Sonic Design / Task 1

4/4/2023 - 25/4/2023 / Week 1 - Week 4
Nurul Adlina Rizal / 0345429 / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Sonic Design
Task 1: Audio Fundamentals

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JUMPLINKS

Lectures

Instructions

    > Exercise 1

    > Exercise 2

    > Exercise 3

    > Exercise 4

    > Exercise 5

Feedbacks

Reflections

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LECTURES

Week 1: 

Mr Razif briefed us on the module information booklet as well as looked at past student's works to get a grasp of what we will be doing this semester. Furthermore, he showed us the recording room which had all the equipment needed for a proper audio recording session. I thought it was very cool to see it in person. Then, he also talked to us about the headphones that we should use for this semester to support us in this module. 

Sound Fundamentals and EQ

What will we learn?

Nature of Sound

- a vibration of air molecules that stimulates our eardrums

Fig 1.0: Phases of Sound (4/4/2023)

Air molecules vibration & propagation = Sound Waves

- sound waves exist as a variation of pressure in a medium such as air

- created by the vibration of an object, which causes the air surrounding it to vibrate

- vibrating air causes the human eardrum to vibrate, which the brain interprets as sound

Production

The source of the sound

Propagation

The medium in which the sound travels

Perception

Sound captured and translated by our brain

Vibration: back-and-forth movement of an object

Sound waves are longitudinal waves.

Sound travels quickest in a solid because the molecules/particles are close together. 

Echo: Bouncing back of sound

Frequency is measured in Hz

Psychoacoustics

the study of subjective human perception of sounds

- includes the psychological responses and impacts

Wavelength: the distance between any point on a wave and the equivalent point on the next phase

Amplitude: strength or height of the wave

Frequency: the number of times the wavelength occurs in one second

Properties of Sound

1. Pitch

Vibration per second = Frequency

Less Vibration = Low Pitch = Low Frequency

Hz = cycles per second

2. Loudness

3. Timbre (quality of the sound)

4. Perceived Duration (pace of the sound)

5. Envelope

6. Spatialization

Range of Human Hearing

20 Hz to 20 kHz 

Fig 1.1: Ranges of Frequency (4/4/2023)

DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)

We're using Adobe Audition!

Week 2:

The most used equalizers are:

1) Graphic Equalizer

- to correct something

2) Parametric Equalizer

- increase or decrease the loudness of the frequency

Week 3: 

Basic Sound Designing Tools

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) / sound editing software

01 Layering

- taking two or more sounds and placed on top of each other 

- allows you to blend and mix various sound

02 Time Stretching

- the ability to take a sound that plays at a certain length and sonically stretch the audio within set parameters without changing the pitch 

- fix your pacing

03 Pitch Shifting

- to change the pitch of a sound without changing its actual length

- higher pitch > tiny sound > small subject/cute/toddler

04 Reversing

- can give a weird and unnatural sound 

- couple it with layering techniques

05 Mouth 

- can't find the sound you want, mouth it!

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INSTRUCTIONS

Task 1
Audio Fundamentals

Week 1 (4/4/2023)

Class Exercise 1:

Sound Fundamentals - Equalizer 

Using the Parametric Equalizer :

Fig 1.2: Parametric Equalizer (10/4/2023)

EQ 1

Fig 1.3: EQ 1 Parametric EQ (10/4/2023)

EQ 1 sounded like it did not have enough bass compared to flat so I increased its bass as seen in the figure above. 

EQ 2

Fig 1.4: EQ 2 Paramatric EQ (10/4/2023)

EQ 2 was a bit harder for me I thought that the bass was not apparent but actually it was the treble. 

EQ 3

Fig 1.5: EQ 3 Parametric EQ (10/4/2023)

EQ 3 was also tricky because I knew it was somehow in the middle ground yet the treble still felt quite soft to me so I increased the mid-range and treble. 

EQ 4

Fig 1.6: EQ 4 Parametric Equalizer (10/4/2023)

Week 2 (11/4/2023)

Class Exercise 2:

Sound Shaping

Google Drive Link: 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BfrgSELwRAp76WraSPVjHXDLqP-yCkt9

(contains all the audio in Week 2)

We are tasked to shape audio based on scenarios which are:

1. Telephone Voice

I basically lowered the bass and treble, increasing the mid-range. 

Fig 1.7: Telephone Voice Parametric Equalizer (11/4/2023)

2. Walkie Talkie

Walkie Talkie is similar to the telephone voice but I basically doubled the Parametric Equalizer and lowered the gain. This is to make the very muffled yet loud walkie-talkie sound effect. 

Fig 1.8: Walkie Talkie Parametric Equalizer (11/4/2023)

3. Muffled sound

Cut out the treble and kept the bass. 

Fig 1.9: Muffled Sound Parametric EQ (11/4/2023)

4. Megaphone

I cut out all lows and highs due to the megaphone not having much dynamic. 

Fig 2.0: Megaphone Parametric EQ (11/4/2023)

Next, we have to shape voices in a room or big spaces. Now we can use Reverb. 

1. Bathroom 

Muffled + Reverb, like we're listening in on a conversation from a toilet stall.

Fig 2.1: Bathroom Voice EQ (11/4/2023)

Fig 2.2: Bathroom Voice Full Reverb (11/4/2026)

2. Stadium

Fig 2.3: Stadium EQ (11/4/2023)

Fig 2.4: Stadium Reverb (11/4/2023)

3. Announcement in the Airport

Fig 2.5: Airport EQ (11/4/2023)

Fig 2.6: Airport Reverb (11/4/2023)

Week 3 (18/4/2023)

Class Exercise 3:
Sound Layering and Effects

For Week 3, we were tasked to do explosion sounds by layering them. Each track had different effects applied. 

Fig 2.7: Explosion Multitrack (30/4/2023)

For Track 1, I applied no effects.

For Track 2,  I increased the base with the Parametric Equalizer. 

For Track 3, I used Stretch and Pitch to stretch it.

For Track 4, I added Surround Reverb and Chorus.

For Track 5, I reversed it to have a buildup before the actual explosion. 

Final Explosion Audio

Fig 2.8: Final Explosion Audio Exercise (30/4/2023)

Next, we had to do Punches sound effects. 

Fig 2.9: Punches Multitrack (30/4/2023)

I layered the tracks each with a different effect used.

Track 1, had no effect applied. 

Track 2, I increased the pitch in Pitch Shifter

In track 3, I lowered the pitch in Pitch Shifter and increased the bass in the Parametric Equalizer. 

Lastly, for Track 4, I used Stretch and Pitch to increase the pitch and stretch the waveforms to make it shorter. 

Final Punches Audio

Fig 3.0: Final Punches Audio Exercise (30/4/2023)

Week 4 (25/4/2023)

Sound Exercise 4:

Environment Soundscape

For this exercise, we have to create a soundscape based on the images given by Mr. Razif. 

Environment 1

In Environment 1, the image given was of a futuristic laboratory with many bubbly containers. The main one contains a tree inside. 

With that, I searched for laboratory sounds, bubbling sounds, keyboard typing sounds as well as marching sounds. I decided to use marching to signify soldiers passing by inspired by Star Wars. 

Here are the sources:

There is a total of 6 tracks, each labeled as seen in the figure below. The effects added are mostly panning and pitch shifting. The first keyboard typing is on the right side stereo while the second is on the left side, signifying space and also the busy working atmosphere. 

Fig 3.1: Multitrack Screenshot (9/5/2023)

Environment 1 Audio Final

Fig 3.2: Environment 1 Image (9/5/2023)

Fig 3.3: Final Environment 1 Audio (9/5/2023)

Environment 2

In Environment 2, the image given was of a huge laser in a futuristic laboratory or factory. The main focus is the laser. 

With that, I searched up ambient factory sounds, computer beeping, and many laser sounds to layer it with. I also added screen tapping noises for the person tapping on their tablet, maybe to initiate the laser. 

Here are the sources: 

There are 6 tracks, as seen in the figure below. The effects used were Reverse for laser charging and Parametric Equalizers to increase the base and gain of the tapping and computer beeping. 

Fig 3.4: Multitrack Screenshot (9/5/2023)

Environment 2 Audio Final

Fig 3.5: Environment 2 Image (9/5/2023)

Fig 3.6: Final Environment 2 Audio (9/5/2023)

Week 9 (30/5/2023)

Exercise 5

To practice for Project 2, we were tasked to create a radio advertisement/commercial using our voice recording done in the studio. I was tasked to become the voice actor in my group and it was very nerve-wracking. I felt like I was making a lot of noise, breathing, and lip-smacking I felt bad that our group had to edit it later on. But Mr. Razif said it was all part of the exercise. 

The script: 

Getting married this year? Organizing a corporate function that needs all the trimmings? Sophie's Elegant Events is your premiere event coordinating and concierge firm. We coordinate and cater events of all sizes, specializing in theme weddings and receptions. Don't wait until the Spring to give us a call. We want to make sure that your wedding goes off without a hitch, and that means planning ahead NOW! Call us at 555-1290 to make your dreams come true.

Final Audio

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FEEDBACKS

Week 2

General Feedback: -

Specific Feedback: EQ 3 is not very detailed / defined. Good work on completing the exercise. 

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REFLECTIONS

For Task 1, I had a good time doing all the exercises given since they introduced me to Adobe Audition as well as got me used to its functions. The program is very versatile and can shape any sound. It was also a good way to revise the things I have learned in the previous classes on audio editing as well as learn new things that Mr. Razif taught us. One of the strengths I have in this Task is my listening sensitivity. I know what is considered good or bad audio. However, I still need to work on figuring out how to manipulate the bass and treble to get the sound that I want. I observed that Reverb and Pitch Shifter are two FX I should work on learning because it is difficult for me to understand even when I play around with them. I also observed that my classmates take an effort to add little details in their audio such as audios the background that helps create quality work. I should learn from their efforts. In conclusion, I gained new knowledge of the basics of sonic design and skills from Task 1. 

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