks up the flow of the background music. the flow of the background music.

It is recommended that the narrations be kept to a It is recommended that the narrations be kept to a minimum in a presentation or it can sometimes be minimum in a presentation or it can sometimes be disruptive. But if it is in a CBT (Computer-Based disruptive. But if it is in a CBT (Computer-Based Training) module, narrations are integral as the Training) module, narrations are integral as the training is self-directed.training is self-directed.


Tips for Web Sound Design

pay attention to the sounds around you in your everyday life. Imagine how you would recreate them with effects.

focus on sounds that have the highest emotional impact.

use silence in your soundtrack.

the audio elements should have harmonious rhythm or pattern when played in sequence.

keep your soundtrack varied and simple.

try to orchestrate the sounds in your mix so that they use the entire frequency spectrum of bass, midrange & high-pitched tones


Things to avoid:

never embed sounds on the first page of a web site

avoid monotonous loop - keep loops attractive to the ear.

using low-resolution audio and low-quality audio. poor recording will sound even weaker on the Internet.

Audio Team ProductionAudio Team Production

‘‘One of the most satisfying things about being in the professional audio [and music] industry is that sense that you

are part of a community.’’ –Frank Wells, editor, Pro Sound News

When you get right down to the important stuff, the recording field is built around pools of talented individuals and service industries who work together for a common goal—producing, selling, and enjoying music.


The following sections describe but a few of the ways in which a person can be involved in this multifaceted industry.

The artist

Studio Musicians & Arrangers

The Producer

The Engineer

Mastering

The DJ


The ArtistThe strength of a recorded performance begins and ends with the artist.

All the technology in the world is of little use without the existence of the central ingredients of human creativity, emotion, and technique.

Just as the overall sonic quality of a recording is no better than its weakest link, it’s the performer’s job to see that the foundation of all music—its inner soul—is laid out for all to experience and hear


Studio Musicians and ArrangersA project often requires additional musicians to add extra spice and depth to the artist’s recorded performance. For example:

A member of a group might not be available or might not be up to the overall musical standards that are required by the project.

An entire group of studio musicians might be called on to provide the best possible musical support for a high-profile artist or vocalist.

A project might require musical ensembles (such as a choir,string section,or background vocals) for a particular part or to give a piece a fuller sound.

If a large ensemble is required, it might be necessary to call in a professional music contractor to coordinate all the musicians and make the financial arrangements. The project might also require a music arranger, who can notate and possibly conduct the various musical parts.


The Producerhelp the artist and record company create the best possible recorded performance and final product that reflect the artist’s vision.

a producer acts collaboratively with an artist / group to guide them through the recording process.

This type of producer will often:

Assist in the selection of songs

Help to focus the artistic goals and performance that best conveys the music to the targeted audienceto the targeted audience

Help to translate that performance into a final, salable product (with the technical and artistic help of an engineer and mastering engineer)

to understand the process of creating a final recorded project from several perspectives: business, musical performance, creative insight, and mastery of the recording process


The Engineercan best be described as an interpreter in a techno-artistic field.

must be able to express the artist’s music and the producer’s concepts through the medium of recording technology.

During a recording session, one or more engineers can be used on a project to:

Place the musicians in the desired studio positions.

Choose and place the microphones.

Set levels and balances on the recording console or DAW mixing interface.

Record the performance onto tape or disk.

Overdub additional musical parts into the session that might be needed at a later time.

Mix the project into a final master recording in any number of media and mono, stereo, and/or surround-sound formats.


Mastering

It’s not uncommon to have to tweak a final master recording in terms of overall and relative level, equalization (EQ), and volume dynamics so as to present the final ‘‘master’’ recording in the best possible sonic and marketable light.

This job falls to a mastering engineer, who will listen to and process the recording (often but not always in the digital domain) in a specialized, fine-tuned monitoring environment.


The DJLet’s not forget one of the more important links for getting the musical word out to the buying public: the disc jockey (DJ). Actually, the role of disc jockey can take many modern-day forms:

On the air —The DJ of the airwaves is still a very powerful voice for getting the word out about a particular musical product.

On the floor—This DJ form often reinforces the messages from the airwaves or helps to promote the musical word in a counter-cultural environment.

On the Web—Probably one of the more up-n-coming voices for getting the promotional word out to a large number of specially targeted audiences (both in the mainstream and in specific counter-cultures).

CAREER DEVELOPMENTCAREER DEVELOPMENTthere are a lot of people who are waiting in line to get into what is perceived by many to be a glamorous biz.

So, how do you get to the front of the line? Well, folks, here’s the key...

A ton of self-motivation

Good networking skills

Here are a few tips on how to get started:

Choose a mentor (sometimes they fall out of the sky, sometimes you have to develop the relationship).

Contact companies in your area that might be looking for interns.

Use your school counselors for intern placement.

Pick the areas you want to live in (if that is a factor).

Pick the companies you are interested in.

Target these areas and companies.

Visit or send resumes to companies or studios that interest you.

Send out lots of resumes.

Follow up with a phone call.

Visit these companies just to hang out and see what they are like.

Follow up with another phone call.

CAREER DEVELOPMENTCAREER DEVELOPMENT

CONT...

Pick the companies you are interested in.

Target these areas and companies.

Visit or send resumes to companies or studios that interest you.

Send out lots of resumes.

Follow up with a phone call.

Visit these companies just to hang out and see what they are like.

Follow up with another phone call.

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!Q & A SESSIONQ & A SESSION

chapter 01 intro to audio in mm

Technology

audio sound

sound audio

audio applications sound

film audio

audio environment

field of multimedia

sound media

audio production qualitydue