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SPC3301/Group 5 - How to Improve Your Critical Listening Skills - Susan Toro

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Convolution is a mathematical process where two functions can be combined to produce a morphed version that has characteristics of both. A convolution reverb is a signal processor that can be modeled to make an audio signal sound like it's in a specific acoustical space, for example, Carnegie Hall or the Taj Mahal.

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While using stock sound effects can yield great results and save crucial time, accurately and convincingly depicting the visuals may require foley work.
Above image from Soundcrafter
As every professional filmmaker and videographer knows, even the most gorgeous footage and brilliant camera work can lose power when unaccompanied by sound. For maximum emotional impact, foley sound, like ADR, must match the actions in the video that was filmed. Here are some tips and tricks for recording foley and sound effects.
Image from Pyramind Studios
Soundstage & Acoustics

To capture a good recording, it is essential that your sound has sonic depth, width, and height. These spatial attributes are the difference between hi-fi and lo-fi recordings.

A typical room in an average sized home is going to be acoustically inferior to a larger room designed with acoustics in mind. Creating your own foley soundstage can aid you in squeezing that dimensional sound out of an average to smaller sized room. Additionally, the distortion of the depth, width, and height can be minimized by incorporating sound diffusion and sound absorption to nullify the room boundaries. The goal is to eliminate early reflections while maintaining a three-dimensional balance. That being said, constructing a soundstage is serious business. Let's get to work!

Check out this effective and affordable DIY tutorial for quadratic diffusion from Austin Community College - Music Business, Performance and Technology. Thanks guys!

Foley Objects

Foley artists use many objects to achieve accurate depiction of the visual. Depending on the genre of the film, anything and everything is fair game. Before recording however, the first step entails reviewing the film and compiling a list of sound effects in the order they are seen. Next, the foley artist must determine what objects are appropriate for each specific sound effect. There are a few tried-and-true objects and techniques Hollywood foley artists have used for decades including:

Thin sticks and dowel rods produce excellent whooshing SFX

Old chairs and stools are perfect for controlled creaking

Heavy-duty stapleguns serve for excellent gun noises

Roll up a large phonebook for realistic body punches

Twist and snap sticks of celery for convincing bone breaks

Corn starch inside a leather pouch makes the sound of snow crunching

Cut a coconut in half and line them with a soft material for a horse walking

Ball up and walk over old audio tape for the sound of grass footsteps

Locate an old car door or fender to produce metal and car crash sounds

Flap a pair of cleaning gloves for the sound of realistic bird wings

Here's an excellent video featuring Emmy nominated Foley Artist Caoimhe Doyle demonstrating some of these techniques.

Microphone Selection & Placement

Microphone selection is crucial to making foley audio "fit" with audio recorded on location. For interior scenes, a Neumann KM185, Oktava mk-012, Audix SCX1/HC or any hyper-cardiod condenser mic will capture good audio. Sensitive microphones are great at picking up subtle nuances in certain sound effects.
Image from Dare to be Digital
When matching foley for an outdoor scene, you may have better luck using a shotgun microphone similar to what is used on location shoots. There may even be some times where a large-diaphram condenser microphone is the way to go. By all means, use your ears to decide!

Proximity and placement of the microphone in relation to the source of sound greatly affects how the foley is recorded. Close-up shots may require closer microphone placement, or put distance between the mic and sound source if you desire more room sound. Always remember to experiment with different microphone positions and choose the placement and preamp levels that best represent the visual in the film.

Recording & Execution
Have any other foley tips and tricks? Make some noise in the comments below.
Foley artists have a very specific job in audio post-production that requires much creativity and improvising. Great detail is given to the breakdown and structure of the action that is being recorded. Check out the following video of foley artist Leslie Bloome to witness some of the ins and outs of the job.

Don't have time to foley? We've got a broad selection of SFX at PremiumBeat. Give us a listen.

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Recording Foley and Sound Effects: The Fundamentals

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Above image from Soundcrafter As every professional filmmaker and videographer knows, even the most gorgeous footage and brilliant camera work can lose power when unaccompanied by sound. For maximum emotional impact, foley sound, like ADR, must match the actions in the video that was filmed.

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10 CREATIVE IDEAS FOR SOUND EFFECTS CREATION WITH THE NO-INPUT MIXER TECHNIQUE 

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10 CREATIVE IDEAS FOR SOUND EFFECTS CREATION WITH THE NO-INPUT MIXER TECHNIQUE 

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For his latest SFX libraries, Stuart Keenan from Glitchedtones explored the No-Input Mixer sound design technique. And in this special A Sound Effect guide, he shares how you can start using this creative approach to creating new - and surprising - sounds.

He's also generously giving away 40 premium recordings made with the No-Input Mixer technique, for free! Here's Stuart Keenan with more on all this:

The No-Input Mixer technique turns any regular mixer into an instrument which generates sound by connecting the output of a mixer into one of its inputs, resulting in a feedback loop which can be played and controlled using the mixer's knobs, faders and routing options.

Most-famously used by pioneering Japanese noise musician Toshimaru Nakamura and aptly described by Canadian musician Christian Carrière as 'the sound of the circuits inside the mixer singing', the No-Input Mixer has a wealth of both beautiful and anarchic audio waiting to be uncovered and is a useful, versatile instrument to add to the sound designer's arsenal of sound generating techniques.

By introducing the instrument to the creative process, the sound designer is opened up to a multitude of unique audio possibilities. Unsettling soundscapes suited to science fiction, dystopian and horror projects, impacts, interference, broken transmissions, drones, malfunctioning machinery, future technology sounds and glitch elements are just a few of the fruits of the No-Input Mixer.

A plethora of twisted tones await anyone willing to unearth the sonic treasures of the signal gone 'wrong'

While a single output into an input brings instant results, it's when multiple outputs and inputs are connected that the fun really begins. When coupled with guitar effects units or anything else which will affect the signal, a plethora of twisted tones await anyone willing to unearth the sonic treasures of the signal gone 'wrong'.

An example of sounds created with the no-input mixer technique

Please note that caution should be applied when creating feedback loops as there is some potential to damage equipment. We are, after all, connecting things 'incorrectly'. Also, things can get loud, very loud. Having said that, I haven't managed to break anything just yet and have recorded numerous sessions using a No-input Mixer. It's best to get used to using your master volume as a panic control if things get a little out of hand.

10 No-Input Mixer Tips and Tricks

1: When starting out with the No-Input Mixer, it is perhaps best to not use headphones in case of any unpleasant surprises. With speakers, start off at a low volume until you are comfortable with how it all works. However, a limiter can always be used to reduce the risk of any unwanted audio nightmarescapes!

2: Keep things simple to begin with. A single channel feedback loop with no effects can produce plenty of great source material to work with and is the simplest way to get acquainted with the mixer being used as an instrument.

3: Use very short movements when tweaking your mixer controls, the smallest increment may produce a fantastic sound which could be missed if you are a little too quick on the knob or fader.

4: It is a good idea to have an EQ in the signal path as your mixer's EQ controls will no longer be operating in their usual way due to the feedback loop. Tweaking the EQ as you go can help you sculpt a huge range of sounds from a raw feedback loop.

5: If you come across a sustaining sound that you like, let it run for a while without changing any of the mixer controls. The feedback will sometimes just stop by itself, but can often evolve into some really nice (or nasty) variations of the initial sound.

6: For a variety of drones, consider using an octaver, or simply pitch down an octave or two with software afterwards. Adding distortion will create harsher drones, which can easily be toned down and shaped with some filtering and EQ.

7: Science Fiction effects and atmospheres come easy with the No-Input Mixer, particularly, when delay units are included in the signal path. Try using a high feedback setting on the delay and experiment with the device's settings, manually tweaking the delay time often brings a decent array of sounds, too. It's also worth noting that when using a stereo delay, a feedback loop within a feedback loop can be created by connecting one of the delay's outputs to its input.

8: When using battery powered guitar effects pedals, don't worry if batteries are running low as this adds sonic artefacts which won't be there when the power is at full, which is a nice little bonus!

9: Record everything! Many tones can be missed if record is not enabled while experimenting, so it's best to get in the practise of capturing everything the instrument outputs from the very beginning, as it can be difficult to reproduce a sound exactly.

10: Finally, have fun, experiment, improvise and look at the No-Input Mixer as a unique sound generating tool you can delve into whenever you want a break from the more traditional sound design techniques. Also, playing with feedback and noise is just incredibly satisfying!

Get 40 premium No-Input Mixer recordings - for free!

Stuart Keenan has compiled a special selection of 40 sound effects (548 MB total!) from his 'Feedback Loop FX & Atmospheres' and 'Signal Interference' SFX libraries - and he's giving those away for free, as a taste of what's in the full libraries.

Just enter your name and email address below to get the download link + the much-loved A Sound Effect newsletter:

NB: If you don't receive the email with the download link, please check your spam folder. Oh, and existing newsletter subscribers can of course get the sounds too.

Two SFX libraries created with the no-input mixer technique:

Feedback Loop FX & Atmospheres

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10 Creative Ideas for Sound Effects Creation with the No-Input Mixer Technique (+ get 40 free SFX!): | A Sound Effect

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For his latest SFX libraries, Stuart Keenan from Glitchedtones explored the No-Input Mixer sound design technique. And in this special A Sound Effect guide, he shares how you can start using this creative approach to creating new - and surprising - sounds. He's also generously giving away 40 premium recordings made with the No-Input Mixer technique, for free!

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Cool Movie Effect Sounds Perhaps

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No Input Mixer, sound design