Design Decisions: Video: Projects: Sound Design

  • What are best practices for recording clear sound effects?

  • What are best practices for mixing sound effects to go with video footage?

What am I making?

  • Adding Sound Effects to a video, at least one of which you created, so that every sound in the video has a sound.

  • A web page (example) on your Google Site titled "Sound Design" with a link to the Video including your Sound Effects

How do I make it?

  1. Great insights into the process from Hollywood foley (sound recording) artists:

  2. YouTube Tutorial: Editing and Mixing Sound with WeVideo shows the following (other video editors work similarly)

    • Upload any movies with your sound effects that you recorded

    • Upload any audio files with sound effects you found on free websites

    • Trim those clips

    • Place trimmed video clips with your audio effects underneath videos so you hear the sound but don't see the clip

    • Place trimmed audio clips in the audio track

    • For video & audio clips, reveal the sound levels and add blue dots on the blue line to set level points and do fades

    • Double-click on a clip on your timeline to access tabs for muting sound altogether (and check out other settings)

  3. Check out the Audio resources for more ideas and tips

Steps

  1. Watch your original movie. Make a list of what audio sounds you want to add at which moments. (and also sounds you want to replace!)

  2. Record sounds to match your list (and others just for fun!) - Find items and experiment. Practice making the sound. Then, control your environment so the only thing you'll be recording is your sound. Play back what you recorded, and record again if needed. Headphones/earbuds would help greatly.

  3. Convert the video files with your sounds into audio files in MP3, WAV, or AIFF or similar format.

    • Using QuickTime Player, go the File menu, Export As submenu, and select Audio Only, this will export an M4A audio file.

    • Then upload the M4A to Online Audio Converter and download a WAV format from there

    • or try CloudConvert

  4. Edit Sounds with something like TwistedWave

    • Sign up with Google email, can record clips or upload files.

    • Use the Edit menu to trim down clips

    • Use the Effects menu to heal noise, adjust the levels of different frequencies (EQ) or the whole clop (Amplify) or try Special Effects like Delay (to add some echo...) or do Fade Ins/Fade Outs

    • Use the File menu to Download... as an MP3, WAVE, or AIFF when done

  5. Look at WeVideo's/iMovie's/your video editor's audio library and see if any clips will match what you want.

  6. For the ones you can't find there, go to free websites in the Audio resources, and also record at least one sound using your phone or similar device. (Make sure nothing else is making noise in the background when you record!)

  7. Upload, trim audio clips, add to the timeline, and adjust levels in all clips.

  8. Watch and listen to your movie with the updated audio, and make any final adjustments.

  9. Export the movie.

  10. Upload edited movie to Vimeo, and embed the video on a new Google Site Page called "Sound Design" along with what you learned, then Publish the site, copy the page link, and turn it in Google Classroom.

Career Connections

  • Sound is critical to successful videos; so being good at producing it and mixing it is helpful!

  • Lots of jobs in sound for film and video production and post-production

Resources

  • more Audio resources, including free sound effects!