Sound Design Quiz 2

Diegetic Audio

Sound that exists within the narrative of a scene, perceived by the characters; for example, conversations between characters or sounds made by objects in the scene.

Non-Diegetic Audio

Sound that originates outside of the film's narrative and is not audible to the characters, such as a film’s musical score or voice-over narration.

Automation

A detailed set of instructions used to manipulate audio parameters dynamically during playback, allowing for precise control over levels and effects, using tools like a pencil tool, faders, and knobs to adjust sound quality.

Dry Signal

Raw audio that has not been processed with any effects, resulting in a clean and unaltered sound that retains the original recording quality.

Wet Signal

Audio that has undergone processing with effects such as reverb, delay, or equalization, creating a modified and often more textured sound experience.

Hard Effects

Actual recorded sounds, such as ambient noises like typing or cooking sounds, that are captured from real-life actions to enhance realism in storytelling.

Soft Effects

Sounds that are artificially created, such as digital whooshes or synthesized beeps, designed to enrich the audio landscape but may not occur in real life, adding a layer of creativity.

Foley Effects

Sounds that are artificially produced to match on-screen actions, for example, creating horse galloping sounds by striking peanuts; these sounds enhance the ambiance and realism of the visual narrative.

Basic Folder Tracks

Tracks used in Pro Tools to organize other audio tracks within a session, helping streamline the workflow by structuring sound elements for better management.

Routing Folder Tracks

Tracks that not only organize audio tracks like Basic Folder Tracks but also function like auxiliary tracks, creating a bus named after the folder for mixing purposes.

Bus

A dedicated audio signal path that allows multiple audio tracks to be combined or routed together to simplify mixing and volume control, essential in the sound mixing process.

Steps in Planning Sound Designs

A structured approach that encompasses analyzing the script, defining the sound environment, dissecting the scene's narrative arc, preparing an early sound effects plan, creating a sound map, recording necessary sounds, designing sound elements, mixing audio, and mastering the final product.

Track Signal Flow in Pro Tools

Input, Inserts (effects), Pre fader sends, Volume (fader), Post fader sends, Panning, and Output

. Submixes are valuable in a session because

they allow for multiple tracks of audio to receive the same mixing or effect instructions at the same time. Submixes are often sent to an Aux track to add effects since Aux tracks cannot hold audio files.

Signal flow is the concept of

how sound is routed from input to final output. When working through signal flow, it is important to make sure that inputs and outputs are properly routed.