Audio and Sound Effects

Objectives

The objective of this subject is to give the student the necessary tools to be able to record, edit, manipulate, construct and experiment with sound, whether to create a professional product from an aesthetic and technical point of view or to promote experimental sound and musical creation.

Within the theoretical corpus, it is essential that the student knows the fundamentals of sound as an integral part of audiovisual products and, especially, of digital audio focused on audiovisuals, video games, the web and interactive multimedia resources, as well as knowing which formats are most suitable for each distribution channel.

This subject offers a vision of the software and hardware that currently allow the generation of sound and music and of the elements that make up a semi-professional sound and music studio based on an average computer system. At the same time, the aim is for the student to achieve the ability to create a soundtrack for any type of audiovisual and/or digital production, correctly combining environments, effects, music and voiceovers.

Learning outcomes

• Learn the basics of sound in general and digital audio in particular.
• Has the ability to produce coherent sound speech.
• He knows how to combine different elements to create a complete soundtrack for any type of audiovisual production, taking into account synchronization with other elements, mixing and mastering.
• Master the basic tools in the sound context.
• Know the appropriate file formats and types for each production.

Competencies

General skills

• Desire to take part in lifelong learning, innovate, create value and acquire new knowledge.

Specific skills

• Generate and analyze expressive and narrative resources in audiovisual discourse, with special emphasis on multimedia and video games.
• Know about formats for capture, storage and management of digital audio, images and video for transmission of messages through appropriate audiovisual discourse and artistic criteria.

Basic skills

• Students can apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and have competencies typically demonstrated through drafting and defending arguments and solving problems in their field of study.

Core skills

• Display professional skills in complex multidisciplinary contexts, working in networked teams, whether face-to-face or online, through use of information and communication technology.

Content

1. Sound. Introduction

• Fundamentals of sound. Digital audio
• The analog-digital world. Visualization of sound in the time domain. Ruler and units. Amplitude information dB, % and the level meter. Software

• Amplitude. Effects on frequency
• Dynamic range processing. Compressors, limiters, expanders...
• Delay-based effects. Reverb
• Effects based on time-varying delays
• Advanced processing techniques. Noise reduction

• Format. Codec. Standard. Encoding. Compression. MPEG audio (MP3). High-resolution formats

• Codes and genres. Music and sound as narrative elements. Useful music
• The soundtrack: dialogues, environments, music and sound effects. The Foley
• Sound design: theoretical and practical concepts
• Specificities of sound in video games

• Audio Engine versus Middleware. Preparation and editing of files, formats and processes. Iterations
• Considerations for multichannel sound and surround sound. 2D and 3D elements
• Integration with Unity. Sessions and projects in FMOD

• Microphones, connections, recorders, mixing boards...
• Sound synthesis and sampling
• Automatic translation pending.

• Multitrack software
• Automatic translation pending.
• Automatic translation pending.
• Automatic translation pending.

Evaluation

Automatic translation pending.

Individual exercises and exams: 50%

• Automatic translation pending.
• Automatic translation pending.
• Automatic translation pending.

Automatic translation pending.

• Automatic translation pending.
  • Automatic translation pending.
  • Automatic translation pending.
• Automatic translation pending.
  • Automatic translation pending.
  • Automatic translation pending.
  • Automatic translation pending.Automatic translation pending.
  • Automatic translation pending.

Automatic translation pending.

Methodology

Automatic translation pending.

• Automatic translation pending.
• Automatic translation pending.

Bibliography

Key references

• Collins, M. (2004). Herramientas de audio y música digital: Crea y graba midi y audio con los mejores programas. Anaya Multimedia. Medios Digitales y Creatividad.
• Fries, B., Fries, M. (2005). Audio digital práctico: Claves fundamentales para el tratamiento integral del audio y la música digital. Anaya Multimedia. Medios Digitales y Creatividad.
• López Ibáñez, M. (2021). Producción musical y diseño de sonido para videojuegos. Editorial Síntesis, S.A.
• Robinson, C. (2019). Game Audio with FMOD and Unity. Routledge.
• Rumsey, F., McCormick, T. (2009). Sound and Recording: An Introduction. Retrieved from http://biblioremot.uvic.cat/login?url=https://www-sciencedirect-com.biblioremot.uvic.cat/science/book/9780240521633

Further reading

Teachers will provide complementary bibliography and compulsory reading throughout the course via the Virtual Campus.