AUdIoCoUrSeS
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 2014
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| Week 7 - Drama and Sound Effects |
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1. Describe the difference between an audio book and a talking book.
2. What would be the typical duration of a novel, as read out loud?
3. What is the maximum official duration of a CD?
4. Briefly explain the term 'characterization'.
5. Briefly explain the term 'narrative'.
6. Briefly explain the term 'description'.
7. What is 'abridgement'?
8. Briefly describe the differences in using an actor to read a book, versus a 'personality'.
9. What are 'lip smacks'?
10. What are the acoustic requirements of a voiceover studio?
11. What is an 'acoustic table'?
12. Comment on microphone distance in relation to the quality of the recorded voice.
13. When would edits be made to cut out coughs, mistakes etc.?
14. Comment on the significance of marking problems during the session.
15. What is the benefit of compression?
16. Describe the use of reverberation.
17. Comment on the use of creative recording techniques for poetry.
18. Comment on the microphone technique for audio drama.
19. In an audio drama studio, comment on the use of the dead area.
20. Comment on the use of the live area.
21. Comment on the use of effects areas.
22. Comment on the use of the narrator's booth.
23. Explain the use of walking surfaces.
24. Describe how sound effects are produced in the drama studio.
25. Comment on the value of playing sound effects through a loudspeaker in the studio.
26. How is the acoustic environment of a car interior simulated?
27. Comment on the acting area and 'no-go' area when using a coincident crossed pair of figure-of-eight microphones.
28. What is 'fader start'?
29. List the contexts in which sound effects are commonly used.
30. Comment on the value of accuracy in sound effects.
31. Why are sound effects recorded as long ago as the 1930s still in use?
32. Why is it sometimes useful for archive sound effects to sound noisy or crackly?
33. Comment on the dynamic range of real life sounds.
34. Comment on the dynamic range of recording equipment in relation to that of real life sounds.
35. Give examples of spot effects.
36. Give examples of extended effects.
38. What is 'room tone'?
39. Why must sound effects be recorded in isolation from other sounds and excessive reverberation or ambience?
40. In what context would room tone be faked?
41. Give six examples of sounds made by a car that are not mentioned in the text.
42. Comment on the problems introduced by recording sound effects in stereo.
43. Why is the coincident crossed pair (or MS) technique preferable to stereo techniques where the mics are separated?
44. Give two advantages of MS technique over a coincident crossed pair.
45. Describe Foley effects.
46. What kinds of sound would the Foley technique be used for?
47. In what characteristic is a Foley stage superior to any other recording studio?
_________________
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Sat Oct 16, 2004 7:18 pm |
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seanm
Joined: 06 Sep 2004
Posts: 20
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| Week 7 - Drama and Sound Effects |
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Hi Chris, here's my answers for this week
-Week 7 - Drama and Sound Effects
1. Describe the difference between an audio book and a talking book.
A talking book is any kind of book, for instance fiction or textbook recorded specifically for people with sight difficulties. An audio book is a recording often including sound effects and incidental music, purely for entertainment purposes.
2. What would be the typical duration of a novel, as read out loud?
The average novel would take around 6-8 hours to read out aloud.
3. What is the maximum official duration of a CD?
The red book specification (a document developed by sony and philips in 1980 outlining the specification for cd’s) states the duration of a cd to be 74 minutes.
4. Briefly explain the term 'characterization'.
A character is a person created by a dramatist, scriptwriter or novelist. In order to bring this character to life the author usually attributes them with distinctive characteristics or essential features perhaps moral or personal traits. In drama characterisation refers to the representation of this character through speech, action and gesture.
5. Briefly explain the term 'narrative'.
Narrative is the general or inclusive term for a story or account of any events or experiences.
6. Briefly explain the term 'description'.
The process of describing something.
7. What is 'abridgement'?
Abridgement is the process of shortening or condensing a text, usually to a given length. The process might include removing material deemed less important or less relevant, for instance repetition or certain details or description. In most abridgements the aim is to keep the sense and substance of the work, such as the main plot and characters in a story.
8. Briefly describe the differences in using an actor to read a book, versus a personality'.
An actor is trained in characterisation and should be able to control their voice. They should also be experienced in reading aloud for relatively long periods of time and might even have a grasp of microphone techniques. This should result in a smoother session, with fewer mistakes and requiring less processing (particularly compression) and editing.
A personality might be trained in all the above but might still have little actual experience of any of it. If so or indeed if untrained the session will probably take much longer (with all this implies for costs) and the individual might require a degree of direction to extract the required performance.
9. What are 'lip smacks'?
Part of the mechanical process of speaking lip smacks can become audible in speech recording particularly with close mic’d speakers.
10. What are the acoustic requirements of a voiceover studio?
A voice over studio should ideally have a relatively “dead” acoustic (reverberation times between 0.25 and 0.4 seconds at all frequencies) with an even decay.
11. What is an 'acoustic table'?
An acoustic table is designed to be as acoustically transparent as possible. Any reflective surfaces can reflect sound back up into the microphone, but only those sounds whose wavelengths are shorter than the dimensions of the reflecting surface. A table with a hard reflective surface would normally reflect higher frequencies (shorter wavelengths) back up to the microphone, which has the effect of reinforcing them with a slight delay, or phase shift often producing a harsh quality to the voice.
To overcome this acoustic tables are used. One example being a table constructed from a wooden frame covered on top with perforated steel (approx ¼ holes closely spaced) covered with loud-speaker cloth. With an 1/8 inch layer of felt or foam under the cloth to increase it’s stability. The cloth only being fixed at the edges to avoid rustling noises.
12. Comment on microphone distance in relation to the quality of the recorded voice.
For speech recording a “good” distance is considered to be 45-60cm (except for ribbon mics where even this distance is thought too close unless the resultant bass tip up is countered by a filter to roll off bass). Speaking into a microphone closely tends to exaggerate the physical mechanics of speaking, making teeth licks and lip smacks audible. Also the sheer weight of breathe on the mic can cause blasting and popping especially “plosive” P’s and B’s.
There are occasions when close working would be appropriate for instance special effects in drama. Effects such as “thought voices” or very intimate scenes might require close working with the actors being encouraged to speak across the mic to minimize popping and blasting.
13. When would edits be made to cut out coughs, mistakes etc.?
These should be performed at the end of the session. It is not desirable to continually stop and start the session as this will affect the flow of the speaker.
14. Comment on the significance of marking problems during the session.
Marking problems is essential as voice recording sessions will invariably produce a great deal of material. Marking problems will speed up the editing process enormously.
15. What is the benefit of compression?
Compression is used to produce an even dynamic in a signal. Used carefully with the spoken word it can be used to even out the dynamics in the signal however with speech recording the natural sound of the voice is an important factor so soft knee or hard knee with a low compression setting is desirable.
There are some instances where more compression might be added to a voice particularly in jingles. However the effect of this kind of compression can be tiring on the ear, over a long period of time, making it unsuitable for talking or audio books.
16. Describe the use of reverberation.
Any reverberation added should be designed to enhance the overall natural sound of speech recording. Again unless being used to create a special effect (vicars sermon) it should be kept to a minimum. A small amount of short room reverb can be used but as a rule of thumb if the reverb can be clearly heard it is probably too loud.
17. Comment on the use of creative recording techniques for poetry.
Much poetry is written to be performed, this opens up many creative recording possibilities. Poetry might be recorded before a live audience or in an environment chosen for it’s acoustic properties, (outside, in a field or street). Sound effects might play an important role for instance the charge of the light brigade read over battle sounds. With a living poet there will probably be a great deal of collaboration in terms of recording technique and special effects to be used.
18. Comment on the microphone technique for audio drama.
To a large extent the microphone technique employed for audio drama will be dictated by the requirements of the script. Different techniques being employed in each section of the drama recording studio. The experience of the actors themselves can have an effect on mirophone technique, whilst another consideration is whether the production will be broadcast in stereo or mono.
In a mono recording of normal speech between actors a figure of eight microphone is useful as it allows the actors to face each other, this being more natural for them than standing side by side. The actors should be no closer than roughly arms length from the mic. They should also step back or turn sideways when raising their voices.
Since the polar pattern of a figure of eight mic contains two dead sides it is useful in giving the impression that the studio is bigger than it’s physical dimensions dictate. This is due to the fact that our impression of distance is dictated by the ratio of direct-to-indirect sound, the more indirect the further away the source appears. By simply standing in the dead area of the microphone an actors voice will not be picked up directly but reflections from the studio walls (or appropriately placed reflective panels) will be picked up making the actor appear distant. By simply backing away from the microphone and circling around the microphone to the live side the actor can appear to have made a long straight approach. To achieve a similar affect with an omnidirectional mic would require a much bigger space.
For scenes involving a number of actors in a fairly lively acoustic space (courtroom for instance) a single cardioid suspended above the actors with the dead side facing the ceiling is often used.
19. In an audio drama studio, comment on the use of the dead area.
Drama studios are often divided into live and dead areas. The dead area is used to simulate a variety of environments, containing few or no reflective surfaces:
Outdoors, this area must be as dead as possible, soft acoustic screens may be placed around the live sides of a figure of eight to provide further absorption of sound. To avoid producing standing waves no screens should directly face each other. These screens should also be positioned to angle reflections away from the mic and into the dead area).
Car interior, this area must sound small and boxy and requires a reflective surface very close to the microphone. This can be achieved by screening off the corner of the dead area placing a figure of eight with one live side close to the wall (not parallel) with the actors facing the other live side.
Rooms with sound absorption characteristics, (heavily carpeted and curtained for instance living rooms and bedrooms).
20. Comment on the use of the live area.
The live area is used to simulate environments with more reflective characteristics. For instance, offices, kitchens and bathrooms or larger spaces like courtrooms and churches.
21. Comment on the use of the effects areas.
An effects area is often used for the production of effects, which it is impractical for the spot effects operator to perform in close proximity to the actors. This area may contain a large variety of objects close miked to produce a range of sounds. It might also contain walking surfaces almost anything required for the production, which is not pre-recorded.
22. Comment on the use of the narrator's booth.
The narrator’s booth is often a separate isolated booth or could be a discreet section of the dead area.
23. Explain the use of walking surfaces.
Walking surfaces are used to simulate the sound of footsteps on different surfaces (gravel, wood, concrete etc.) and wearing different footware. The surface is close miked and mixed in as appropriate. Such surfaces would be located in the effects area.
24. Describe how sound effects are produced in the drama studio.
There are a number of methods for producing live effects. Some prefer the sound effects operator to be alongside the actors or opposite them wherever possible as they believe this produces the most natural effect. This technique reduces the need for spot miking which can distort perspective and divorces the operator from the action. In other instances live effects are produced solely in an effects area.
The timing of effects is critical to drama, for this reason many believe that adding effects later is undesirable.
Pre-recorded effects are used more and more nowadays due to cost cutting and to the easy availability of many pre-recorded sounds.
25. Comment on the value of playing sound effects through a loudspeaker in the studio.
This method employed when using pre-recorded effects effectively places the effect in the appropriate acoustic space and helps the actors to react naturally to the effects. This should make the whole production feel natural.
26. How is the acoustic environment of a car interior simulated?
Car interior, this area must sound small and boxy and requires a reflective surface very close to the microphone. This can be achieved by screening off the corner of the dead area placing a figure of eight with one live side close to the wall (not parallel) with the actors facing the other live side.
27. Comment on the acting area and 'no-go' area when using a coincident crossed pair of figure-of-eight microphones.
A properly configured coincident crossed pair of figure of eight’s gives an acting area of 90 degrees on opposite sides of the configuration. The no-go area being anywhere outside this area.
28. What is 'fader start'?
A function used to cue the start of audio playback systems directly from a mixing console. When the appropriate fader is moved from it’s closed position audio playback begins immediately.
29. List the contexts in which sound effects are commonly used.
Radio drama
TV drama
Films
TV advertising
Audio books
Theatre, (dramatic), dance, physical theatre.
30. Comment on the value of accuracy in sound effects.
The accuracy of sound effects is critical to any production. Audiences are very sophisticated and can instinctively tell if a sound effect is not accurate or is inappropriate. Comedy sound effects are the exception, which proves the rule. The vast improvement in reception equipment further increases the important of accuracy in sound effects.
31. Why are sound effects recorded as long ago as the 1930s still in use?
Some historical recordings might be necessary for a production (historical events etc.) Some sound sources may be difficult or impossible to reproduce convincingly.
32. Why is it sometimes useful for archive sound effects to sound noisy or crackly?
If the intention is for the effect to sound old.
33. Comment on the dynamic range of real life sounds.
The dynamic range of an audio signal is the difference between the quietest discernible part of the signal and the loudest undistorted part of the signal. Dynamic range is normally expressed in decibels. Real life sounds cover a vast dynamic range for example a rural area at night with no nearby roads can be less than 30dBA, whilst a jet aircraft at take off from a distance of about 30 metres can be as much as 140dBA.
34. Comment on the dynamic range of recording equipment in relation to that of real life sounds.
Dynamic range is another way of stating the maximum S/N ratio. With reference to signal processing equipment, the maximum output signal is restricted by the size of the power supplies, it cannot swing more voltage than is available. While the noise floor of the unit determines the minimum output signal, it cannot output a discernible signal smaller than the noise.
Professional grade analogue signal processing equipment can output signals of +26dBU with the best noise floors being down to –94dBU. Giving a maximum dynamic range of 120 dB (co-incidently the dynamic range of normal human hearing).
The dynamic range of microphones varies enormously.
The dynamic range of CD’s is around 110dB
35. Give examples of spot effects.
Spot effects are those effects performed live in a sound studio and include such things as, door slams, picking up and putting down objects, pouring drinks and door bells.
36. Give examples of extended effects.
Climatic effects, wind, rain etc. Fires, rain forests, car engines running.
38. What is 'room tone'?
The overall acoustic ambience of a particular room or space. Particularly it’s reverberant characteristics.
39. Why must sound effects be recorded in isolation from other sounds and excessive reverberation or ambience?
Sound effects recorded in this way are much more useful as with processing they can be used in a variety of settings or circumstances. Sound effects with ambience or reverberation can only be used in circumstances similar to those in which they were recorded, as any ambience or reverberation is almost impossible to remove without affecting the quality of the sound. Any effect recorded with other sounds present will likewise only be useful in a similar setting.
40. In what context would room tone be faked?
If the room didn’t reflect the tone or ambience required. For instance reverberation might be faked to give the impression the sound were taking place within a cathedral.
41. Give six examples of sounds made by a car that are not mentioned in the text.
Most likely sounds normally made by a car but in themselves adding nothing to the story e.g.
Changing gear
Windscreen Wipers
Accelerating
Slowing down
Seat belt fastening
Electric window mechanisms.
42. Comment on the problems introduced by recording sound effects in stereo.
Care is needed to ensure that spot effects recorded in stereo are placed in the same position and perspective as the associated voice. Footsteps would be difficult as coincident pairs are usually placed one above the other , so the sounds from the floor reach the bottom mic slightly before the top one, producing a sound delay.
Stereo recording produces the studio acoustic much more accurately ideally requiring large, very dead studios with no outside noise. Many radio dramas will still be received on mono equipment so care needs to be taken with mono compatibility of such effects.
43. Why is the coincident crossed pair (or MS) technique preferable to stereo techniques where the mics are separated?
With a coincident crossed pair or MS all sounds usually arrive at the same time (in the horizontal plane) producing a stereo effect purely by volume differences between the two. Spaced pairs on the other hand rely largely on phase shift to produce the stereo effect. When listening in mono these phase shifts can cause cancellation resulting in silence or phase distortion.
44. Give two advantages of MS technique over a coincident crossed pair.
MS technique involves two microphones where one is a middle component microphone (usually a cardioid or omni) pointing straight ahead and the other is a figure of eight side component arranged laterally. The microphone outputs are processed by a sum and difference network, to produce conventional left and right signals, making use of the fact that the two lobes of the figure of eight are in opposite phase. This makes the MS system ideally compatible with mono transmission and gives more control over the width of the “acting area”.
45. Describe Foley effects.
Foley effects are produced in foley studios (stages) by foley artists. Foley effects are synchronous effects dubbed onto film and tv productions to replace the sound effects recorded on set. The foley artist dubs the sounds to the pictures to match the exact mood. Whilst pre-recorded effects do exist finding exactly the right one to match the “swish” of some curtains being opened is not easy or possible. It is actually easier and quicker to have an experienced foley artist working to the pictures to produce exactly the right “swish”.
46. What kinds of sound would the Foley technique be used for?
Spot effects, punches, slaps, cutlery and crockery noises, the rustling of clothes, footsteps anything and everything which can be recorded in the foley environment and is required to ensure the synchronous sound is accurate and balanced.
47. In what characteristic is a Foley stage superior to any other recording studio?
Foley studios usually have a superior degree of acoustic isolation which is vital as many of the effects recorded will have very low output levels. |
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Sun Oct 24, 2004 6:00 am |
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Rico1210
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 39
Location: Newcastle, UK |
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Hi,
Here are my answers for Sound effects & Speech
1. Describe the difference between an audio book and a talking book.
An audio book is a recorded novel that is on sale to the general public. A talking book is a recording specifically produced for the blind. The differences are in the level of production, as a talking book is typically of a low standard possibly recorded using a volunteers voice. Whereas an audio book is generally recorded using an actors voice to bring the story to life, and is usually of a very high standard.
2. What would be the typical duration of a novel, as read out loud?
The typical duration of a novel, as read out loud would be 6 hours or more depending on the size of novel.
3. What is the maximum official duration of a CD?
The maximum official duration of a CD is 74 minutes.
4. Briefly explain the term 'characterization'.
Characterization is defined as the qualities of a person. These qualities include appearance, speech, mannerism, attitude, background, point of view. Characterization is often confused with character. Character is determined by the choices a person makes in a given situation.
5. Briefly explain the term 'narrative'.
In basic terms, a narrative is a story. A narrative must have a story based on an action caused and experienced by characters, and a narrator who tells it.
6. Briefly explain the term 'description'.
A description is a statement that helps give the reader an idea of the appearance of a particular character or object.
7. What is 'abridgement'?
An abridgement is a shortened version of a piece of work. An abridgement is made by omitting the less important parts of a larger work.
8. Briefly describe the differences in using an actor to read a book, versus a 'personality'.
The differences in using an actor to read a book, versus a personality will be the time taken to record the full version of the book. An actor is specifically trained in delivering the spoken word, whereas a personality is not. Therefore an actor will not need much direction in terms of how to emphasize certain phrases or sections.
9. What are 'lip smacks'?
The term 'lip smacks' is fairly self explanatory. When a persons lips touch during speech they can sometimes produce a 'smacking' sound. A quick fix is to apply lip balm.
10. What are the acoustic requirements of a voiceover studio?
A voiceover studio should be acoustically dead, as any ambience created could alter the imagination of the listener in a way that is not intended.
11. What is an 'acoustic table'?
An 'acoustic table' is a table covered in cloth, which has an acoustically transparent supporting surface to reduce reflection of sound back into the microphone.
12. Comment on microphone distance in relation to the quality of the recorded voice.
The distance between the actor and the mic would depend on whether you wanted a warm, intimate sound (less than 30 cm), or a sound that is a more accurate representation of human speech (around 50 cm).
13. When would edits be made to cut out coughs, mistakes etc.?
Any editing to replace mistakes or coughs by the actor would be done after the full recording has taken place using editing software to cut out the bad sections.
14. Comment on the significance of marking problems during the session.
If problems are marked during the session, it will make editing a lot easier. When editing, the engineer will be able to skip directly to where the problem occured instead of listening to the full recording and editing on the way. Marking problems during the session will make editing a lot less time consuming.
15. What is the benefit of compression?
Compression can be used to reduce the dynamic range between the quiet and loud sections of the speech. This allows the actor to vary the tone of their voice (speak softly, shout) with the overall level being consistant.
16. Describe the use of reverberation.
Reverberation can be used to dramatize a particular section of the recording by adding ambience or to 'warm up' the actors voice.
17. Comment on the use of creative recording techniques for poetry.
Poetry is a lot shorter than an average story, this opens it up for creative recording techniques. As there is no direct story-telling, poetry recordings can incorporate music and sound effects. The actors' voice may even be altered using sound effects, or the pitch changed to create a dark tone.
18. Comment on the microphone technique for audio drama.
Audio drama is usually physically acted out on a stage or suitable room to give a 'real' feeling to the production. A drama studio should have a variety of different spaces that can provide the acoustics of real life. Microphones will be set out in stereo to accurately capture the movement of the actors, rather than have each actor individually miked and then the signals mixed together. One technique that could be used is a coincident crossed pair of figure-of-eight microphones.
19. In an audio drama studio, comment on the use of the dead area.
A dead area in a drama studio is an area with hardly any reflection. This area is used to simulate an outdoor environment.
20. Comment on the use of the live area.
A live area in a drama studio is an area which is dependent on surface coverings to give a variable reverberation time. The live area can be used to simulate lots of different interior acoustics.
21. Comment on the use of effects areas.
An effects area of a drama studio is an area where special environments are simulated. These may include very small spaces like a telephone box or staircase, or they may simulate unique acoustic rooms such as a kitchen. The effects area is also used to simulate different types of tread, for instance, the sound of someone walking on concrete or a wood floor, or even carpet.
22. Comment on the use of the narrator's booth.
The narrators booth in a drama studio is used to record any narration. This is a space that is separate from the main studio area and can therefore continue recording whilst other areas of the studio are being set up. This is beneficial during a live recording, as the drama can continue through the narrator whilst the set is being changed.
23. Explain the use of walking surfaces.
Walking surfaces are a type of sound effect used during live recording to simulate the distinct sounds created from different treads. These can be created using actual objects like wood or gravel trays, or can be pre-recorded for playback during the recording.
24. Describe how sound effects are produced in the drama studio.
Sound effects in the drama studio can be produced from pre-recorded effects played through a loudspeaker, or actual objects. Water sounds could be produced using a bowl or tank of water and a jug. An actual telephone could be used to create the sound of a telephone ringing. Kitchen crockery or utensils could be used to create relevant sounds. Coconut shells to create the sound of horses hooves etc. Sound effects in the drama studio are played through a loudspeaker within the studio by a 'grams operator'.
25. Comment on the value of playing sound effects through a loudspeaker in the studio.
Playing sound effects through a loudspeaker in the studio enables the actors to hear the effects and react appropriately to them. It also enables the sound effects to take on the acoustic characteristics of the studio, so they don't sound like they are coming from somewhere else on the recording.
26. How is the acoustic environment of a car interior simulated?
The acoustic environment of a car interior can be simulated in the drama studio by using acoustic screens. Acoustic screens with a glass panel which are generally used to separate musicians acoustically but not visually, can be used. Three or four of these screens placed in either a triangle or a square shape will simulate the acoustic environment of a car interior. An absorbant material could also be placed on the floor inside the screens to re-create the soft seats of a cars interior.
27. Comment on the acting area and 'no-go' area when using a coincident crossed pair of figure-of-eight microphones.
When using a coincident crossed pair of figure-of-eight microphones there are set areas where sound will be accurately recorded, or where the outputs of the two channels will be out of phase. The acting area is the area where sound will be accurately recorded. The 'no-go' area is the area where the outputs will be out of phase. When using a coincident crossed pair of figure-of-eight microphones there are two acting areas and two 'no-go' areas. The acting areas are opposite each other, as are the 'no-go' areas.
28. What is 'fader start'?
'Fader start' is when the selected sound effect is immediately started as soon as its fader is moved from the completely off position, without having to press the start button.
29. List the contexts in which sound effects are commonly used.
Sound effects are commonly used in theatre, on television, in films and in music recording
30. Comment on the value of accuracy in sound effects.
The accuracy of sound effects are very important in theatre as the audience must be made to believe that the sounds created are real, and their timing is very important. This can also be said for sound effects in films, as the sound adds a lot to the atmosphere of a film. Inaccurate sound effects are often used in 'slapstick' comedy shows, or productions.
31. Why are sound effects recorded as long ago as the 1930s still in use?
Sound effects recorded as long ago as the 1930's are still in use as some sounds that were recorded back then are irreplaceable.
32. Why is it sometimes useful for archive sound effects to sound noisy or crackly?
It is sometimes useful to have noisy or crackly sound effects when adding e
effects to a scene that is supposed to be dated. The noisy crackly effect will help give an aged feel to a scene.
33. Comment on the dynamic range of real life sounds.
Real life sounds have an extremely large dynamic range. Thunder for example, is very different to the sound of whistle. There are real life sounds that are beyond the dynamic range of human hearing, ie. a dog whistle.
34. Comment on the dynamic range of recording equipment in relation to that of real life sounds.
When recording real life sounds, recording equipment that offers 24bit resolution is preferrable. This will will give a larger dynamic range.
35. Give examples of spot effects.
Spot effects are usually very short, one-off effects. Examples could be a gun shot or a car horn.
36. Give examples of extended effects.
An extended effect is an effect that lasts for a fair amount of time.
Examples of extended effects could be weather effects ie. rain or a thunder storm.
38. What is 'room tone'?
Room tone is the recording of the sound of an area with no dialogue or other sounds. Room tone in a way is background noise or atmospheric noise. For instance, the 'room tone' of a highway is the constant sound of car engines.
39. Why must sound effects be recorded in isolation from other sounds and excessive reverberation or ambience?
Sound effects should be recorded in isolation to enable them to be manipulated easily, if required. It is also important to record sound effects in isolation, so as not to capture any other effects or noise in the same recording.
40. In what context would room tone be faked?
Room tone could be faked to create the 'hustle & bustle' sound of an airport or busy street. Room tone is often faked in science fiction films to create a unique atmospheric sound that fits in with the story of the film.
41. Give six examples of sounds made by a car that are not mentioned in the text.
Examples of sounds made by a car: Car door closing, engine start, engine revs, tyre screech, car horn, windscreen wipers.
42. Comment on the problems introduced by recording sound effects in stereo.
Recording sound effects in stereo creates synchronizing problems when placing the effects in the mix. Mono sound effects are a lot easier to place in a mix.
43. Why is the coincident crossed pair (or MS) technique preferable to stereo techniques where the mics are separated?
The coincident crossed pair (or MS) technique is preferable to stereo techniques as stereo recordings are harder to place in the mix than mono recordings. The coincident crossed pair has the advantage that the signals can be collapsed into mono.
44. Give two advantages of MS technique over a coincident crossed pair.
The advantages of MS (Middle & Side) technique over a coincident crossed pair are that the MS technique is of 100% mono capability, and the sound field may be altered in post production. MS technique is 100% mono capable because of the way the left and right channels are created. The left channel is created by adding the middle and side signals together (M+S), the right channel is created with the difference of the middle and side signals (M-S). Therefore when the two are added together, the output is M only (M+S)+(M-S) = 2M.
45. Describe Foley effects.
Foley effects are named after a man named Foley who created a way to add sound effects live during post-production using a recording studio. These effects are sometimes recordings of sounds placed into the mix, or can be generated manually.
46. What kinds of sound would the Foley technique be used for?
Sounds created using the Foley technique would be footsteps, rain, thunder, doors opening, keys rattling.
47. In what characteristic is a Foley stage superior to any other recording studio?
Foley effects should be recorded in isolation as with other sound effects, unwanted background noise or excess reverberation should be avoided. The recording area should be acoustically 'dead'. |
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Sun Oct 24, 2004 9:07 am |
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kurt53
Joined: 15 Sep 2004
Posts: 6
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Here are my answers for drama and sound effects, I’m still battling to do my practical, been having a lot of power cuts lately, and the phone lines have been down.
1. Describe the difference between an audio book and a talking book.
An audio book is a recorded novel for commercial release and sale to the general public. A talking book is a recording exclusively produced for the blind and for those who have reading disabilities e.g. dyslexia.
2. What would be the typical duration of a novel, as read out loud?
6-8 hours
3. What is the maximum official duration of a CD?
74-80 minutes
4. Briefly explain the term 'characterization'.
The description of a character.
5. Briefly explain the term 'narrative'.
This is a description of a sequence of events, which then unravels into a story.
6. Briefly explain the term 'description'.
Usually describes the actions of or what happens to a character.
7. What is 'abridgement'?
Shortening a novel to make the appropriate length by cutting out unnecessary words or descriptions
8. Briefly describe the differences in using an actor to read a book, versus a 'personality'.
An actor is trained and experienced in delivering the spoken word. A personality may not be trained in this way and so it is probable that more time and money will be spent getting the recording right.
9. What are 'lip smacks'?
If listened to for long enough, very irritating noises made by the mouth caused from smacking your lips together, of which some people can control better than others.
10. What are the acoustic requirements of a voiceover studio?
It should be dead acoustically as it is just voice and there is no backing. It is very important that no ambience or background noise is picked up during the recording to irritate the listener.
11. What is an 'acoustic table'?
It is a table covered with a soft cloth similar to a pool table. Underneath, the supporting surface is acoustically transparent so that there is very little reflection back into the mic, which could colour the sound.
12. Comment on microphone distance in relation to the quality of the recorded voice.
A close mic less than 30cm from the actor would produce a warm, intimate sound, whereas a more distant mic 50cm would produce a more accurate version of human speech. The closer the mic is to the vocalist, the better. If the mic is too far, background noise will be picked up, spoiling the effect.
13. When would edits be made to cut out coughs, mistakes etc.?
After the recording has been completed using a hard disk recording system. It may require the actor to come back and re-record some sections.
14. Comment on the significance of marking problems during the session.
This makes it much easier, as it enables you to go to the source of the problem areas when editing afterward, rather than having to go through the whole recording again to pin point problem areas.
15. What is the benefit of compression?
As compression reduces the dynamic range between the quiet and loud sections, allowing the actor to speak softly or shout, the listener receives a reasonably consistent level.
16. Describe the use of reverberation.
Reverberation is usually used to dramatize a recording, especially if the story is written in the first person. Reverberation or ambience is also added when necessary to suit the story.
17. Comment on the use of creative recording techniques for poetry.
Because the time duration of poems is much shorter than that of novels and the fact that poems do not have a direct story telling approach, it may be more allowable to be creative with the recording. Such as with the sound effects, and music and even lowering the pitch of the voice, using a pitch shifter for dark-toned work.
18. Comment on the microphone technique for audio drama.
When recording audio drama it is essential to use microphones suitable for speech, preferably mics with a good resistance to popping. Stereo mics are good, as are mic arranged in a stereo pair since the movement of the actors will be captured accurately.
19. In an audio drama studio, comment on the use of the dead area.
This is an area with hardly any reflection and is used to simulate an outdoor environment.
20. Comment on the use of the live area.
This area has different reverb times, reliant on surface coverings, which can simulate the acoustics of different kinds of interiors.
21. Comment on the use of effects areas.
This area is used to simulate special acoustic environments such as kitchen, telephone booth, staircase, and various floor surfaces (carpet, wood, concrete etc.)
22. Comment on the use of the narrator's booth.
Used solely for narration and has the additional advantage, if the script calls for it, that a live broadcast, or ‘as live’ recording can continue while the other areas of the studio are reset.
23. Explain the use of walking surfaces.
Used to simulate a walking surface by using items such as glass, concrete, gravel trays etc.
24. Describe how sound effects are produced in the drama studio.
These are either produced live, using sound substitutes or from a sound effects library for anything which can’t be done live. Grams operators then play in the sound effects live during the course of the drama.
25. Comment on the value of playing sound effects through a loudspeaker in the studio.
The benefits are, the sound takes on the same acoustic characteristics of the room itself and blends in. Also if the actors can hear it they can respond to it.
26. How is the acoustic environment of a car interior simulated?
By taking three or four acoustic screens of the type with a glass panel, and then place these in a compact triangle or square.
27. Comment on the acting area and 'no-go' area when using a coincident crossed pair of figure-of-eight microphones.
The acting area is the area where actors are able to give a performance that will produce an acceptable outcome. The no go area is where the outputs of the two channels would be out of phase.
28. What is 'fader start'?
There is a switch in the fader that closes as soon as the fader moves up from the off position. This sends a signal to the CD player, tape recorder etc to start automatically, without the start button having to be pressed.
29. List the contexts in which sound effects are commonly used.
Television, film, radio, drama, theatre, sports, etc.
30. Comment on the value of accuracy in sound effects.
It is important that the effects sound realistic in order to put across what is occurring either on screen or on the radio.
31. Why are sound effects recorded as long ago as the 1930s still in use?
Some of the material recorded then is not replaceable.
32. Why is it sometimes useful for archive sound effects to sound noisy or crackly?
This could be done to give a more historical feel to the effect if you are trying to portray a time many years ago.
33. Comment on the dynamic range of real life sounds.
Real life sounds have a very extensive dynamic range from for example a cricket chirping to a plane engine starting up.
34. Comment on the dynamic range of recording equipment in relation to that of real life sounds.
A recording in 24 bit resolution would give the best results.
35. Give examples of spot effects.
Spot effects are individual events e.g. a car engine starting, a crack, a clap, a bang.
36. Give examples of extended effects.
A car engine running
38. What is 'room tone'?
Background, atmosphere, hum etc. any subtle noise that makes the room unique.
39. Why must sound effects be recorded in isolation from other sounds and excessive reverberation or ambience?
This is because you may want to use a particular sound for a specific reason/effect or scenario. If say you wanted the peaceful sound of running water, and the phone rings, it would just spoil the whole effect. In relation to reverb and ambience, it is better not to have it while you are recording, as it is impossible to take away afterwards and you might not even want it, rather add it in later if you see fit.
40. In what context would room tone be faked?
Room tone is faked when you want to give the impression of a real life scene.
41. Give six examples of sounds made by a car that are not mentioned in the text.
Text?
Windscreen wipers, tyre skidding, engine starting, door slam, idling engine, boot shutting.
42. Comment on the problems introduced by recording sound effects in stereo.
Sound effects are harder to manipulate in stereo.
43. Why is the coincident crossed pair (or MS) technique preferable to stereo techniques where the mics are separated?
Because of the stereo signal’s compatibility to mono.
44. Give two advantages of MS technique over a coincident crossed pair.
One mic points directly at the sound source with MS, unlike in a coincident pair neither mic may point at the sound source.
It is more compatible to mono
45. Describe Foley effects.
Foley effects are sounds that are used in film post-production to either replace or improve sounds.
46. What kinds of sound would the Foley technique be used for?
Footsteps, the famous out of sync Bruce Lee fight scenes (punches, kicks etc.) and glass or other objects breaking.
47. In what characteristic is a Foley stage superior to any other recording studio?
For the silence factor, it is the quietest studio you will find.
Kurt 53 |
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Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:15 pm |
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AUdIoCoUrSeS
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 2014
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| Sean |
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seanm
quote:
Briefly explain the term 'narrative'. Narrative is the general or inclusive term for a story or account of any events or experiences.
Good yes but you want more details than this, perhaps an example.
quote:
Briefly explain the term 'description'. The process of describing something.
Again, far too brief.
quote:
Comment on the microphone technique for audio drama.
This is good! Much more like it sean.
OK you have a talent for much of this work sean but your answers are not very balanced currently. What I would like to see you develop is your ability to treat each answer with almost equal weighting so one sentence answers are NOT the way forward. YOU must clearly demonstrate to the examiner you fully understand the concept. Where you write fluidly you answer very well.
Keep it up.
_________________
It's all in the ears. - Learn the concepts not the software.
Audio Courses is a way into the music business for you
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Tue Oct 26, 2004 7:51 am |
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AUdIoCoUrSeS
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 2014
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| Hard Work |
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Rico1210 and kurt53
Some very good answers here, and in parts good depth and clarity.
However, much like sean I feel you are both short changing a few of the answers and simply being too brief. I fully appreciate how much time these questions take you all, but you have only a few weeks of this hard work left, after which you can look back with a smug grin on your face.
So I ask you to fully construct each answer just as you would in the exams, these one sentence answers are NOT suitable, you are all capable of much more!
Is that fair?
_________________
It's all in the ears. - Learn the concepts not the software.
Audio Courses is a way into the music business for you
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Tue Oct 26, 2004 8:00 am |
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seanm
Joined: 06 Sep 2004
Posts: 20
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| week 8 task feedback |
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thanks for your feedback Chris, i understand what you are saying about the brevity on some questions and will address this.
cheers sean |
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Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:03 pm |
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