Spatial Audio Design - Project 3:Audio Storytelling
21/10/2025 - 1/12/2025 / Week 8 - Week 10
ChenYuhan / 0378131
Spatial Audio Design/ Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylors University
Task 3: Audio Storytelling
ChenYuhan / 0378131
Spatial Audio Design/ Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylors University
Task 3: Audio Storytelling
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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LECTURES
Dynamic Microphones: Known for their durability, dynamic microphones are less susceptible to damage from physical impact, making them suitable for rugged environments.
Condenser Microphones: More sensitive than dynamic microphones, condenser mics require an external power source, such as USB or phantom power.
Shotgun/Directional Microphones: A subset of condenser microphones, shotgun mics are highly directional, capturing sound primarily from the direction in which they are pointed. They are commonly used outdoors and necessitate precise aiming at the sound source.
Field of Audio Pickup
The pickup pattern of a microphone determines its sensitivity to sound from different directions:
Omnidirectional: Captures sound equally from all directions.
Cardioid: Primarily captures sound from the front, with reduced sensitivity to sound from the rear.
Hypercardioid: Exhibits a more focused pickup pattern than cardioid, with greater rejection of off-axis sounds.
Figure Eight: Captures sound from both the front and rear, with minimal pickup from the sides. While less common, this pattern can be found in specific recording setups, such as podcasting or duet performances.
Microphones with multiple pickup patterns offer increased versatility but typically come at a higher cost.
The Proximity Effect
Directional microphones exhibit the proximity effect, wherein the bass response increases as the sound source moves closer to the microphone. This effect does not affect omnidirectional microphones. Some microphones feature a bass roll-off switch to mitigate this phenomenon, but it can also be used creatively to enhance low-frequency content.
Effective audio editing is essential for refining recordings and achieving professional-quality sound.
Noise Reduction: Minimizing background noise is a fundamental step in audio editing.
Capture a noise print by sampling a section of the audio containing only background noise.
Apply noise reduction to the entire audio track, adjusting parameters as needed to achieve optimal results.
Audio Level Adjustment: Ensuring consistent audio levels is crucial for a balanced and polished sound.
Carefully listen to the audio and compare levels between different sections.
Adjust audio levels manually to achieve uniformity, paying attention to the nuances of the sound.
Imperfection Removal: Identifying and eliminating unwanted sounds, such as breaths and lip smacks, enhances the overall quality of the recording.
AutoGate: The AutoGate feature within the Dynamics effect allows for the automatic removal of audio below a specified threshold.
Use AutoGate to eliminate unwanted background noise and subtle imperfections.
Compression: Compression reduces the dynamic range of the audio, resulting in a more consistent and controlled sound.
Apply compression to even out audio levels, taking care to preserve the natural dynamics of the voice.
Use the makeup gain to compensate for any loss of volume caused by compression.
Experiment with threshold and ratio settings to achieve the desired effect.
Apply compression after manual audio level adjustments for optimal results.
DeEsser: The DeEsser effect mitigates harsh "s" sounds, enhancing clarity and reducing listener fatigue.
Adjust the Center Frequency and Bandwidth settings to target the specific frequencies causing the issue.
Monitor the audio carefully to ensure that the de-esser does not negatively impact the overall sound quality.
Bass and Treble Adjustment: Adjusting bass and treble frequencies can improve the clarity and balance of the audio.
Use frequency analysis tools to identify areas where adjustments are needed.
Reduce excessive bass frequencies to prevent muddiness.
Aim for a frequency balance that peaks around '2' on the equalizer, with a gradual decline and a slight rise at '5', but ultimately rely on your ears to guide your adjustments.
In this project, we needed to find a story and a video, and then add voice-over dialogue and sound effects. Sound effects could be found online. I decided to voice all the characters appearing in the story.
After some searching, I decided to voice Uru's Lucky Day.
In the original story, there was a third wolf friend, but during the final audio editing, I found that adding it would make the story too long, so I removed the third wolf, as it did not affect the core of the story.
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| Fig. 1.1.1, process 1, week 10 (2025/11/29) |
First, I recorded every line or narration at home. Because I wasn't sure which lines might need to be cut later, I prepared everything from the start. Then, based on the script I was writing, I searched for relevant sound effects on the FreeSound website and began editing.
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Related editing techniques include parametric equalizers and forced clipping. Clipping is a very useful method to ensure that each sentence doesn't stand out too abruptly or sharply in the overall story, as demonstrated in our classroom exercises.
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In addition, I adjusted the stereo channels to create a sense of space, making the wolf run around. I also adjusted the volume curve to create a feeling of it gradually moving away or getting closer.
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Finally, I imported the video into Premiere Pro. Because the original video was quite long, I edited it to ensure it complemented the audio.
Final Audio Storytelling Submission
Experiences:
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