Sonic Design- Lectures and Exercises

24.09.2024 -  (Week 1 - Week )
Kelly Lau Jie Ning/ 0354839
Sonic Design/ Bachelor of Design (Honors) in Creative Media
Lectures and Exercises

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INSTRUCTION

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Lectures
Week 1

In this week's lecture, Mr. Razif briefed us on our MIB. Mr. Razif briefed our exercises and our projects. After a briefing session, Mr. Razif taught us the Parametric Equalizer function in Adobe Audition. 

In the Parametric Equalizer, we can focus on adjusting the low, mid, and high frequencies to control our audio's overall balance and sound quality.

1. Low Frequency (Bass)

Frequency range: 20Hz - 250Hz

Controls: Deep sounds like drums, bass, and low-end noise.

Adjust:

Boost: Adds fullness and power to bass.

Cut: Reduces muddiness and unwanted background noise.

2. Mid Frequency

Frequency range: 250Hz - 4kHz

Controls: The body of the sound, including vocals and instruments.

Adjust:

Boost: Brings out vocals and instruments, adding clarity.

Cut: Reduces muddiness, especially in the 300Hz - 600Hz range.

3. High Frequency (Treble)

Frequency range: 4kHz - 20kHz

Controls: Brightness and clarity in high-pitched sounds.

Adjust:

Boost: Adds sharpness and detail.

Cut: Softens harsh or piercing sounds

Parametric Equalizer

Week 2

Sound Fundamentals

Supplementary Video on Equaliser

Week 3

Additional Lecture Video - The Art of Sound Design

Week 4

Exercises
Exercise 1
This exercise was given in week 1. In this exercise, we are given some audio frequencies which are flat, eq1, eq2, eq3, eq4,eq5, and eq6. We need to make those eq1, eq2, eq3, eq4, eq5 and eq6 audio frequencies like flat audio frequencies. We need to adjust those audio frequencies in the Parametric Equalizer. 

Equalizer 1, Week 1 (27/09/2024)

Equalizer 2, Week 1 (27/09/2024)

Equalizer 3, Week 1 (27/09/2024)

Equalizer 4, Week 1 (27/09/2024)

Equalizer 5, Week 1 (27/09/2024)

Equalizer 6, Week 1 (27/09/2024)

Exercise 2

For this exercise, Mr Razif provided us with a sample voice and we needed to make the voice to the different sound effects which are telephone, closet, walkie-talkie, bathroom, and stadium.

Sample Voice

Sample Voice of Telephone

Sample Voice of the Telephone, Week 2 (04/10/2024)

Sample Voice of Closet

Sample Voice of the Closet, Week 2 (04/10/2024)

Sample Voice of Walkie-Talkie

Sample Voice of Walkie-Talkie, Week 2 (04/10/2024)

Sample Voice of Bathroom

Starting from the sample voice of the bathroom, we need to use reverd.

Sample Voice of Bathroom, Week 2 (04/10/2024)

Sample Voice of Bathroom, Week 2 (04/10/2024)

Sample Voice of Stadium

Sample Voice of Stadium, Week 2 (04/10/2024)

Sample Voice of Stadium, Week 2 (04/10/2024)

Exercise 3

In this exercise, we are given 2 pieces of audio explosion and punch. We need to do an explosion, punch and firework soundtrack.

Explosion

Punch

Firework

I do two types of fireworks for the fireworks to make it a whole firework soundtrack.

This is the shorter version of fireworks. 

After I listened to the version that I adjusted above I felt a bit weird so I tried to adjust the Parametric Equalizer again.

After that, this is another version of fireworks. It sounds deep and big. 

After the adjustment above, I feel not really good enough so I adjust the Parametric Equalizer again.

After I had done two types of fireworks, I combined them together to create a firework soundtrack.

Exercise 4

Jetplane

Sir also gave us two environmental pictures and we need to soundtrack the photos.

Environment 1

Environment 2

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Reflection

The Sonic Design Exercises taught me a lot about audio editing and sound design. Each exercise gave me the chance to learn new techniques and practice using audio tools.

In Exercise 1, we adjusted six different audio frequencies (eq1, eq2, eq3, eq4, eq5, and eq6) to make them sound like the flat audio frequency using the Parametric Equalizer. This helped me understand how to balance sound by adjusting frequencies and fine-tuning audio.

In Exercise 2, we worked with a voice sample to create different sound effects, like telephone, closet, walkie-talkie, bathroom, and stadium. This was a creative task that showed me how sound changes in different environments and how to use effects like reverb and distortion to match those scenarios.

In Exercise 3, we created soundtracks for explosions, punches, and fireworks using given audio files. By layering and editing sounds, I learned how to make effects more realistic and impactful. Additionally, we designed soundscapes for two environmental pictures, which taught me how to use sound to bring visuals to life and create an atmosphere.

Through these exercises, I learned how to use tools like the Parametric Equalizer, layer and modify sounds, and match audio to visuals. It was a great experience that improved my audio editing skills and creativity, and I’m excited to use these skills in future projects.