Skip to main content

Sound Design: An Introduction

 Sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave. It is a kind of energy. To make a sound, something has to vibrate — whether that’s the string of a guitar, the larynx (voice box) of a person, or the loudspeakers of your radio.  Sound waves consist of vibrating particles, which knock into other particles, causing those particles to vibrate and knock into more particles, and so on and so forth; this is how sound waves travel away from their source.  We hear sounds because the vibrations in the air cause our eardrums to vibrate, and these vibrations are converted into nerve signals that are sent to our brains.

Study the PDF below (for academic use only)

Sound Design for Media PDF

Elements of Sound

The amplitude: The amplitude is the height of the wave on the graph from the middle to its highest point. The amplitude determines a sound’s volume — sound waves of higher amplitude are louder.

The frequency: The number of rarefactions and compressions that occur per unit time is known as the frequency of a sound wave. The frequency of the sound wave decides the pitch. A sound with a higher frequency has a higher pitch.

Diegetic and Non-diegetic sound

Diegetic sound: Sound which has a source or reference on-screen. It is the actual sound. Essentially, diegetic sounds are sounds that the characters can hear. For instance, diegetic sounds can include speech and background noise, whereby characters can react to these instances of sound. It could be a phone ringing in the next room.

Non-diegetic sound: Sound which does not have a source/reference on-screen, they have been added in. For example music, voiceover, sound effects, etc. Only audience can hear it.

The major sound categories in a Film are dialogue / narration, Foley, ambient / background, music, and Effects.

Sound Production
Sound Production

Sound Tracks 

If we do a categorisation of all the varied sounds that we hear in a cinema, they could be placed under five headings, which are called the fundamental basic sound tracks, namely, dialogue, foley, ambient, music, and sound effects. 

Sound Aesthetics

What you hear while watching a movie is the result of specific choices made by those who work on film production. Sound aesthetics have a significant impact on the film's overall aesthetics, narration, and emotional response. This is the reason why sound engineering is now a part of the movie industry's creative process. Well-done sound aesthetics for the film will elevate the visual part of a film. One must take care of ambience / environment, figure-ground, perspective, continuity, and energy of sound.

Comments

  1. AbhayranjithNovember 15, 2023 at 5:52 PM

    This article provides a concise yet comprehensive overview of sound design in the context of media, offering valuable insights into the fundamental elements of sound and their significance in various media forms. The explanation of sound waves, amplitude, and frequency lays a solid foundation for readers to understand the basics of sound. The distinction between diegetic and non-diegetic sound is particularly insightful, shedding light on how sounds are categorized based on their on-screen presence or absence. The mention of major sound categories in film, such as dialogue, Foley, ambient/background, music, and effects, provides a practical understanding of the diverse components involved in sound production for movies. For more details, visit Sound Engineering Courses in Bangalore

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Indian Political Spectrum: Left, Right, and Centre

 Left-wing, right-wing, and centre are terms used to describe different positions on the political spectrum. The terms left-wing and right-wing originated from the seating arrangements in the French National Assembly during the French Revolution (1789). Supporters of the King and the traditional social order sat on the president's right side. These were generally considered more conservative and resistant to change. Supporters of the revolution and those advocating for a more egalitarian society sat on the president's left side. These were seen as more progressive and willing to challenge the status quo. Over time, these seating positions became symbolic of broader political viewpoints. The terms "left" and "right" were eventually used to describe the entire spectrum of political ideologies, not just those present during the French Revolution. Left Wing focuses on equality, social justice, and reform. Left-wing ideologies generally believe in reducing econo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Visual Analysis: SEMIOTICS

 Visual analysis is a systematic and scientific approach to examining visual materials that goes far beyond casual observation.  In our visually saturated world, images have become a inescapable universal language that shapes our perceptions, attitudes, and experiences. From the artworks adorning gallery walls to the advertisements lining city streets, visuals communicate narratives, evoke emotions, and reflect sociocultural ideologies . However, the process of seeing and interpreting visuals is not as spontaneous or natural as we often assume. As John Berger notably stated, " seeing is an active decision ," suggesting that the process of interpreting visuals is neither spontaneous nor natural, but rather requires conscious effort and critical thinking. The way we perceive and interpret visual content is heavily influenced by habits, conventions, and our individual perspectives.  Serious visual analyses requires conscious effort and critical analysis to unravel the ...
2 comments
Read more

The Male Gaze and the Construction of Gender in Visual Culture

 Visual culture encompasses the totality of images, visuals, and visual practices that shape our lived experience. It manifests through art, photography, cinema, design, and countless other forms, representing the ideas, customs, and social behaviours that revolve around visual materials. Visual culture is not merely decorative or informational; it is a powerful force that produces, circulates, and interprets visual forms to construct meanings, shape beliefs, and convey power within specific cultural contexts. From traditional artworks such as paintings and sculptures to mass media like film, television, and advertising, from digital platforms including websites, apps, and video games to everyday objects like fashion, logos, and packaging—all these elements communicate meaning and fundamentally shape our understanding of the world. The quality and impact of visual culture depend on two critical factors: the quality of the visual content created and the nature of the act of see...
Post a Comment
Read more

Visual Culture

  Visual culture is a multifaceted field that examines the pervasive role of visuals in shaping human understanding, beliefs, and behaviours. It posits that visuals are not merely reflections of reality but rather " constructed realities " that actively influence our perception of the world. At its heart, visual culture positions visuals as the reference and data for knowledge, beliefs, thinking, creations, behaviour, etc.; which in turn further shapes current beliefs, thinking, creations, behaviour, etc. Visuals are images/collection of images that are made to be seen. Framed (made) and put out. This highlights that visuals are not spontaneous occurrences but deliberate constructions, detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance, says, John Berger . Examples like the contrasting Newsweek and TIME magazine covers of O.J. Simpson illustrate how different framings of the same event can convey distinct messages and narratives, underscoring the idea ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Screenplay/Script Writing: Ideas, Stories, and the Script

 Stories are Character/s, imaginary or real, aspiring and moving towards a need/goal through adversaries (achieving it with a big idea / super powers) will make one a hero). More elaborately, Character/s, imaginary or real, faced with a conflict/problem/issue/situation and trying to understand/overcome/change it in spite of difficulties / limitations / oppositions from within or without (overcoming/changing it with a big idea / super powers) will make one a hero). Please study the PDF below (only for academic use) Stories and Film Scripting PDF Stories have Shapes Storytelling is an art form that has captivated humans since the dawn of civilisation. Whether through oral traditions, written literature, or visual media, stories have the power to entertain, educate, and inspire. At the heart of every great story lies a carefully constructed narrative that engages the audience and conveys a meaningful message. According to Kurt Vonnegut, stories have shapes, the main ones are Man in th...
Post a Comment
Read more

The History of Visual Analysis: The Power and Politics of the Image

 The history of visual analysis represents humanity's evolving relationship with images—from cave paintings to digital screens, from religious icons to internet memes. This intellectual journey traces how we have moved from simple description to complex theoretical frameworks that reveal the hidden structures, ideologies, and meanings embedded in visual culture. While visual analysis has ancient roots, its most transformative developments have occurred in the modern and contemporary periods, fundamentally reshaping how we understand the power and politics of the image. Early Foundations The early history of visual analysis established essential methodologies that would later be challenged and expanded. Pliny the Elder 's first-century documentation of artists and techniques in his Natural History represented an empirical approach—cataloging rather than interpreting. This descriptive tradition continued through Giorgio Vasari 's biographical narratives in The Lives of the A...
1 comment
Read more

Early History of Cinema

 The late 19th and early 20th centuries witnessed the birth and rapid evolution of cinema as a new artistic and technological medium. Lets us examine the key innovations, pioneers, and early milestones that shaped the beginnings of cinema, from its precursors in motion photography to the establishment of narrative filmmaking techniques. Study the PDF below (for academic use only) History of Cinema PDF The foundations of cinema can be traced to experiments in capturing and displaying motion through photography. In 1878, Eadweard Muybridge 's groundbreaking " The Horse in Motion " used multiple cameras to decompose the movement of a galloping horse into a sequence of still images. This technique presaged the fundamental principle of cinema - the illusion of motion created by rapidly displaying a series of static images. A pivotal moment came in 1888 with Louis Le Prince's " Roundhay Garden Scene ." At just 2.11 seconds long, it is recognised by the Guinness B...
Post a Comment
Read more