Designing Sound, by Andy Farnell, is an extremely detailed analysis of sound design, the components of sound, and of how sound waves interact within the environment. Looking into this Pandora’s box, dedicated to sound design within the Pure Data language environment, opens myriad doors of deep, complex, and detailed information. The first door of this vast book opens to, the Three Pillars of Sound Design.
The first pillar is the Physical phenomenon of sound. These are the physical “vibrations within materials that involve an exchange of energy. These are subjects of mechanics, material dynamics, oscillators, and acoustics.”
The second pillar is Mathematical. Mathematics are an essential part for understanding how digital computers can be used to mimic real-world dynamic. Algorithms and equations concerning mass, distance, energy etc, are used to to determine certain parameters for coding various sounds by Andy Farnell in his examples.
Finally, the third pillar is the Psychological. Since sound is a human sense, how we interpret and perceive sound is integral to the design process. The subjective nature of psychoacoustics cannot dictate the coding of digital sound but it must be observed to attain a satisfactory result.
These three pillars support the process of design and the technique of sound design.
Shaping sound requires a process of deconstruction, analysis of its physical basis, and our experience of them. The Three Pillars guides our digital coding into sounds with the desired meaning and intention.
I want to share a Pd file for Thunder, from the book, as an example of the Three Pillars at work, and as somewhere to start with effects for Dr. Faustus.
No comments:
Post a Comment