DELVING FURTHER INTO SOUND TERMINOLOGY

WHAT IS A DAW?

A digital audio workstation (DAW) is a software application used to record, edit, and produce audio. This is the sound industry's recording studio- where you can create audio for a wide variety of mediums including but not limited to; films, video games, music, podcasting, and television.

Various elements can be recorded and mixed, have their sounds amplified or compressed, and sounds can be tweaked to provide the audio of a different item from the original file altogether in one space. 

Earlier recording with hardware was more complicated and expensive before modern computers substituted most of the process with software. Before, a 'DAW' referred to any studio that included a computer. Now that technology has advanced, a single computer could be the central component for production.

The accessibility of DAWs has made them increasingly popular over the years for every type of producer. It provides a digital hub in which everything connects and doesn't require outside assistance. This is essential for bedroom producers and songwriters who may not have an opulent studio on the go. (Mitchell L, 2022)

MICROPHONES AND TYPES

A microphone is an instrument that captures audio by converting sound waves into an electrical signal. You'll often see these devices when a singer is performing, or when a voice actor is rehearsing.

As I've mentioned, there are two main types; condenser and dynamic. But what do these mean, and is one better than the other? Well, no. Both have pros and cons.

CONDENSER

Beginning with a definition, a condenser microphone is an electro-acoustic transducer, a device that converts energy from one form to another, which in this case, would convert sound waves into electrical signals. Unlike dynamic microphones known to use a magnetic coil to produce electricity, condensers rely on a charged diaphragm (a thin membrane that moves in reaction to sound waves) to generate an electrical current. This is why condenser microphones respond better to quiet sounds and capture a 'warmer' audio file.

If that completely boggled your mind, it basically makes them more sensitive than their dynamic counterpart and is tuned to capture subtle details within the audio. This is efficient in controlled environments and studios, as well as podcasters who need to capture clear sound.

Condenser microphones come in both large- and small-diaphragm models. Larger ones are commonly used for vocals, whereas small-diaphragm condensers are better suited for instruments. There are a few exceptions, such as all-purpose condensers that can be used for a variety of purposes.

However, a disadvantage may be the fact it requires an external power source named phantom power. This is a standard feature on audio equipment and is usually supplied by batteries or other supplies connected to the microphone. Such a sensitive microphone also makes it more susceptible to feedback, as well as breaking if used carelessly. Any outside noise in a room that isn't properly sound-proofed will be heard in the recording, as will mundane sounds such as tapping or a sigh.

DYNAMIC

Dynamic microphones are the most common type and are often used in live settings, like streaming, events, and concerts. They are less sensitive than condensers, lowering the chance of picking up unwanted feedback. A significant difference between both is that dynamic microphones do not require phantom power, making them more versatile and convenient.

Like condensers, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes with different purposes. For example, handheld microphones are used for vocals, whilst larger dynamic microphones are designed to capture low-end frequencies produced by percussion instruments.

However, because it is reduced in sensitivity, this results in poorer overall sound quality, and the microphone misses out on the finely tuned highs and lows your audio provides.

PICKUP PATTERNS

Now that we've finished talking about microphone types, what about the way they respond to directional sound? There are actually various types of patterns your microphone could have in which sounds it'll record.

The most common is omnidirectional, which means audio is recorded equally from all directions. This isn't well-suited for noisy environments because they will pick up all the sounds around you, not only the ones you want to record.

Another type is cardioid, which means the microphone will pick up sound from just the front. This is ideal for noisy environments, as you choose the direction in which the audio flows in.

The final type is bidirectional, which means the microphone registers sound from the front and rear but not the sides. This is ideal for use in studios and podcasts, as two performers can use the microphone simultaneously.

WHAT IS FOLEY?

The origin of Foley can be traced back to its namesake, Jack Foley, a pioneer in the film industry during the early days of cinema. This terminology refers to the auditory art of recording, creating, and layering custom sound effects for movies, television, and most latest, video games.

Specialized artists named Foley artists use various props and techniques to their advantage when mimicking organic, accurate sounds such as footsteps, fabric rustling, and object collisions or interactions, enhancing the realism and experience in partnership with visual stimuli. This is crucial for scenery and atmosphere to bring immersion, depth, and life onto the screen. 

Foley can enhance or draw attention to certain emotions and actions. A dramatic scene may drown out other audio and amplify the action that Foley artists want the audience to focus on. Providing custom-made sound effects makes it more accessible for producers to tweak and edit sounds to better fit the narrative, such as capturing subtleties of mundane sounds that are impractical to record on set or were not picked up by microphones clearly.

TYPES OF SOUND

With the abundance of sounds that are presented in television and films, Foley is classified into three distinct types. 

One is footsteps, which are difficult to correctly capture when shooting a scene, making them the most common production sound that is created. Recording studios contain a wide range of props that are designed to reproduce steps from any shoes on any surface with all kinds of footfalls- running, jumping, etc.

Another is movement, a subtle sound effect that clearly envisions a scene is the sound of movement or collision. This could rally up various layers of audio during a fight scene or action-packed montage, or the simple act of brushing past someone on set.

The last is specifics. These are sounds that do not originate from the first two and are outside stimuli, such as a phone ringing, a dog barking, or a door creaking.

WHAT IS DIEGETIC AND NON-DIEGETIC?

DIEGETIC

Diegetic sound is any sound that originates from the world of a film, TV show, or video game. If the characters can hear it, it's diegetic. 

A few examples are dialogue or an internal monologue, which is considered to be a diegetic sound as it's the voice inside of a character's mind. Through dialogue, we are shown the personalities and overall demeanor of characters and their relationships with one another. Each conversation and interaction is delicately orchestrated to feel authentic and realistic to grasp the audience's hearts.

Music integrated into the film's settings also counts, such as piano playing in a restaurant or a street performer banging drums. Any musical score or the soundtrack of the film does not count and is non-diegetic, which we'll get into in a moment. Anything happening within the narrative's premise is diegetic.

NON-DIEGETIC

Since cinema is primarily a visual medium, you could say the sound is an unsung hero of establishing a coherent and immersive experience for the audience. The final cherry on the cake in creating a wonderful piece of cinema is the soundtrack and musical score.

Non-diegetic sound is any sound that does not originate from the world of the film. These are usually audio effects implemented in post-production. Narration that is voiced by someone who is not audible to the film's characters is non-diegetic, and so is the soundtrack, sound effects, and music overlay outside of the film's world.

Non-diegetic doesn't have to be produced specifically for a film. Popular music is often licensed for a soundtrack to function the same way an original score would. Some audios may be perceived or start off as non-diegetic, such as music flooding into the introduction of a movie only to be revealed it had been coming from a radio.

Sound effects are usually diegetic, although they can be their counterpart to exaggerate a scene or for comedic relief, such as montages with Looney-Tunes-esque effects.

1.2

SOUND EFFECTS AND MUSIC TRACKS OF MY CHOICE

I have several scenes from this duo of movies that are fantastic visually and in terms of sounds, however I'd like to keep things varied and ultimately decided on this one. In the first few seconds, a blaring alarm accompanied with undertone music causes panic across the headquarters. This loops for a brief moment before abruptly stopping to slip in a joke concerning which Spider-Person they're looking for. The lack of music and sound altogether save for a few confused murmurs allows the viewer to focus on the gag.

The music returns once Miguel specifies who they're after, escalating until a smaller pause, then crashing down onto the scene as it springs into action. The animation is cut, presenting Miles attempting to escape hoards of Spider-People. The sounds are either collision against Miles with someone else, the shouts of those after him, or powers that are used in an attempt to capture Miles. Other than that, the music takes the cake, with heavy bass and up-beat vocals. Miles occasionally makes some comments as to fill in the deafening soundtrack, in which the music itself simmers down when particularly large actions or witty comments are made.

There's a lot going on, however it's controlled enough to the point where you can pinpoint where each sound is actually coming from. The clinking of plates, the complaints and shouts, and the consistent use of webbing are very distinct from each other and recognizable.

There's yet another pause (this lack of booming music that happens prior to such a scene is very common in these films), which depicts a Spider-Person in therapy in a tranquil environment, interrupted by Miles Morales and the others. Not only is the scene comedic, but it's a few seconds of fresh air from the turmoil we had witnessed. The music comes back in full-swing after a prompt slow-mo scene, and he's chased after once more.

It isn't surprising to say that a few more back-and-forths and light-hearted humor is spread across this scene further on, however near the end it changes in tone entirely. Whilst Miles, and even the audience, believes he's escaped the crowd. The music quietens, leaving the young boy's gasps for us to hear. Yet, he doesn't get a break for long, as Miguel's iconic theme fills the auditory void when he catches up to Miles.

It's dense, technological, but most importantly, threatening. A red glow is cast upon both of them as Miles escapes through a vent, the previous track returning as a base for Miguel's music. Miles soon flings himself out of the window, topped off with one final comment.

Now that I've boringly explained the scene, let's analyse it a bit more. Sound effects and dialogue is used sparingly, more of a crutch for the music to really flood in and set the mood instead. It's vibrant, bold, almost messy, however handles itself incredibly well. When there's dialogue or effects, the music loses some of its booming energy to give these small scenes an ability to convey themselves.

It's the type of chase that gets your heart racing, but not necessarily scared. Other scenes are certainly from frightening, however this one is just pumped with adrenaline. Despite the gorgeous and incredibly detailed visuals, it would lose its spark if played without the audio. The soundtrack brings the scene together.

As for my personal preference, I do prefer the original Japanese voice acting rather than the dubbed English, however, this was the highest quality I could find this particular scene in. The only major difference is Howl's voice being more raspy in the dub, whilst originally he's more soft-spoken. The same can be said for Sophie, although at times I like her English voice as it's more ranged.

Now, enough discussing the lifelong controversy between the original and English reiterations. Let's delve into the scene's sounds and visuals.

Beginning with the tender sizzle of oil and small collisions between the pan and spatula, you can practically smell breakfast through the screen. The fire and stirring is a small, almost unnoticeable sound, yet enhances the opening of the scene smoothly. Howl approaches and comments on Calcifer's compliance in regards to Sophie cooking with him. The fire demon's unique, bold voice clashes with Howl's rugged words, giving a sense of individuality to both characters. Whilst Sophie speaks to Howl in response to his question, the simmering of the food dims down to make way for their conversation so as to not overwhelm the audience with several sounds going off at once.

When Howl pushes past Sophie to take the lead, you can hear the jingling of his jewelry. The camera also pans towards his necklace to present where the sound is actually coming from. (I didn't even notice the jewelry making noise the first time I watched this!) The gentle rustling of clothes is also heard when they make contact, soon embellished by the subtle tap and 'whoosh' when Howl takes the utensil from Sophie.

A nice little detail I noticed is that when Howl stirs and asks for more bacon and eggs, he taps the spoon onto the edge of the pan to rid of the excess oil on the utensil. It's small sounds and gestures such as this that make the scene feel more authentic and domestic. Sophie soon hands two generously sized pieces of bacon, before rummaging for more eggs. The clink of the plate when she lifts it to scavenge into the basket, partnered with the rustling of her hand when searching, are a smooth chunk of audio layers that complement the more crackly sound of Howl cracking the eggs and frying with oil.

He dips the eggs' interior into the pan, throwing the shells for Calcifer to eat. The demon eats rather obnoxiously with how the audio is presented- loud grunts and chewing, further encapsulating his childish personality. They talk once more about why Sophie was hired before Howl calls Markl to set the table.

Even if the audience can't see it as we're focused on the trio, you can still very clearly hear the boy in the distance setting down the plates and clinking them together. The audio is versatile, and even when Howl turns with the pan, you can hear it going from one ear to the other. When Calcifer complains, his flames grow in size and volume. It shows his frustration from both an auditory and visual format and adds the authentic sound that a burst of flames would make.

Sophie joins them at the table as multiple sounds occur at once. Howl places strewn about books onto a messy pile that provides several thumps of them landing, whereas Markl tinkers with the kitchenware, which brings about a clear clink. Sophie moves to sit, and even when the camera is focused on only her, there is still noise going on outside of the frame. The audio doesn't 'forget' it's there just because you can't see the source, but because we've seen it before, we can imagine what the sounds belong to. Howl pushes the meal towards Sophie with a small swish of the plate, and tea is provided by Markl with a crisp pouring.

The scene then ends, which means I get to stop narrating. It's not the most outlandish, crazy, or surreal string of sound effects, but I find it very dear due to its genuine simplicity. It's putting in enough effort to include the mundane sounds of rustling and light collision, however doesn't try too hard with an over-the-top soundtrack overlaying it or cartoony sound effects. It's a warm, realistic moment, where breakfast is being served without any ridiculous add-ons that some movies may go for. Don't get me wrong, those do work at times. However, there's something about having a scene that feels authentic and homely that makes the audience relax and feel as though they're in that room witnessing the cookery.

STUDIO WORKSHOP PART 2

PRO TOOLS

During week 5, we made our own Pro Tools account and got started on using an audio software. Personally, I did find it confusing and had to consult Dean of several roadblocks I found myself in. However, I did enjoy learning a new program. Our sound files originated from BBC library where we picked a generous handful for the genre we're going for.

We learned how to import audio files, which are more accessible as a 'wav' file, and how to convert it to match the tempo of your project. I really enjoyed listening to the stereo and mono dials, which change where you hear the sound from. For example, mono focuses all instruments and sounds into one direction, such as from behind you or in front, and stereo is noise heard from all around the speaker or headphones.

It's important to file your sound files into a specific folder and name it to secure your progress. A roadblock I encountered in particular was converting zip files into usable audio files, which is indicated by an orange traffic cone as you can see in the first screenshot. The zip file will be shown as a normal file with a zipper sliced through it. 

You're also able to name your individual audios within the program and provide a small description for each one to make it easier to navigate. The slider in the last screenshot decreases or increases the volume of your sounds, similarly to a phone's volume slider. 

There are many keyboard shortcuts, one of which is Ctrl + = to swap back and forth between your audios and editing software.

More consist of;

New session → Ctrl + N

Open existing session → Ctrl + O

Open recent session → Ctrl + Shift + O

Select all → Ctrl + A

Play / stop track → Space bar

Duplicate track → Ctrl + Shift + D

Save → Ctrl + S 

Record → 3 on the numeric keypad

Stop recording → Space bar 

Group clips → Ctrl + Alt + G

Ungroup clips → Ctrl + Alt + U

Loop Clips → Ctrl + Alt + L 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ash A. (2023) What is Foley? The Hidden World of Movie Sound Effects [Online] audioapartment.com Available at: https://audioapartment.com/techniques-and-performance/what-is-foley/ [Accessed 6 October 2024] 

Heckmann C. (2022) What is Diegetic Sound — Definition, Examples & How It Works [Online] www.studiobinder.com Available at: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-diegetic-sound/ [Accessed 6 October 2024] 

KommandoTech (2022) Condenser vs. Dynamic Microphones: The Ultimate Mic Guide [Online] kommandotech.com. Available at: https://kommandotech.com/guides/condenser-vs-dynamic-microphones/ [Accessed 6 October 2024] 

Mitchell L. (2022) What is a DAW in music? Digital audio workstations explained [Online] blog.native-instruments.com Available at: https://blog.native-instruments.com/what-is-a-daw-in-music-digital-audio-workstations-explained/#how [Accessed 6 October 2024] 

In a group of four, we went outside to record our own sounds as we weren't able to the week before. Since there weren't many of us, we didn't go down to the studio and instead used our mobile phones to gather audios. This ranged from leaves rustling and grass swaying to broken glass and rattling fences.

I'll now experiment with the audio files we created (and perhaps some of the other groups' files) on ProTools. 

To record some of my sounds, we used a condenser microphone as it was most suitable to pick up on the small noises we produced. I know we used a condenser as it is the standard microphone to use in a controlled sound studio as it is so sensitive, which I have learned through my research. We were told to keep quiet when someone in the group made a noise as to not disturb the recording.

I assorted them in a staircase to hear them all clearly. I then began cutting out the loud bass of the wind present in my phone's recording as it's not professionally recorded in a studio. I also used a few assets from the other group, such as the tinsel and grass for my character to walk on.

Concerning the D-Verb, the various dials and switches confused me, and for some reason it's completely quiet when the reverb is active so I deactivated it. A similar situation occurred with the first bush sound effect, in which Click II was completely out of my radar when it came to knowing what to do with it, so I simply applied ComLim instead.

The compressor helped with audio files that had uneven volume. I would want the small steps of someone to be heard, but the grass swaying would be too loud. This reverb allowed both to be audible as I could balance the grass and steps without one being in the extreme. This allowed me to adjust the overall volume as well without overwhelming the other sounds occurring in unison.

The Expander/Gate helped squash down unnecessary buzzing or background noise, which was especially prevalent in recordings I got from my phone, such as the leaves rustling and bushes. I needed to rid of the background wind or at least quieten it down which was achieved by this audio edit. 

The pitch on the leaves rustling helped make it higher and lighter as it was originally harder to hear. This audio harbors both ExpGate and ComLim, as I wanted to balance the overall frequency but slice off background noise that was distracting from the main sound.

These are the bounce files I exported from the Pro Tools session I edited them on to use on CapCut.

This is the final rendition with my edited audio files carefully placed into CapCut and exported!

EVALUATION

I believe I did quite well with researching and describing the audio layered upon scenes in films. I made sure to go in depth about sound terminology as if speaking to someone who's never heard of it by providing examples and key words of each expression.

My research concerning garnering examples from animations such as Studio Ghibli and the SpiderVerse is arguably my strongest work in this unit. I think my wording, cohesiveness, and attention to detail really brought to light as to why I believe these scenes are powerful in their auditory aspects. 

The practical of recording our own sounds helped me understand a sound studio and its intricacies a bit more accurately. Learning how to navigate Pro Tools and alter my audios to my satisfaction was definitely difficult, but it was a learning curve I was willing to conquer (and eventually did with my final work!)

I adapted by using CapCut to shift the audio to match the action and animation visually. Using this application on my phone made it easier to edit my audios together and make sure it was accurate to the moving pictures.

My most prominent struggle was stringing the audios together on CapCut as my selection was limited. Either the wind was difficult to remove with compressors, or audios were too loud, harsh, and extreme for the serene forestry I was attempting to mimic. I had to duplicate several audios and sprinkle them across the animation to give it substance.

To remedy this in the future, I'll look into using a professional microphone instead of the audio recorder of my phone. (This would also prevent having to convert the audio file!) I'll certainly prioritize going into the sound studio and perhaps research what everyday objects can cause certain noises. (A carrot snapping can mimic a broken bone or twig, for example.) Instead of only one recording of everything, I'll take two or even three sets of a similar audio so I have more of a choice and diversity when I get to editing it.

Overall, I'm quite proud of myself as this is my first time ever editing audio in a professional program and applying it to my work. There is certainly room for improvement, however, which I believe could be smoothed out with more practice, adequate tutorials and research.

IMPROVEMENTS

To achieve an excellent, I've taken it upon myself to enhance and upgrade my final piece by adding diverse sounds to my animatic, expand upon some written work, and link research with my results to adhere to the criteria set for an excellent mark.

I will be recording my own sounds at home as I have more resources and plenty of time rather than a limited time frame in the studio. Doing this will also allow me to prove that I can produce sharp sounds by editing them in ProTools even though they originated from my phone's microphone.

For 'sad', I heightened the pitch (I've said that quite a lot, huh?) and messed with the Com/Lim slightly to make it louder and inflate that 'humph' sound.

FINAL PRODUCT

EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENTS 2.0

I am certainly more pleased with the new final product than I was with the older one. It felt like I just slapped the other one together carelessly instead of thinking about what sounds the animation required. Some sounds did go to waste, but in the bigger picture, I have improved quite a lot when it comes to the effectiveness of the animation's story.

I especially liked the small sounds Kokoro expresses in the new batch of audios as you can now tell not only visually, but by sound of how she feels. It's a thing in other media that I appreciate- emotions are not only articulated with spoken words.

Layering the sounds was also fun and gave the animation a certain depth I feel was lacking in the previous rendition.

Overall, I'm quite happy with myself! I'll certainly attempt to add my personal sounds to future projects for that unique charm of making something yourself and the result of it.