Sound Exercise: Recording Sound Effects

Unit 73 - Sound for Computer Games

Exercise - Recording Sound Effects

I have recorded 2 sounds with a high quality audio recording device called a zoom recorder. The first sound I recorded was of a tap running, while the second sound I recorded was the sound of typing on a keyboard.

I edited the first sound in audacity, and decided to make a rowing boat sound effect. I did this by adding various effects such as; echo, amplify, pitch, speed, compress etc. to achieve the sound I wanted.

The link to the edited sound effect below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftSWpHb2tyWUJwOEk

Here is the original sound I had recorded:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftY3FSaDN6TWlzMTg

I also edited the second sound effect, and changed the pitch and speed to sound more like a type writer and less like a computer keyboard. I also amplified the sound so that the sound was louder and could be heard more clearly.

The link to the edited sound effect below:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftNG1lTVcycGxWcVE


Here is the original sound I had recorded:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftVURmaUFNdU01eU0

Sound Exercise: Producing Sound using Software

Exercise: Producing Sound

MY 3 PIECES OF BACKGROUND MUSIC

Background Music (created in Soundation Studio):

1)

Link to sound file: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftVVJuYl9WaG5iWjg

I created this music in Soundation Studio, using pre-made sounds and combining them to produce a musical track. This is a good program to use for experimenting, but I found that some of the sounds sounded broken and forced because in the free version there is no option to fade the music so that it would mix better.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Genre: Funk

File name: game-background_music.wav

Mood/Atomosphere creation: Fun, Happiness, energy

Mono or Stereo? Stereo

Resolution/Hertz/ Bitdepth : N/A (software doesn't state)

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                                   Background Music (created in Audacity):


2)  

Link to sound file: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftR1lOdmZQanZwNGM

For this piece of music, I expermimented with a free-to-use program called Audacity. I had obtained all the sounds from a website called freesound.com where I edited and combined each sound into a seperate track. The main advantage I found when using this software is that it is possible to add effects to each sound such as; echo, fade in, fade out, wah wah etc. However, because this is the first piece of music I have created it is not up to the standard I would like as it sounds quite choppy, although I have attempted to fix this.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Genre: Techno

File name: game-background_music_2.mp3

Mood/Atomosphere creation: Suspense, energy, tension

Mono or Stereo? Stereo

Bitdepth : 44100Hz

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3)


Link to Sound File: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftSDJ0ZGQyYkluLVk

I created my third piece of music in Soundation Studio once again using the drag n' drop sounds available. In my opinion, this is my strongest piece of music out of the three because I have more of and idea of what works and what doesn't so am wiser in choosing the instruments that will play during the music to achieve a smoother feel to the music.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Genre: Trance

File name: game-background_music_3.mp3

Mood/Atomosphere creation: Energised, excitement, suspense

Mono or Stereo? Stereo

Bitdepth : N/A

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                                        MY 3 PIECES OF BACKGROUND MUSIC

1)       Link to sound:   https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftX0lIUVhHS1ZkeFk

This sound effect I have created will play when the enemy spaceships in my Space Invader game move down. I obtained my sounds from freesound.com and basically created the sound using a ping sound and a jet whoosh sound. For the ping sound, I added the Wahwah affect so that it sounds digital and space-like.

Genre: Digital-like

File name: spaceship_whoosh_sound.mp3

Mood/Atomosphere creation: Intense

Mono or Stereo? Stereo


Bitdepth : 4800Hz




2)       Link to sound:   
           https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftQmdHM256Y284WU0

This is a concept sound FX of a laser that I have created for a game I am going to create. I again obtained the sounds from freesound.org. One of the sounds is of a traditional whoosh, which I changed the pitch and speed on to make it sound quicker and more like a laser. The second sound I used is of a penny dropping which I edited the speed and pitch on also to make it sound higher pitched. This produces a laser-like sound effect when both sounds are combined.

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Genre: Sci-fi

File name: laser_sound_effect.mp3

Mood/Atomosphere creation: Action

Mono or Stereo? Stereo


Bitdepth : 4800Hz

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3)       Link to sound:  
       https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwrRCcaM3eftME1Pc2p4UUl0SFE

This is an explosion sound that I have created using 2 different sounds from freesound.org. This is what will play when the player in my game destroys and enemy spaceship. I created this sound by using a firework bang and editing the pitch so that it is lower. I then added a hammer sound into the project to give the impression that matter had been ruptured which gives a more realistic effect. 


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Genre: War

File name:explosion_sound_game.mp3

Mood/Atomosphere creation: Tension, fierce

Mono or Stereo? Stereo


Bitdepth : 4800Hz

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