Working on some CC-licensed music
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darksmaster923
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:32 pm
- Location: Huntington Beach, California, USA
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darksmaster923
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:32 pm
- Location: Huntington Beach, California, USA
There's no rule that says you have to learn piano to make game music. 
I'm not the world's best piano player. I compose on the guitar. darkmaster, to make sound FX is a different process from creating music. Music requires knowledge of music theory where sound FX just requires creativity and knowledge of effects. To get started with Sound Effects, just download Audacity, get yourself a microphone and record your self banging on different things. Then use stuff like delay, reverb or flange to modify that sound. Try speeding it up or slowing it down. Here's a good exercise:
1. Record 2 small pipes banging together
2. Add some delay to it (play with it until you get the perfect echo)
3. Add some hall reverb to it
4. Play the sound
If done correctly, it should sound like someone hammering down spikes on a railway.
I'm not the world's best piano player. I compose on the guitar. darkmaster, to make sound FX is a different process from creating music. Music requires knowledge of music theory where sound FX just requires creativity and knowledge of effects. To get started with Sound Effects, just download Audacity, get yourself a microphone and record your self banging on different things. Then use stuff like delay, reverb or flange to modify that sound. Try speeding it up or slowing it down. Here's a good exercise:1. Record 2 small pipes banging together
2. Add some delay to it (play with it until you get the perfect echo)
3. Add some hall reverb to it
4. Play the sound
If done correctly, it should sound like someone hammering down spikes on a railway.
That's the spirit, paradox! 
Seriously, IMO it is AMAZING what I can do with just a crappy little microphone that's worth about a buck fifty.
I love playing around with Audacity. It's really an awesome tool.
Check out these (all made by me, 100% original).
Monster Growl
Gunshot <--- Created from a sound of me clapping
Shotgun Pump
Shotgun Shell Drop
Obviously, these aren't as high quality as something from Womb Music (look them up, they make AMAZING stuff), but I think they're actually pretty good, seeing as I don't have any professional recording/editing equipment.
Seriously, IMO it is AMAZING what I can do with just a crappy little microphone that's worth about a buck fifty.
I love playing around with Audacity. It's really an awesome tool.
Check out these (all made by me, 100% original).
Monster Growl
Gunshot <--- Created from a sound of me clapping
Shotgun Pump
Shotgun Shell Drop
Obviously, these aren't as high quality as something from Womb Music (look them up, they make AMAZING stuff), but I think they're actually pretty good, seeing as I don't have any professional recording/editing equipment.
Gunshot is really good. Sounds like you added some distortion to it and maybe stretched it out a bit. It reminds me of the gunshot sound from the original Resident Evil.
The shotgun shell drop does not sound realistic enough. Try gluing a quarter to the back of a thin plastic tube. Record yourself dropping it. For the monster growl, try this:
1. Find someone with a dog who likes to tug on things (like a rag).
2. Make the dog tug on the rag. By nature when a dog tugs, it growls. Record that growl.
3. Slow it down a bit.
4. Copy and paste it a few times to make it longer.
5. Add a touch of distortion and some delay.
6. For an alien-like effect, play with a phaser effect on it.
Remember that nothing beats the actual sound. The best way to get a quality sound is to record the object that actually makes the sound. Being that there is no such thing as monsters, you have to get creative. For things like gunshots or shotgun pumps, hanging around the local gun range is priceless.
If you are serious about sound effect design, you should invest in a portable DAT. It's not cheap (approx $700 for the cheapest one), but it will be invaluable to create a portfolio with.
The shotgun shell drop does not sound realistic enough. Try gluing a quarter to the back of a thin plastic tube. Record yourself dropping it. For the monster growl, try this:
1. Find someone with a dog who likes to tug on things (like a rag).
2. Make the dog tug on the rag. By nature when a dog tugs, it growls. Record that growl.
3. Slow it down a bit.
4. Copy and paste it a few times to make it longer.
5. Add a touch of distortion and some delay.
6. For an alien-like effect, play with a phaser effect on it.
Remember that nothing beats the actual sound. The best way to get a quality sound is to record the object that actually makes the sound. Being that there is no such thing as monsters, you have to get creative. For things like gunshots or shotgun pumps, hanging around the local gun range is priceless.
If you are serious about sound effect design, you should invest in a portable DAT. It's not cheap (approx $700 for the cheapest one), but it will be invaluable to create a portfolio with.
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darksmaster923
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:32 pm
- Location: Huntington Beach, California, USA
I understand what you're saying. However, I'm still just a kid and I can't drive yet, and they probably wouldn't even let me in the gun range (without parental supervision). I also don't have that kind of money to spend on a DAT.paradoxnj wrote:Remember that nothing beats the actual sound. The best way to get a quality sound is to record the object that actually makes the sound. Being that there is no such thing as monsters, you have to get creative. For things like gunshots or shotgun pumps, hanging around the local gun range is priceless.
If you are serious about sound effect design, you should invest in a portable DAT. It's not cheap (approx $700 for the cheapest one), but it will be invaluable to create a portfolio with.
So, right now, I've contented myself to "home made" stuff.
Oh...you're not from the south?? Everyone down there carries a gun. I was not saying you "had" to do that. It's just the best option. I also didn't say you "had" to get a DAT right now. Just consider that if you want to make this into a career or into a serious hobby. I take mine where ever I go. You never know what sounds you'll hear. 
I was not saying you "had" to do that. It's just the best option. I also didn't say you "had" to get a DAT right now. Just consider that if you want to make this into a career or into a serious hobby. I take mine where ever I go. You never know what sounds you'll hear. Re: Working on some CC-licensed music
Well, believe it or not, I have been making some progress on this 
I got FL Studio 8 for my birthday so I've been playing around with that, and I'm also going to buy some sample libraries before too long.
I got FL Studio 8 for my birthday so I've been playing around with that, and I'm also going to buy some sample libraries before too long.