In the pre-internet and pre-broadband age, knowledge of and acquiring sound effects was largely gained from experience, trial and error and available libraries. With the advent of isdn and the web, the seemingly instant acquisition of audio sounds both free and paid for, and the availability of the sources of sound effects increased dramatically.
Categories of Sound Effects
Sound effects are generally and largely categorised into a few simple areas.
Spot effects. One-off very apparent effects that feature in the production on their own. For example, a Car Horn, a Starting Pistol, a Scream.
Atmospheres. Underlying effects that convey the ambiance of an environment. For example sounds in a forest, a city street, or an imaginary place created by the writer.
Background Sounds. Effects that are often a collection of singular effects but t collectively they convey a coherent background : e.g. a restaurant - with the separate effects of diners talking, cutlery on plates and glasses clinking, music, corks popping together clearly suggesting a restaurant; or an ancient battle can be created by mixing sounds of men shouting and crying in pain, swords clashing, horses galloping, bugles and canons dependant of course on the time period.
Found Sounds. Some effects are best created or found in the environment and in the Real World.
Processed Sounds. Technology has enabled sounds to be generated to represent ‘real’ sounds or as a source of totally new electronic ones.
The Sources of Sound Effects
There are only a few commonly available sources of sfx.
-On pre-recorded sound effects cds available to buy, from various sound effect and music library sources.
-An increasing number of websites offer both free downloads, and commercially available feeds, or cd copies.
-Self recorded sounds are a good way to build a sound effects library, but limited obviously to the accessible sounds.
-Swopping sounds with other studios or sound engineers, or just asking for them. There is usually a great camaraderie of people looking for the right sound effects.
And don't forget sounds can be made up. Some sounds can pass very easily for others, hitting a cabbage can sound like a punch; chop it on a board and it sounds like a human limb being cut off; old fashioned recording tape scrunched together can pass as fire.
Early Radio Theatre and Film Sounds
Many of the sounds heard in early radio theatre were sounds created on a ‘sound stage.’ In radio this tended to be a small area where a sound operator with the necessary equipment would follow the script as the actors did and would create the sounds live as the play was broadcast.
Knocks on a door, door opening, glass being poured, gunshots etc, were all created usually in a very small area or contraption of the operator’s making and often with small doors, keys turning in different kinds locks all attached to the same door, and boards with salt, or sand in them to create sounds of walking and running. Created again by the sound operator running or walking!
This idea later transferred to early film and the pioneering work of Jack Foley, who gave his name to such effects. Foley Effects.
Making the Sounds, Sound Real
Sounds themselves, heard out of context can often be hard for the listener to imagine or sometimes even recognise. The producer or sound engineer knows exactly what the sound is, from the cd cover, their own recording, or downloaded from the internet. The listener doesn’t have that advantage. The following will help put the sound in context, whether its use is in the middle of a radio play, as part of an insert in a music programme, a programme trailer, radio ad, or setting for a feature. Remember
-Set the sound in context in the script, (as the Goons regularly did – “here we are inside this grand piano” mix to sound of tinkling string in a piano)
-Give the listener more clues than necessary. Say the action is happening inside a car, and what’s happening.
-Sound effects help the listener’s imagination, they don’t necessarily replace words.
-Sounds build pictures, and bar the obvious sounds; they may still need some introduction.
-Set the scene with words as well as music and sounds, and silence as necessary.
Simple sounds are often best. Remember too, an Owl hoot can instantly say ’It’s Night,’ much better than a complex mix of sounds.
Author Paul Linus
Categories of Sound Effects
Sound effects are generally and largely categorised into a few simple areas.
Spot effects. One-off very apparent effects that feature in the production on their own. For example, a Car Horn, a Starting Pistol, a Scream.
Atmospheres. Underlying effects that convey the ambiance of an environment. For example sounds in a forest, a city street, or an imaginary place created by the writer.
Background Sounds. Effects that are often a collection of singular effects but t collectively they convey a coherent background : e.g. a restaurant - with the separate effects of diners talking, cutlery on plates and glasses clinking, music, corks popping together clearly suggesting a restaurant; or an ancient battle can be created by mixing sounds of men shouting and crying in pain, swords clashing, horses galloping, bugles and canons dependant of course on the time period.
Found Sounds. Some effects are best created or found in the environment and in the Real World.
Processed Sounds. Technology has enabled sounds to be generated to represent ‘real’ sounds or as a source of totally new electronic ones.
The Sources of Sound Effects
There are only a few commonly available sources of sfx.
-On pre-recorded sound effects cds available to buy, from various sound effect and music library sources.
-An increasing number of websites offer both free downloads, and commercially available feeds, or cd copies.
-Self recorded sounds are a good way to build a sound effects library, but limited obviously to the accessible sounds.
-Swopping sounds with other studios or sound engineers, or just asking for them. There is usually a great camaraderie of people looking for the right sound effects.
And don't forget sounds can be made up. Some sounds can pass very easily for others, hitting a cabbage can sound like a punch; chop it on a board and it sounds like a human limb being cut off; old fashioned recording tape scrunched together can pass as fire.
Early Radio Theatre and Film Sounds
Many of the sounds heard in early radio theatre were sounds created on a ‘sound stage.’ In radio this tended to be a small area where a sound operator with the necessary equipment would follow the script as the actors did and would create the sounds live as the play was broadcast.
Knocks on a door, door opening, glass being poured, gunshots etc, were all created usually in a very small area or contraption of the operator’s making and often with small doors, keys turning in different kinds locks all attached to the same door, and boards with salt, or sand in them to create sounds of walking and running. Created again by the sound operator running or walking!
This idea later transferred to early film and the pioneering work of Jack Foley, who gave his name to such effects. Foley Effects.
Making the Sounds, Sound Real
Sounds themselves, heard out of context can often be hard for the listener to imagine or sometimes even recognise. The producer or sound engineer knows exactly what the sound is, from the cd cover, their own recording, or downloaded from the internet. The listener doesn’t have that advantage. The following will help put the sound in context, whether its use is in the middle of a radio play, as part of an insert in a music programme, a programme trailer, radio ad, or setting for a feature. Remember
Music Producing Careers
Avoid Unemployment by Becoming Your Own Boss
-Set the sound in context in the script, (as the Goons regularly did – “here we are inside this grand piano” mix to sound of tinkling string in a piano)
-Give the listener more clues than necessary. Say the action is happening inside a car, and what’s happening.
-Sound effects help the listener’s imagination, they don’t necessarily replace words.
-Sounds build pictures, and bar the obvious sounds; they may still need some introduction.
-Set the scene with words as well as music and sounds, and silence as necessary.
Simple sounds are often best. Remember too, an Owl hoot can instantly say ’It’s Night,’ much better than a complex mix of sounds.
Author Paul Linus
Comments