Project 1

14th April 2020 - x ( Week 1- Week 14)

Jennifer Tan Qing Ni (0333137)
Sonic Design

Project 1- Soundscape

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For our first project, it is similar to our first exercise. We have a few options on which scenarios we could go for. 

1. Wildlife+Background

2. Everyday Home Life + Background

3. Cities + Transport +Exrterior Atmosphere

4. Sports Elements + Background

5. Industry and Electronic Sound+Background

6. Weather+Background

7. Market + Rural Atmosphere + Background'

I went for the Everyday Home Life+Background. At first, I came up with a scenario that included zombies. Below is the storyline. 

Normal everyday life, with person waking up with the alarm, he goes to the bathroom washes himself out then proceeds to go to the kitchen. He opens the window and bird sounds can be heard but hectic bird noises. He proceeds to make himself a cup of coffee before he turns on the tv. He turns to the news channel while drinking his coffee. after finishing his coffee, he overhears breaking news from the TV about a new sudden virus outbreak that is causing people to go crazy and then proceeding attacking one another. Sirens near his house start going off and he realises that the zombie apocalypse is happening. He quickly locks every door in the house while closing all the curtains and blinds while creating a blockage on every door and window. He then proceeds to hide somewhere in his house while he pants, with the doomsday siren, still going on at the back.

However, Mr Razif commented that it was a little too cinematic and the purpose of this 1st project is to make it as realistic as possible. So I decided that to create a simple storyline in which its just a simple morning where a guy wakes up to a normal peaceful morning while brewing some coffee and reading the daily newspaper. I first listed down some of the sounds I might use. 

1. Snoring
2. Alarm Clock
3. Bed sound
4. Room Ambience
5. Footsteps
6. Opening curtains
7. Opening wooden door
8. Peeing sound
9. Flush
10. Opening Tap
11. Water flowing out of the tap
12. Brushing Teeth
13. Gargling/Spitting
14. Opening Window
15. Garden Ambience
16. Rooster noise
17. Birds chirping
18. Water Boiling
19. Sipping sound
20. Newspaper Flipping.

After listing all the sounds down, I then started to gather my sounds from freesounds.org. After that, I proceeded to compile and edit the sound in Adobe Audition.

 Below is my first attempt. 

Mr Razif commented that the aircon sound should decrease when he gets to the bathroom and as well when he steps out of the room. Also, he suggested that I should use panning when it comes to the garden sounds as he is walking towards the sofa because the constant garden/chirping sounds make it feel like he's standing in one place when he is not. 

After the feedback, I went and re-edited the audio in Adobe Audition. Below is my second attempt. 

Mr Razif the panning can be heard. Besides that, he also said that the room ambience currently still sounds the same wherever the character is and that I should play more with the EQ of that particular room ambience and that it shouldn't be there when he leaves the room. He also commented that there's a repetition in the sound of the birds and it can be a little distracting and unrealistic as birds don't keep on chirping on and on. I then went back in and edited the sound according to the feedback. Below is the final outcome. 

This was honestly quite a fun project! It really allowed my imagination to imagine the sounds that would be heard. It really enhanced my level of observation. :)