|
A note about file links in this workshop:
As you work through this scenario, you should follow the steps
as written. That is, if you read "I saved this file as XYZ.wav"
you should save the file as XYZ.wav.
In many cases, by way of illustration, audio files representing
intermediate steps in the design scenario will be available as
an MP3 file for you to listen to. This is because MP3 files are
easier to provide through the WWW. If you are working through
the material you should not save your intermediate steps
as MP3s, but keep working with wav files, only applying compression
of necessary.
 indicates
a link to a file that has been provided by way of illustration.
Clicking on
will launch the sound in your computer's default media player.
Should you wish to save the file to your hard drive right-click
and select
"save target as" (IE) or "save link as" (Netscape).
 indicates
a link to a file you will need to access to work through the example.
You should right-click the
link and select "save target as" (IE) or "save
link as" (Netscape) to save these files to your hard drive.
|
WORKSHOP WEEK 8 MMST 12016
SOUND DESIGN 3
INTRODUCTION
In last week's workshop we began an audio design project.
We left off at the point where we had used techniques of audio synthesis,
MIDI and digital audio processing to produce four sounds that will form
the building blocks for the project. This week, we are going to manipulate
the files from last week to produce a wider selection of sounds, and then
assemble them in Multiquence to complete the project.
In the previous weeks, these workshops have been stepping
you through the operation of some quite complex software. This week and
next week the software packages being covered are much less involved.
Consequently, less time will be spent on the work-through, and more on
exercises that give you much more freedom.
You should download the following sounds from last week,
by right-clicking on the following links and choosing "save as".
Create a folder entitled "workshop8" and save the files there.
computernoise2fastrevmech.mp3
cn2fburst.mp3
monsterlow.mp3
computernoise1longfin.mp3
monstercall.mp3
You will also need to use the following Multiquence file.
You should save it in the same folder, workshop8.
scifi.mqp
Since we began this audio design task three weeks ago,
you may want to revisit the Workshop 6 page and refresh you memory. Remember
that the aim was to use multiquence to provide a soundscape evocative
of 1950s science fiction. The project was to be developed in Multiquence
so that it could be easily altered.
MULTIQUENCE
Open Multiquence. Select "track"->"new".
You should see the following:
Multiquence is extremely easy to use. Follow these instructions
to begin assembling the soundscape:
-
Select "Track"->"new" and
keep adding tracks until you have a total of five.
-
Right-click anywhere on the first track, and select
"add section". Alternatively you could click on the first
track to make it active, and select "track"->"add
section". Navigate your way to "computernoise2fastmech.mp3"
to place a copy of the file on the first track. You will see a block
appears on the track representing an instance of the mp3.
-
Repeat this procedure with the following tracks and
the remaining mp3s from the list above.
-
Select any track, and right-click on the block marking
the audio file (for example, on the block marking computernoise2fastmech.mp3
in track one.) Select "copy". Move the mouse pointer to
a blank area of the track, right-click and select "paste here".
-
Continue duplicating instances of audio files until
each track has two or three instances of the chosen file. Note that
you can have more than one audio file on each track, but it is simpler
to devote each track to a single file.
-
Select "playback" -> "all"
to hear the composition you have created. Experiment with the placement
and number of instances of each file until you achieve a result you
are happy with.
When you have finished experimenting, open "scifi.mqp"
and look at how I composed my version of the soundtrack. In choosing this
particular configuration, I tried to balance background noises with more
dynamic effects, to avoid gaps and clusters, and generally evenly space
the component sounds while maintaining dynamism. See if you can rearrange
the sounds to create a version with a different feel.
The shareware version of Multiquence only allows you
to save a 45 second wav file, but your multiquence file can be as long
as an hour, and it is possible to record the output in SoundForge or GoldWave.
Multiquence is a very powerful package containing many
useful features. There are control buttons near the top which act on any
selected instance of a sound file. To use these, click on any block to
make it active, or hold down SHIFT and click on several blocks to apply
the changes to more than one instance of audio.
Note that these changes do not effect the original files,
only the sound that Multiquence plays back.
 SPEED:
Speeds the instance up, or slows it down
 FLANGE:
Applies a flange effect to the selected instance(s)
 EQUALISER:
A graphic equaliser.
 FADER:
fades the selected instance in or out.
 EFFECTS:
allows you to apply any DirectX effects on your system (for example, SoundForge
plugins already installed)
 ENVELOPERS:
Pan (left) and Amplitude (right)
The last two are a little different. Once one of these
is selected, every instance shows its own envelope, which can be adjusted
in the same way as the pitch bend/ doppler envelopes in last week's example.
For instance, If I select the pan envelope, a yellow
line will appear on all instances. This can be modified with the mouse.
If I wanted to pan "monsterlow" from the left to the right speaker,
I would adjust the envelope in this manner:
If I wanted the sound to begin on the right, pan to the
left and then return to the right, I would shape the envelope as follows:
Similarly, If I wanted to adjust the amplitude of any
instance, i would press the Amplitude Envelope button and make adjustments
with the mouse. For example, If I only wanted to uswe a small portion
of "monsterlow" in one part of the soundscape, and i wanted
that portion to fade in and out quickly, would do the following:
EXERCISES
You should attempt the following exercises.
1. Adjustment of the scifi.mqp file.
Using the features shown above, and by adding/deleting/moving
instances of the mp3 files developed in weeks 6 and 7, make the best version
of the sci fi soundscape you possibly can.
2. Last week you were asked to create dinosaur noises
starting with the animal sounds in the resource material. If you did not
have time to complete that exercise, do so now, and then assemble the
soundscapre in Multiquences. If you have time, you may like to use the
desktop mics and the record button on the top right of the multiquence
screen to add a voiceover.
|
