Sonic Design: Project 3
15.11.2024 - 08.12.2024 / Week 8 - Week 11
Sylvia Lau / 0356130
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Sonic Design: Project 3
INSTRUCTION
Project 3: Audio Storytelling
As for the character of the mother, her voice needed to sound deeper and more
weighted. I experimented with using a pitch shifter to achieve a heavier tone.
However, lowering the pitch too much resulted in an unnatural sound, so I kept
the adjustments subtle. Balancing the depth of her voice while maintaining
clarity.
Sylvia Lau / 0356130
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Sonic Design: Project 3
INSTRUCTION
Project 3: Audio Storytelling
We were required to pick one fairy-tale story and create an audiobook. We also
need to record the voice with suitable voice acting and bring it all together
with sound effects to highlight and enhance the storytelling experience.
My storybook choice is Rapunzel from Disney. I referenced the comic version of
the story and the movie dialogues to create the script below.
For the recording process, I enlisted the help of my relatives. Due to the
length of the story, I divided the script into eight manageable sections.
Recording involved multiple takes to ensure clarity and engagement.
The recording took place in a small makeshift space created by layering two
bedsheets. This setup was chosen because it minimized sound reflections,
creating a more focused and clean audio quality. This environment allowed
the voice to sound less echoey and more controlled, improving the overall
clarity of the recording.
There were also changes while recording the storytelling, since my cousin and
I discussed that some parts could be removed or adjusted to make sure the flow
was smooth and nice.
Figure 1.1 Noise Reduction
After recording, I removed background noise and adjusted tonal inconsistencies
for all recordings. However, the final segment still had faint background
chatter, necessitating a re-recording.
Figure 1.2 First Paragraph, EQ Attempt #1
Figure 1.3 First Paragraph, EQ Attempt #2
After applying noise reduction, I added effects like a Parametric Equalizer to
enhance the audio clarity. The adjustments were quite significant since the
volume of the original recording was quite low. I tried fine-tuning twice, as
I recorded the story to eight different audio files, which resulted in slight
variations in the audio tone. So, I experimented with matching the
frequency balance, adjusting the gain, and harmonizing the overall EQ settings
to achieve consistency.
Figure 1.4 Second Paragraph, EQ
Figure 1.5 Third Paragraph, EQ
Figure 1.6 Forth Paragraph, EQ
Figure 1.7 Fifth Paragraph, EQ
Figure 1.8 Sixth Paragraph, EQ
Since I had become familiar with how to adjust the EQ to achieve my desired
sound, I was able to process the remaining recordings more efficiently,
maintaining a consistent quality level. Although some sections still required
minor changes, such as slight adjustments to tone or volume, the overall
process became smoother.
Figure 1.9 Dialogue, Pitch Shifter
Figure 2.0 Dialogue, EQ
Next was a dialogue featuring a little girl speaking to her mother. I
attempted to mimic the girl's voice using my own, and for areas where it fell
short, I applied a pitch shifter to raise the pitch. The result closely
aligned with the tone I envisioned. Following that, I applied the same
workflow as before, focusing on EQ adjustments to ensure the voice blended
seamlessly with the other recordings.
Figure 2.1 Dialogue, Pitch Shifter
Figure 2.2 Dialogue, EQ
Figure 2.3 Eighth Paragraph, EQ
For the last recording, I switched to recording inside a closet because
setting up the environment took time since only the last part needed to be
re-recorded. This led to a slight change in sound quality compared to earlier
segments, which required detailed EQ adjustments to maintain consistency
across all recordings. But I couldn't achieve the result, as there was time
concerned and overall it still had different tones and atmospheres while
hearing.
Figure 2.4 Background Music & Sound Effects
After completing all the audio recordings, the next step was adding
background music to enhance the storytelling and atmosphere. I downloaded
three tracks related to Rapunzel. The beginning of the story uses soft and
gentle music to set a calm tone, while the middle section features a more
dramatic shift to align with key events in the plot. Towards the end, the
music transitions again to reflect the resolution.
The most challenging part was ensuring the music transitions felt smooth and
natural. This required a careful selection of tracks that matched the
narrative’s rhythm and mood, as well as precise timing adjustments to avoid
abrupt changes that might disrupt the flow of the story.
Figure 2.5 Images
Figure 2.6 Combination of Audio and Images
I took screenshots of the movie which I thought it would be suitable for the
storytelling audio, and I also added sound effects to a few scenes to enhance
the atmosphere. By not crashing with the sound of the audio, I reduce the
volume of the sound effects. The sounds only include, magical shimmering, baby
laughing and crying, door opening, scissor cutting, which all of them were
according to the images I screenshot.
Final Submission:
REFLECTION
Through this project, I gained a deeper understanding of Adobe Audition, including tools like noise reduction to clean up voice recordings. I also learned how to process and organize audio files to make them sound smoother and more polished.
When setting up a recording environment, I tried several approaches, such as using a closet, blankets, and even creating a simple soundproof booth. Ultimately, I found that wrapping a small space with two layers of thick blankets and adding sound-absorbing foam worked best. However, external noises like conversations and TV sounds still occasionally leaked in. To ensure the best audio quality, I had to re-record multiple times and carefully compare different versions before selecting the most satisfactory one.
Although the process was time-consuming, it was also very rewarding. From having no prior knowledge of audio editing to being able to independently handle simple sound effect processing, I feel a strong sense of accomplishment.
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