SONIC DESIGN // Final Project
Week 9 - Week 14 (18/10/2021 - 28/11/2021)
Fann Man Ling - 0344623 (BDCM)
Sonic Design // Mr. Razif
Final Project // Game Audio
LECTURES
Week 9: Final Project Briefing & Showcase of Project 1's works
Week 10: No class
Week 11: Tutorial on Final Project
Week 12: Presentation by Mr. Amer
Week 13: Project 2's Submission deadline
Week 14: Submission of Final Project
INSTRUCTION
Module Information Booklet
FINAL PROJECT // Game Audio
WEEK 9 // 25.10.2021
Mr. Razif briefed us on our final project. He offered us two choices: Silent Movie Audio or Game Audio. This project requires us to create the sound and bring the video to life without background music.
Then, he showed us some senior examples of the final projects. He also introduced us to some methods to create sounds for game audio, such as using Bandlab to generate incending and descending melody for winning and collecting sound.
WEEK 11 // 01.11.2021
Mr. Razif briefed us on the difference between film audio and game audio so that we're clear on the requirement when choosing it for our final project. He then showed us how to use certain features in Audition to generate specific effects during the tutorial sessions.
Features Mentioned:
- Effect - Generate - Tones (suitable for game audio)
- Effect - Phaser (sci-fi effect)
- Effect - Flanger (robotic sound)
- Pitch shifter - Pitch bender (lower audio's frequency)
WEEK 12 // 08.11.2021
Mr. Amer is invited to present us about 'How to get good audio'. There's a lot of useful insight gained from this presentation such as how to shorten or lengthen music by using 'Properties - 'Enable Remix' - 'Target Duration'. Additionally, he also showed and taught us how to do layering to enhance the audio's quality.
Mr. Razif then shared the video footage after class.
WEEK 14 // 22.11.2021
I started working on this final project by this week. After brainstorming over the footage videos, I've decided to pick 'Battleblock Theater' Game Video as the material that I want to further work on because I was able to have the image in my mind.
Below is the chosen footage game video:
Fig 1: Footage Muted Game Video_Battleblock Theater
PROGRESS
Audio Storyboard
Initially, I drafted out an audio storyboard with all the necessary audio listed down in it after I rewatched the video. Meanwhile, I looked for the original gameplay video and some similar gameplay videos on YouTube in the hopes of getting a picture of audios that match the industry standard.
Below is the Audio Storyboard drafted before started to proceed with editing:
Fig 2: Audio Storyboard_Game (Docs)
ATTEMPT #1
❗ Mistake:
I have made a mistake, in which the sounds should've been collected through my own recordings, instead of retrieving them from online resources.
Below is my Attempt #1 of work in which the sounds were retrieved from online resources:
Fig 3: Attempt 1_online sound sources
I just realized the mistake after consulting with Mr. Razif. After freaking out for a few seconds, I've decided to redo this final project by recording my own sounds.
Recording
I tried to record every sound that could be created by the objects in my room, from walls, cabinets, to pillows, clothes, and more. Additionally, for some sounds that I can't generate with my house's things, namely, voice when kicking, voice when feeling excited, and bubble, etc., I chose to mouth it. During recording, I kept the surroundings as quiet as possible by turning off the fan, laptop, and window, in order to lessen noises.
Below is the video that shows how I get the sounds from my house's items:
Fig 4: Some of the sound record process
Whereas, I produced some of the melody sounds by experimenting with BandLab. For instance, charm sounds when collecting something, push SFX, and winning sounds.
Fig 5.1: Push SFX
Fig 5.2: Collecting / Winning sounds
After done collected the necessary sounds, I started to import them and edit them in Adobe Audition.
In order to facilitate the process, I have created 4 folders to allocate different audios:
1. Recorded Audio (collected recordings & audios from Bandlab)
2. Multitrack (video mix track (combine edited track) & layering track (do layering for specific audios))
3. Edited Audio(Audios that have edited respectively in Audition)
4. Finalised Audio (Final audios that have been used in the actual track)
For multitrack, I created 4 of them. Actually, I was meant to have 2 multitrack only ("video mix" and "layering"). However, my laptop became laggy when I added and edited in both of the mentioned multitrack during almost later stage (my laptop is not capable of heavy performance, and might be because more and more audios in one track led to extensive sizes and cost more memory). Thus, I chose to make 4 multitracks in Audition, in which the additional multitracks are "layering 2" and "clap" (include only clapping sound).
Then, I combined some edited sounds in Premiere Pro instead since working in the "video mix" multitrack is very laggy in the later stage.
Fig 5.3: Multitrack folders
Editing in Audition
The first step I did after I imported the recorded sounds into Adobe Audition is apply 'Denoise' to all the recorded audios. As such, the noises can be reduced as much as possible.
Fig 6.1: 'Denoise' for noise reduction
After that, for some sounds, I did layering with them in the "layering" and "layering 2" multitracks. Meanwhile, effects such as 'EQ', 'Modulation', 'Pitch Shifter', 'Hard Limiter' (used when clipping occurred), 'Mastering', 'Reverb'/ 'Dereverb', 'Echo' (used especially in the chime melodies), were played around with and applied until I achieve the desired and expected sounds.
Fig 6.2: Effects & Layering applied to create 'bubble' sound
When I was happy with the result, I exported the multitrack mixdown by highlighting it and exporting "Time Selection", so that the particular tracks are exported altogether. The exported mixdown (track) was saved in the "Edited Audio" folder.
Fig 6.3: Export Time Selection
Subsequently, I placed and synced the edited mixdown to the main "video mix" multitrack, and further worked on their effects if needed. Furthermore, for some audios where I didn't see the need to do layering, I elected to edit and apply effects right away in this "video mix" multitrack.
In addition, adjusting their volume, applying 'fade in & fade out', and 'time-stretching', were also part of the editing process.
Fig 6.4: Syncing edited audios & adjusted effects in "video mix" multitrack
The way I get my desired sound outcomes were basically by experimenting with the ready effects and the presets too. Specifically, some sounds like teleport sound can be achieved by one of the preset in 'Modulation' - 'Flanger' - Preset: Teleport.
Fig 6.5: 'Flanger'_Teleport SFX
Moreover, as I have done the version using sounds taken from online sources by mistake (Attempt #1), I more or less have a better vision of how the outcomes should sound like in particular scenes. For instance, I felt that the clapping sound that was placed when the stage curtain was pulled was insufficiently dynamic with only the clapping noise I made. Then, I observed Attempt #1's video and realized a noise in the background that sounded like oil sizzling. Hence, I recorded the oil sizzling sound, modified the effects, and layered it with my edited clapping sounds. Luckily, the outcome turns out lively.
Fig 6.6: Clapping sound mixdown_in "clap" multitrack
Editing in Premiere Pro
After got all the sounds finalized, I synced them with video in Premiere Pro. As mentioned previously, my laptop became laggy in the late stage, thus, some edited audios were synced in Premiere Pro as well.
Fig 7: Syncing audio and video_Premiere Pro
In those prior scenes, I actually have attempted to include ambiance. But, I just feel it sounds weird and out of place. I was also worried it might be considered as the background music which is not allowed in the final work. By then, I did not add ambiance in the video :<
Fig 8: Final Work_Game Audio (YouTube)
FEEDBACK
WEEK 14 // Attempt #1
Mr. Razif commented that I should use my own recordings for the sound source after I consulted with him with my Attempt #1's video. He also suggested some ideas to generate the fire sound, such as a combination of crumpled papers and so on.
REFLECTION
I was totally at sea when I was told that I had finished the final work incorrectly, and I was worried that I would run out of time to complete my other module's tasks. Fortunately, this project was done smoothly, and the remaining modules' projects were also brought to a close. Thanks to this project, I have become more comfortable with Adobe Audition, and more familiar with the techniques. Notably, I had so much fun in the process of recording and exploring sounds!
In fact, I have learned a lot about sounds this semester while studying this module. Working with sounds is an amazing skill that I've developed as I've been able to apply it in my other module's projects.
Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Razif for taking the time we need to explain things to us and giving us honest and constructive feedback in order to help us improve our skills and works. I appreciate his warmth and willingness to facilitate the class and clarify information. All in all, I am grateful for taking this module this semester :)
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