project 05 · week 12
Sound Synthesis
Forbidden Planet (1956) was the first film to feature an entirely electronic musical score. Sonic pioneers Louis and Bebe Barron were initially hired to create sound effects for the movie. After hearing their work, the film’s producers retained the Barons for the entire soundtrack. Their other-worldly compositions took audiences to a place they had never been, raising the bar for what was now possible in the realm of sound for film and other visual media. Read more >>>
Using any of the synthesis tools we have discussed (or others with which you are familiar), you will create five foreground sounds for a science fiction scene. Take the following steps:
- Find an image from a science fiction film, book, or game.
- Make a sound map that lists all possible foreground sounds. Don’t think about ambiances, environmental sounds, or eigentones—we’ll get to those in Assignment 7. For now, identify those elements with a primary or secondary focus. Based on your image, what’s needed? What are the sounds implied? List everything on your sound map and choose five from your list.
- Use Vital Synth to create your five sounds. You may use presets if you wish or make your sounds.
- Follow the L-I-S-T-E-N editing mantra to edit and process as needed.
- Put the following items into a folder:
- Five finished sound effects (mono or stereo WAV or AIFF files)
- Reaper project file
- Soundmap
- Sci-fi image
- Zip this folder and post it to D2L.
Grading Rubric (40 points total)
| Criterion | Exemplary | Proficient | Developing | Emerging | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Design (16 pts) | Five foreground sounds that belong unmistakably to your sci-fi image, each with its own sonic identity | Five sounds that fit the scene; one or two overlap in character | Fewer than five, or sounds that could belong to any scene | Sounds unrelated to the image | /16 |
| Synthesis Craft (10 pts) | Oscillator, filter, and modulation choices each shape the result in ways you can point to | Deliberate work in two or three of those areas | A preset nudged at one or two controls | Presets used as found | /10 |
| Editing (8 pts) | Clean starts and ends, sensible levels, no stray noise, per the editing mantra | Clean overall with one sound needing another pass | Audible clicks, noise, or inconsistent levels | Unedited | /8 |
| Sound Map and Files (6 pts) | Map lists the implied foreground sounds and marks your five; folder holds the WAVs, Reaper project, map, and image | All files present; the map is thin | Map missing, or files incomplete | Neither map nor complete files | /6 |
Total: ___ / 40