most recent 30 from http://socialsounddesign.com 2012-02-05T03:54:07Z http://socialsounddesign.com/feeds/user/100 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/309/whats-the-strangest-sound-youve-recorded/764#764 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-04-26T18:10:38Z 2012-01-15T20:56:42Z

<p>My oldest daughter throwing a tantrum when she was 3. It's a dual tone shriek that sounds very much like a Ringwraith. I use it in everything like my own Wilhelm scream.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/3355/the-trailer-voice-over-this-summer-blah-blah-blah-don-lafontaine/12101#12101 Matt Cavanaugh 2012-01-06T02:36:04Z 2012-01-06T02:36:04Z

<p>I have to agree that it's the talent, and not the treatment of the recording, that creates the magic trailer VO. With few exceptions, most LaFontaine copycats fall short as they can't hit the lower register as well as he did, and no amount of doctoring can fake it accurately IMO. You can have successful VO with a totally different voice of course, as proven by these guys:</p> <p>[youtube]JQRtuxdfQHw[/youtube]</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRtuxdfQHw" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRtuxdfQHw</a></p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/11357/how-would-you-sound-design-a-monster-made-out-of-hair/11360#11360 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-11-13T03:10:04Z 2011-11-13T03:10:04Z

<p>My first thought is a Koosh Ball.</p> <p><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/07/KOOSH.png" alt="alt text"></p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/9502/tension-sounds-like/9504#9504 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-08-09T07:00:57Z 2011-08-09T07:00:57Z

<p>I could be way off, but the way I understand it is when adrenaline is released, hearing sensitivity decreases a bit to protect itself. Our ears also compensate for the loss by focusing more attention on "peak" sounds, resulting in a sort of hyper-sensitive effect.</p> <p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100503111525.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100503111525.htm</a></p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/9294/avid-certification/9307#9307 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-07-27T03:40:42Z 2011-07-27T03:40:42Z

<p>I got certified as part of my educational initiation to sound work. In my experience, being PT certified is like telling people you were an Eagle Scout; folks might be impressed that you put time, effort, and money into achieving such a title, but that doesn't mean you can do the job better than the other guy. If my work were being weighed against another sound editor of equal talent, I imagine it could serve as a tiebreaker, but not much more.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/8916/mp3-gapless-looping-help/8931#8931 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-07-01T19:37:11Z 2011-07-01T19:37:11Z

<p>The way I understand it to be is that the mp3 format is frame based, rather than sample based like wavs. Much like how video editing can't make cuts smaller than a frame, an mp3 outside of the DAW is, as Haydn pointed out, organized in blocks. For seamless loops, I would definitely go with another format.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/834/how-do-i-record-snow-based-foley-without-real-snow/8251#8251 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-05-26T05:45:22Z 2011-05-26T05:45:22Z

<p>I'm needing snow foley in spring too, and ended up filling a couple of balloons with corn starch. I've been able to get a variety of different snow qualities by varying the performance. It still doesn't have a true snow sound to me, but it's clean (so far), portable, and cheap.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/8226/where-are-editors-on-the-chain-of-command/8231#8231 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-05-25T18:27:50Z 2011-05-25T18:27:50Z

<p>Since creative control ultimately lies with the director, my vote would be to keep both options available for when the director shows up. I don't like to pit myself against other collaborators, especially by constructing a pecking order. While we each may think that our craft determines the genius of the project, we're all helping to tell someone else's story. Good luck.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/8126/help-defining-sourcing-a-mechanical-tak-tak-tak-sound/8131#8131 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-05-22T18:26:42Z 2011-05-22T18:26:42Z

<p>You can get a more abrasive, motorized version of the "clac clac clac" with a toy remote-controlled car. Hold the wheel to prevent it from turning and it often makes a buzzing (potentially warranty voiding) "rrac rrac rrac" sound. It may not be quite what you're looking for, but it's another variation. Good luck!</p> <p><img src="http://remotecontrolvehiclesonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/RC-Truck.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/7655/attn-boom-ops-how-do-you-stay-in-shape/7662#7662 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-05-02T20:06:21Z 2011-05-02T20:06:21Z

<p><a href="http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/muscular-endurance.html" rel="nofollow">"Any form of training must mirror the specific demands of the sport."</a> Because booming involves muscle endurance rather than muscle strength, my advice would be to grab a boom pole and hold it up for as long as you can, and as often as you stand it, using the same range of motion you would expect to use for the gig. If you're going to do any exercises for endurance, try moderate/lower resistance with higher repetitions.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/7264/foley-prop-needed-a-stack-of-cash/7266#7266 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-04-11T21:06:21Z 2011-04-11T21:06:21Z

<p>I keep hearing a beat up deck of cards being handled loosely, but maybe with the pitch down a couple of cents.</p> <p>Or you could get $50 in singles from the bank.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/6650/good-effects-for-robot-voice/6655#6655 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-03-18T23:13:43Z 2011-03-18T23:13:43Z

<p>We had a fun one by using Digi's Pitch plugin on the dialog, but having it set to monophonic rather than the default polyphonic. Good luck.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/6443/do-you-file-your-foley/6444#6444 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-03-10T00:23:31Z 2011-03-10T00:23:31Z

<p>I've been saved many times by recutting foley from old projects to sync with footsteps, hoofsteps, etc. Still can't beat the work by a good foley artist.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/5957/when-the-ears-refuse-to-talk-to-the-brain-what-do-you-do/5960#5960 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-02-11T21:22:44Z 2011-03-02T20:59:46Z

<p>I remember hearing that Albert Einstein, after running into a "math-block", would turn to playing his violin for a short break. Some folks have said that engaging the opposite hemisphere of the brain and giving the other side a rest helped the genius clear his mind.</p> <p>Maybe try Sudoku for a while?</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/6225/if-you-had-to-communicate-africa-in-one-sound-effect-one-second-long-what-would/6232#6232 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-02-24T09:13:18Z 2011-02-24T09:13:18Z

<p>I hear either a djembe or a kalimba. Good luck with the project.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/6037/what-five-plugins-are-the-most-essential-for-your-sound-editing/6048#6048 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-02-16T03:08:28Z 2011-02-16T03:08:28Z

<ul> <li>Waves WNS</li> <li>Digi EQ3 7-Band</li> <li>Waves L2</li> <li>Audio Ease Altiverb</li> <li>Digi Signal Generator</li> </ul> <p>So difficult to choose, but an excellent question. Thanks, Tim.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/5919/uk-sidestepping-into-film-sound-a-possibility/5925#5925 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-02-09T03:00:43Z 2011-02-09T03:00:43Z

<p>As long as your willing to risk not making nearly as much as you want for a while, I say, "Follow your bliss." I'm in an eerily similar situation, and still decided to pursuit film sound because I love doing it. You can't let age, geography, or ignorance hold you back. No matter how old you are, or where you live, if you put in the effort to learn the art, make connections, and don't let difficulties get you down, and you'll be successful and have a lot of fun doing it. Best of luck.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/763/sounds-in-surround Matt Cavanaugh 2010-04-26T18:04:31Z 2011-01-04T14:51:11Z

<p>I'm straying a bit from strict sound design, but I really admire everyone's expansive knowledge of all things audio and would love to hear people's experiences with how their sounds end up in the mix. I'm starting a mix in 5.1 surround that is very effects heavy. Jets, explosions, crashes, beeps, buzzes, servos, and more, as well as foley and backgrounds. Having only mixed in stereo, I'm curious as to what people like in their surround mixes.</p> <p>So far I've concluded I'm not a big fan of surround for surround's sake, or rather, I would like to avoid using it as a gimmick. As far as ideas go, for sounds that "appear" in the front, perhaps bleeding some reverb to the rear? What else would work well?</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/5242/an-education-in-storytelling/5253#5253 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-12-23T04:48:31Z 2010-12-23T04:48:31Z

<p>Where I grew up in Alaska there was a very rich tradition of Native American storytelling. It helped me to appreciate early on what it's like to capture an audience through a rich story. Also (and probably a byproduct of living in Alaska), we spent many rainy Saturdays at the public library listening to authors read children's books or watching a shadow puppet theatre. I've found that moving your storytelling education away from cinema for a while can make your filmmaking much better. It's my opinion that there are many universal elements to telling a good story that are grounded in our DNA from centuries of sitting around the campfire and getting lost in stories. Good luck.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/5091/pro-tools-hd-9-vs-nuendo-5/5099#5099 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-12-14T10:04:44Z 2010-12-14T10:04:44Z

<p>I'm a Pro Tools guy. Not because it's the best, but because I want to do what Hollywood does. 9 times out of 10, it's PT. All platforms are capable of great things in the right hands, so I would go with the one which is considered the standard for whom you plan to be collaborating with. Good luck.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/2854/what-is-your-dream-job/5057#5057 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-12-11T02:11:11Z 2010-12-11T02:11:11Z

<p>Skywalker, without a doubt. That's got to be the coolest gig ever.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/4350/how-to-make-a-sound-4d/4352#4352 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-10-28T23:15:17Z 2010-10-28T23:15:17Z

<p>I checked out <a href="http://astoundsound.net/index.php" rel="nofollow">Genaudio's site</a> and from what I can tell, "4D" is much like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_audio_effect" rel="nofollow">3D audio</a> that became popular back in the late 90's. The effect is achieved through some fancy phase and eq algorithms that can make a stereo source sound like it's coming from beside/behind you. As I recall, it was a cool effect, but with a combined lack of control, a narrow sweet-spot, and the effect gradually becoming more and more not-cool after sustained listening, it all but disappeared. My guess is that Genaudio is trying to bring it back with an outrageous "4D" claim, but I would need to hear their stuff first to make that call. Good luck.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/3438/tips-on-recording-horses/3469#3469 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-09-10T02:25:29Z 2010-09-10T02:25:29Z

<p>I recorded a mule a couple weeks ago northeast of Burbank at some stables. Here's what I learned:</p> <ul> <li><p>Traffic sucks. We were quite a distance from the highway, but still had to stand with our backs to it to take out the bulk of it. Not too bad, except the animal didn't usually play along with that idea.</p></li> <li><p>Horses and mules make some of the best vocals when, if they're usually penned with a buddy, the other animal is taken away. As soon as we had the mule's pal taken out for a walk, it started up. Great stuff.</p></li> <li><p>Stay in record. Our mule couldn't speak on command, so it was 10 minutes or so between bellows. Make sure you're recording when it happens.</p></li> <li><p>Different surfaces would have been nice. If you're recording in the same location the horse what filmed, you're good. Our wasn't, and the dirt around the stables has a unique sound to it. Very soft, fluffy, dusty dirt.</p></li> <li><p>Dusty dirt. Be prepared for dirt and dust, and if the clouds come back this way, a chance of mud. Bring the proper protective equipment for your gear.</p></li> <li><p>Talk with the animals trainers. Some of these cats have been around since the studios here were making spaghetti westerns and have a surprising knowledge of filmmaking and horse handling for movies. You never know what you may learn, so be congenial and courteous with them.</p></li> </ul> <p>Good luck on the project.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/3256/best-way-to-clean-up-plosives/3259#3259 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-08-30T03:43:42Z 2010-08-30T03:43:42Z

<p>A trick Roger Nichols taught us is to automate the volume to duck down right on the plosive, which ends up looking like a quick "V". He said that 9 times out of 10 he prefers to manually automate each and every pop and click before treating the whole thing with a plugin. I've used this trick on dialog and effects with great results. Good luck.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/2786/thinking-outside-the-box/2790#2790 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-08-14T08:27:15Z 2010-08-14T08:27:15Z

<p>I wish I could honestly say that I go for the mic first. While I almost always use digital processing in some degree, the organic method of designing is what sound lords like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0858378/" rel="nofollow">Randy Thom</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003977/" rel="nofollow">Gary Rydstrom</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123785/" rel="nofollow">Ben Burtt,</a> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0267736/" rel="nofollow">David Farmer</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0886399/" rel="nofollow">Ethan Van der Ryn</a>, and many others seem to subscribe to. They seem to be doing well with that, and I'd like to join their camp.</p> <p>However, I catch myself very often thinking that if I only had <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/512042-REG/MOTU_5950_MachFive_2_Universal.html" rel="nofollow">that one plugin</a>, then I could make cool sounds. Perhaps I should spend more time <a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Science-Surplus-RATTLESNAKE-EGG/dp/B0011YUP86/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&amp;coliid=I1KMAKAODF7KDF&amp;colid=EC08B39Z0P57" rel="nofollow">browsing</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/ViolinSmart-Brazilwood-Violin-Quality-Great/dp/B000VO1EA0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;s=musical-instruments&amp;qid=1281774222&amp;sr=8-2" rel="nofollow">noisemakers</a>, and less time drooling over <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/" rel="nofollow">B&amp;H</a>.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/2577/looking-for-good-resources-regarding-film-analysis/2579#2579 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-08-09T07:43:10Z 2010-08-09T07:43:10Z

<p>If I'm not mistaken, the clips on Designing Sound's site are from the extended DVD's special features. All three films have a special segment on the sound design for each, although my favorite is on the Two Towers disc where you can hear soloed passes of the different audio stems for part of the Helm's Deep battle sequence. I say get ahold of the extended DVDs rather than just scanning for clips online, since there are other features to be found only on the discs. Good luck.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/2292/tips-for-traveling-with-audio-equipment/2293#2293 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-07-27T05:02:14Z 2010-07-27T05:02:14Z

<p><a href="http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/131/how-do-you-insure-your-gear-or-do-you" rel="nofollow">http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/131/how-do-you-insure-your-gear-or-do-you</a> <a href="http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/498/travelling-with-gear-customs" rel="nofollow">http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/498/travelling-with-gear-customs</a></p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/2145/where-are-you-from-and-what-do-you-do/2161#2161 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-07-22T00:38:08Z 2010-07-22T22:09:58Z

<p>Beginning sound designer/editor/student in Burbank, CA.</p> <p>The question title also reminded me of this. Sorry....</p> <p>[youtube]rzukGfdgPCM[/youtube]</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzukGfdgPCM" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzukGfdgPCM</a></p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/2170/ma-in-film-vs-working-on-my-own-id-like-to-have-your-input/2172#2172 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-07-22T11:50:07Z 2010-07-22T11:50:07Z

<p>That's a tough decision to make. I was in a similar situation very recently. It may not be much help, but I thought I'd share anyway.</p> <p>I was looking at getting my MA in Sound Design from SCAD about 8 or 9 months ago. I liked this idea since it would look sweet on my résumé, plus my years in the Air Force meant the US military would foot the entire cost of tuition and then some. As good as it looked, I opted instead to move the family out to Hollywood, start looking for sound gigs, and take some audio engineer classes, all out of my own (nearly empty) pocket.</p> <p>While there were several reasons for making this decision, one of the biggest was, while a résumé with yet another degree would look good for some employers, it turns out that having some decent titles on IMDB carries a bit more weight here. I get told over and over here, "It's not what you know, it's who you know". While I tend to disagree, I think it's valid to say that formal education can often be trumped by experience and having friends in the right places. Like I said, it may not help (I mean, I did end up going to school out here anyway). Best of luck to you.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/2001/the-value-of-home-studios-in-the-professional-world/2004#2004 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-07-15T18:01:09Z 2010-07-15T18:01:09Z

<p>I just spoke with a sound editor the other day who works 2 states away from L.A. He started out down here, but moved for familial reasons and continued working for major studios, but from his home out of state since. While he really enjoys the perks of working at home, he's still had to fly to the studios here for spotting sessions and the like.</p> <p>I think that it would be great to live wherever my family and I want and have steady, reliable projects completely out of the house. The technology affords it, so why not? I think that setup would be easier if employed by a studio, and less so for freelance, but I would love to be proven wrong.</p>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/9522/recording-the-riots-in-london/9528#9528 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-08-09T20:20:24Z 2011-08-09T20:20:24Z

I imagine the request for riot recordings has less to do with sensationalism or exploitation, and more to do with documenting real life, as gruesome as it may seem. I can see value in capturing events that appear inappropriate for many reasons. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Adams_(photographer" rel="nofollow">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Adams_(photographer</a>)

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/8662/what-kind-of-problems-can-be-avoided-if-the-post-sound-people-are-consulted-durin/8666#8666 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-06-15T01:12:51Z 2011-06-15T01:12:51Z

The Editors Guild site proposes anything under $1.545 million is &quot;Extremely Low Budget&quot;. <a href="https://www.editorsguild.com/Wages.cfm" rel="nofollow">editorsguild.com/Wages.cfm</a>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/6225/if-you-had-to-communicate-africa-in-one-sound-effect-one-second-long-what-would/6232#6232 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-03-02T04:04:49Z 2011-03-02T04:04:49Z

... or clapping.

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/6280/designing-and-mixing-sound-for-a-found-footage-horror-film Matt Cavanaugh 2011-02-26T21:37:15Z 2011-02-26T21:37:15Z

You can also take a look at [Rec], or it's American remake Quarantine.

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/3072/iconic-sounds-how-have-they-affected-the-way-you-work/5994#5994 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-02-14T11:16:09Z 2011-02-14T11:16:09Z

Tarantino's designers would have a blast with that sound. Thanks for the share.

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/5957/when-the-ears-refuse-to-talk-to-the-brain-what-do-you-do/5960#5960 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-02-12T00:49:10Z 2011-02-12T00:49:10Z

<a href="http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/split.html" rel="nofollow">faculty.washington.edu/chudler/split.html</a>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/4558/tapestrea-exciting-tools-anyone-using-this-software Matt Cavanaugh 2011-01-12T09:29:12Z 2011-01-12T09:29:12Z

Download - <a href="http://taps.cs.princeton.edu/release/" rel="nofollow">taps.cs.princeton.edu/release</a>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/5469/zoom-h4rode-ntg-2other-external-mic-too-extremely-low-volume/5473#5473 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-01-10T08:07:43Z 2011-01-10T08:07:43Z

<a href="http://www.noisejockey.net/blog/2010/04/30/prosumerism/#more-1342" rel="nofollow">noisejockey.net/blog/2010/04/30/prosumerism/&hellip;</a>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/1566/when-will-films-be-mixed-at-96k/5365#5365 Matt Cavanaugh 2011-01-04T08:24:00Z 2011-01-04T08:24:00Z

Can one of the mods please delete this? Unless, of course, Vanny can offer some insight into what this has to do with how irrelevant mixing at 96k is.

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/5176/a-good-read-for-xmas-holidays/5188#5188 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-12-26T05:13:41Z 2010-12-26T05:13:41Z

I just got the book this morning and I'm in heaven. I would counter that there are loads of techniques revealed by Ben and the author. It's certainly a wake-up call for those (like myself) who can sometimes get caught up in thinking that one needs a grand collection of plugins to make amazing sounds. Great book.

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/789/recording-glass-shatters/794#794 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-12-14T10:17:51Z 2010-12-14T10:17:51Z

I'm glad you guys liked the post. As an addendum to the Home Improvement trick, I've since discovered that there are many establishments nearby that provide free sound-capable materials (i.e. trash) if you just smile and ask politely. One guy actually gave me a whole box of cool junk because he thought it might sound good.

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/3273/external-noise-in-field-recordings Matt Cavanaugh 2010-08-31T05:15:19Z 2010-08-31T05:15:19Z

What gear are you using in the field?

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/3275/oktava-012-mods Matt Cavanaugh 2010-08-31T05:11:24Z 2010-08-31T05:11:24Z

Where's Noise Jockey? I'd hate to spoil any wisdom he'd share here, but he's got some comments and praise/gripes on the OktavaMod on his site that you could check in the mean time: <a href="http://www.noisejockey.net/blog/?s=oktava" rel="nofollow">noisejockey.net/blog/?s=oktava</a>

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/3256/best-way-to-clean-up-plosives/3259#3259 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-08-30T15:59:47Z 2010-08-30T15:59:47Z

I agree that this fix can be anything but quick, especially on a project like Ryan described above, but I find it 1) avoids the risk of sounding over-processed from too much digital correction, and 2) keeps the dialog in the same atmosphere as other speakers/actors that didn't have a plosive problem. Either way, it's another useful tool to have available.

http://socialsounddesign.com/questions/2393/in-search-of-sound-schools/2916#2916 Matt Cavanaugh 2010-08-19T09:14:17Z 2010-08-19T09:14:17Z

+1 on Video Symphony. It's an outstanding school with a full roster of exceptional instructors. <a href="http://www.videosymphony.com/working.php?pg=ptinstructors" rel="nofollow">videosymphony.com/working.php?pg=ptinstructors</a>