Spatial Audio Design - Task 2:Auditory Imaging

                     

20/10/2025 - 9/11/2025 / Week 5 - Week 7
ChenYuhan / 0378131
Spatial Audio Design/ Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylors University
Task 2:Auditory Imaging

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Instruction

2. Lectures

3. Task 2

4. Reflection

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INSTRUCTIONS

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LECTURES

week 5:

Avoiding Clipping

-None of your sounds should clip (go into the red), or they'll become distorted.

-Even if individual tracks don't clip, the master level meter might go into red once all sounds are combined.

- Professional studios often reject audio that clips.

Using the Limiter

-Apply a limiter effect to stop the overall audio from exceeding a certain volume level.

-You can place the Limiter on the Master Mix track to control all sounds together.

-When recording with a microphone, make sure the sound doesn't clip during recording or playback.

-If clipping happens, use the limiter instead of just lowering the volume (which can change the sound).

-Only use the Limiter when necessary, since each effect uses hardware power.

- Too many effects can cause distortion when exporting.

-Always keep the Hard Limiter as the last effect in the chain (e.g., EQ should come before it).

- The limiter controls the final output level, not the mix volume itself.

-Major sound adjustments should be made on individual tracks, not the master.

Bus Tracks

-Create a stereo bus track to group multiple sounds together.

- Before routing tracks to the bus, make sure the mix sounds balanced.

-Reroute individual tracks to the bus instead of the main mix.

-This allows you to control and edit multiple sounds as a group.

- The Bus Track makes overall mixing and automation easier to manage.

-However, if the mix is poor before grouping, it will still sound bad.

Saving and Exporting

-Go to File → Save As.

-Create a new folder (use your name) and save the project.

-When asked to copy media files, select Yes.

-Export Mixdown settings:

- Sample rate: 48000 Hz

- Bit depth: 16-bit

-Format: .WAV (uncompressed; sounds identical to Audition playback)

- Submit both your mixdown (.wav) and project file.

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TASK 2

To complete this task, I first created a rough story outline. The story takes place at night in an old library. The last librarian, after closing time, tidies up the bookshelves, turns off the lights, and locks the door alone. As time passes, the echoes of the library, the sound of papers, footsteps, and the ticking of the clock create a quiet and gentle space—until the final "lock shuts," and the night falls completely silent.

I've bolded the sounds that need attention in the story. And at the end, I've listed all the necessary sounds and their frequency to help complete the task.

Fig. 1.1, process 1, week 7 (2025/11/06)

I first found the audio materials I needed on the website freesound and created the initial version after basic arrangement and editing.

Fig. 1.2, Parametric equalizer and reverb, week 7 (2025/11/06)

Because each audio segment may not have a similar environment, I modified it using a parametric equalizer and reverb to ensure consistency and adapt to the story.

Fig. 1.3, Surround sound settings, week 7 (2025/11/06)

Because we have a specific requirement: we need to set ambient sounds to achieve a sense of immersion. Therefore, we need to adjust the left and right channels in the sound settings.

Fig. 1.4, Final Auditory Imaging Submission, week 7 (2025/11/06)

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REFLECTION

Experience:

I created an auditory story set in a quiet night library. After collecting sounds like footsteps, papers, and clock ticks from Freesound, I arranged them in sequence, applied EQ and reverb for consistency, and used surround panning to position each element for a realistic and immersive atmosphere.

Observations:

One challenge was avoiding clipping when combining multiple tracks, which I solved using a limiter on the master mix. Matching environmental consistency was also difficult since each sound had different acoustic qualities, requiring careful EQ and reverb adjustment to make them blend naturally within the same space.

Findings:

I learned that balancing sound levels and maintaining spatial clarity are vital for immersive design. Using EQ and reverb helps unify different sources, while panning enhances depth and direction. The project strengthened my understanding of how technical mixing and creative storytelling work together in spatial audio production.

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