Got An Interesting Recording Question

[rimshot86]

I have this new project im doing a friend of mine got a team up to redo the starwars battlefront 2 game on pc.Im in charge of the sound aspect of this project.Do any of you guys know of a program that can create sound effects?I have seen them use something like that on the special features of movies but I cant find one.I have to make some sound effects for the game and also mix some starwars music with it,anyway if someone knows something please let me know.
Thanks

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

For some inexpensive sound effects:
Sound Effects Generator
Quack Effects Studio

G.

 

[bennychico11]

For some inexpensive sound effects:
Sound Effects Generator
Quack Effects Studio

G.

Glen, do you know of any good, expensive ones? (expensive assuming that it's better)


rimshot, you may also take look at SFX CDs. They are generally royalty free and there are many "space" ones there that might have the sounds you're looking for. Depending on how many you get, though, they may cost you quite a bit.
Or try here: http://sonomic.com/

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Glen, do you know of any good, expensive ones? (expensive assuming that it's better)

Well, personally I'd prefer to jump right to a real analog synth from Moog or Korg or something like that. This would also be adventageous for the music creation end of it (along with an actual digital keyboard, of course.)

In leiu of a hardware synth, I really like the sounds of the virtual synths offered by Arturia. I have used their ARP 2600 and MiniMoog emulators and have found them to be very true to the sounds of the original hardware (I cut my teeth on an original ARP 2600 over 25 years ago).

The main drawback to the virtual synths is that you are somewhat limited to what you can do in real time because of the mouse interface. For example, one of the sample patches they gave with the documentation on the original ARP 2600 was the sound of a jet takeoff. This was a great, massive sound. But it required manipulating a few of the synth's sliders simultaneously; something you can't do with just a single mouse unless you have the capability of some kind of script automation. I don't *believe* the Arturia Vsynths have that capability, but I honestly didn't use them long enough to know for sure. Maybe someone else could answer that definitively.

G.

 

[jkokura]

The main drawback to the virtual synths is that you are somewhat limited to what you can do in real time because of the mouse interface. For example, one of the sample patches they gave with the documentation on the original ARP 2600 was the sound of a jet takeoff. This was a great, massive sound. But it required manipulating a few of the synth's sliders simultaneously; something you can't do with just a single mouse unless you have the capability of some kind of script automation. I don't *believe* the Arturia Vsynths have that capability, but I honestly didn't use them long enough to know for sure. Maybe someone else could answer that definitively.

I would say getting a midi keyboard with some faders built in might help. You can assign the knobs found on many m-audio and edirol controllers to do exactly what you're describing sans mouse. It's pretty helpful for sure.

Jacob

 

[chessrock]

Southside gives some good recommendations regarding original sounds and effects, etc.

But I'm almost wondering if, for a project like that, you might actually be looking more for something along the lines of sampled sounds, effects libraries, and/or Sound Design tools.

For that kind of project, I would actually recommend an actual Sound Effects library CD. Feel free to PM me if you need any help selecting an appropriate series. There's literally thousands out there.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

I would say getting a midi keyboard with some faders built in might help. You can assign the knobs found on many m-audio and edirol controllers to do exactly what you're describing sans mouse. It's pretty helpful for sure.

What I'm unsure of with these products, though, is to whether the faceplate controls are MIDI-assignable. I know one can play music on them with a MIDI keyboard, but in my short exposure to them there was no MIDI surface control of the faceplate settings.

I just took a quick look at the Arturia website, but all it mentions in the technical specs for both the ARP and the Moog is that they are "playable via MIDI keyboard". This is a bit ambiguous, and the fact that they don't specifically mention MIDI control of anything else leaves me a bit suspicious - one would think that MIDI control of the oscillators, filters, etc. would be a selling point worth mentioning. Not to mention that the sheer number of controls on these analog synths would mean a huge MIDI control surface.

Jkokura, do you (or anyone else reading this) have good knowledge of whether or not such MIDI control is actually available with these products?

G.

 

[giraffe]

you can get a ton of annoying/undistinguishable sounds off of a commercial espresso maker.

it's a start

 

[scrubs]

I have this new project im doing a friend of mine got a team up to redo the starwars battlefront 2 game on pc.Im in charge of the sound aspect of this project.Do any of you guys know of a program that can create sound effects?I have seen them use something like that on the special features of movies but I cant find one.I have to make some sound effects for the game and also mix some starwars music with it,anyway if someone knows something please let me know.
Thanks

Most of the sound effects in the star wars films are actual real, organic, sounds (samples recorded mostly by Ben Burtt) that were manipulated in various ways. I've seen a couple of documentaries on film sound effects and it's really fascinating what those folks use to come up with the sounds you hear. Anyway, I'm not really answering your question, but I would encourage you to go make your own sounds rather than just relying on effects libraries.

 

[bennychico11]

Most of the sound effects in the star wars films are actual real, organic, sounds (samples recorded mostly by Ben Burtt) that were manipulated in various ways. I've seen a couple of documentaries on film sound effects and it's really fascinating what those folks use to come up with the sounds you hear. Anyway, I'm not really answering your question, but I would encourage you to go make your own sounds rather than just relying on effects libraries.

i agree.
if you can't record your own sounds with a portable DAT player or something, grab some Sound effect CDs. The General 6000 series from Sound Ideas is probably THE standard to have. In its entirety it is very expensive, though. For the first 40 CDs it costs about $1000.

If you're going to blend existing sounds, that is probably the best way to do so. However, unless you have a ton of sounds to choose from, you probably will find it difficult. You have to know what sounds you are looking for....sonically. For example, a Tie fighter might call for a animal roars blended with some synth sounds.
But, you can also go the easy route and just buy premade sounds (refer the link I gave up above). It's cheaper and quicker...but not as rewarding and being a master sound designer

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Most of the sound effects in the star wars films are actual real, organic, sounds

Yeah, they did the same thing way back in 1952 with the original (good) movie version of "The War of The Worlds". The green "wing mounted" weapons sounds were just recordings of them hitting a telephone pole guy wire with a mallet, for example.

Some techniques just cannot be improved upon by modern technology.

G.

 

[rimshot86]

Thanks alot for the help guys im going to try a few programs and then I will try making my own sounds if that doesnt work.I have been able to get a few sounds ripping them from the dvd of the movies just need a few more I will have to use some imagination I guess for some of these sounds I need.
I will be sure and post some of this project when im done it should be very interesting lol.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

I have been able to get a few sounds ripping them from the dvd of the movies just need a few more.

If this is an "official" project you're woring on for actual production and public release, you might want to CYA and make sure that you are not stepping on any legal toes by doing that. If you're ripping from LucasFilm DVDs and your company hasn't the rights to use material produced by LucasFilm or ILM, you could be creating nothing but migraines with those sounds. And of course if you are working with them, then you should be able to get the sounds from them direct.

G.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

do you (or anyone else reading this) have good knowledge of whether or not such MIDI control is actually available with these products?

God, I LOVE those little coincidences that happen every once in a while that make life fun!

I just tonight got an e-mail from my old friend with whom I built my first ARP project studio A Long Time Ago In A Suburb Far, Far Away. He has no connection to this board whatsoever. But he just e-mailed me with some DAW advice questions because he just today picked up both the Arturia 2600V and MiniMoogV! I had no idea, we have not talked since this summer.

He's waiting for a MIDI keyboard controller he bought off of eBay to arrive, but he was able to confirm for me that yes, the virtual sliders on these products *are* MIDI assignable. This makes total sense; what didn't make sense was the fact that they don't publish this fact in their online specs.

So, anyway, I got to answer my own question in a very weird way . Just wanted to pass it along to the rest of youz all.

G.

 

[jkokura]

Jkokura, do you (or anyone else reading this) have good knowledge of whether or not such MIDI control is actually available with these products?

I've never used them. I've only every used them in conjuction with Reason...however, I don't know this for sure, but maybe you can talk to other similar mid-controller/keyboard users and see if they've found a way to 'create' a faceplate-program midi link up...

*edit...I see you already have...grrr...I should read farther next time!
Jacob

 

[snow lizard]

The guy that worked on the Looney Tunes sound effects was a genius. (there's a Star Wars tie-in here for the Return of the Jedi forest speeder bike chase on the moon of Endor or something like that, I think - part jet engine, part race car)

A good old analog synth would sound great for those '80's sounding Atari-type effects. My Boss percussion synth does a superb Pac-Man impression.


sl

 

[giraffe]

i met the guy that worked on sound for tron briefly,
he said that every time the disc was thrown you heard 127 sounds (one of which was a monkey screaming backwards)


i've always wanted to work on a sci-fi movie.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

he said that every time the disc was thrown you heard 127 sounds (one of which was a monkey screaming backwards)

How they got the monkey to scream backwards, I'll never figure out. (thank you, Groucho Marx!)

G.

 

[rimshot86]

If this is an "official" project you're woring on for actual production and public release, you might want to CYA and make sure that you are not stepping on any legal toes by doing that. If you're ripping from LucasFilm DVDs and your company hasn't the rights to use material produced by LucasFilm or ILM, you could be creating nothing but migraines with those sounds. And of course if you are working with them, then you should be able to get the sounds from them direct.

G.

I will double check, really didnt think that would be a problem.This is a project where you mod a video game tons of people do it. Lucas forums even have topics about modding so if they dont like people using there stuff they would shut down those forums so I dont think they care but you do have to give credits to them.I am going to check though you got me all scared now lol.