Cinematic sound and noise

In addition to the noises specially recorded in the studio, sounds from noise libraries are often used in video production. There are a lot of such collections. Here are some of them: Sound Ideas Series, Warner Bros Sound Effects Library, The Universal Studios Sound Effects Library and so on.

Noise libraries include collections of sound effects recorded in different places of the world and converted in digital format. Such collections are widely used in areas such as radio, television, cinema, theater, and computer games to create a high-quality, saturated sound background.

In general, collections consist of all types of noise. There are many atmospheres there, even background conversations creating an imitation of a cluster of a certain number of people. You can find, for example, the noise of a restaurant in France, the noise of a market in Germany, etc.

Although the sound recorded on the set already has its own atmosphere, library noises also suitable to create a certain mood. They can be used to enhance the effect or to emphasize an important point of the picture.

Also, the noises from the library are often used in films of historical or action type, for example, for scoring scenes of war. The sound of the shots corresponding to the type of weapon used as a sound background. In cases where it is necessary to create the feeling of watching a film in the past, the sound of a film projector is used. All above in connection with music enhances the impression of the picture.

In the practice of sound recording and filmmaking, a lot of techniques have been accumulated for “sound stationing”, that is, spatial application of sound. One example is the technique of recording music by several microphones simultaneously.

To create a spatial sound picture, you can use sounds that differ not only in pitch, volume, and timbre but also have their own rhythm. Placing microphones in space in a certain way, the sound engineer can not only show a specific sound object with a close-up but also arbitrarily choose a “distribution angle” for any sound.

Something similar can be done with background noise. Unfortunately, this technique is rarely used in low-budget films, while in Hollywood blockbusters it is common practice. Great opportunities in creating spatial sound noise give stereo.

The most attractive side of the panoramic and widescreen cinema is the so-called presence effect. Stereo sound can play a leading role in creating this effect. The sound in the cinema can be played from various points in the cinema hall. Thus, it is possible to organize panning, for example, of the sound of a moving car, approach or attenuation in the space of thunderclaps.

Stereophony allows creating a unique shell of sounds around the viewer, creating both realistic and unprecedented fantastic sound atmosphere, and any sound perspective. But much more opportunities are provided by the modern 5.1 surround sound format.

On this page you can find several samples of musical-noise compositions made in 5.1 surround sound format.

Synchronization of background noises. Background noises, as the name suggests, are intended to convey information about the environment. Background noises itself represent audio textures such as the rustle of foliage, traffic sound of an international highway, or urban background.

Types of noises

Depending on how the noises are combined with the image they are divided into intraframe and offscreen. Synchronization is required as a rule only for intraframe noises. The process of recording and editing differs in both types of noises.

If an action takes place on the screen, other noises may sound in the background. Such noises would be called second-order noises. In most cases, second-order background noises do not require synchronization.

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It is unlikely that anyone in the world of cinema is not familiar with the name of Jack Foley. His contribution to the art of making films is that he drew attention to sounds that were previously considered secondary. Film producers realized that with the using of noise such as the sound of footsteps, rustling of leaves or ringing of glasses, you can add the completeness and realism to the sound picture.

So, how to make a recording of cinematic noise? If you have time and budget, it is best to make noise recording in a special room, and not during the main video capture process. Background cinematographic sounds have a different nature. Some of them are very loud, such as the sound of a shot or the slamming of the door. Others, similar to rustling leaves or creaking feathers are very quiet.

When recording quiet sounds, it makes sense to use a high-sensitivity condenser microphone and a high-quality sound card. It is important that when passing sound through the cable and intermediate amplifiers, a minimum of extraneous noise occurs. In other words, if it is possible to reduce the number of elements in the recording circuit, you need to do this.

What microphones are used to record cinematic noise?

Beginning filmmakers do not have the necessary technical knowledge to use complex instruments and to create optimal electrical circuits to avoid interference. For beginners, USB mics are best suited. Such devices operate without a microphone amplifier and a mixer. All you need to record is a microphone and a laptop.

Most models of USB microphones on the market operate without additional software. Basic operating system drivers are enough. Here are some of the most popular models:

Behringer C-1U. Very simple and affordable microphone, which has a built-in analog-to-digital converter operating at 48 kHz / 16 bit.

Blue Snowball. One of the first USB microphones, very popular among users.

MXL 990. Popular microphone model adapted to the USB format. The delivery set includes a microphone stand and a box for transportation.

What software to use?

The choice of software depends on the particular user and his consumer preferences. All modern programs have all the basic capabilities for recording and processing audio, as well as for converting them to various formats. Below are some of the most popular programs.

Ableton Live – one of the world’s leaders in popularity. The program is useful both for beginning musicians and professionals. The toolkit of Ableton Live gives the users a truly wide range of possibilities for working with sound. The maximum sound quality when working with the program is 32 bit / 192 kHz. In addition to the sequencer and audio editor, the program has synthesizers, filters, delays, limiters and other processing tools.

Logic Pro X. The program has more than 10-year history of development and is consistently associated with Apple products. The package includes a huge number of tools and effects.

Avid Pro Tools. The most advanced software for sound recording and post-production. This program is widely used in world-class professional recording studios.

Sound effects are usually created artificially, not always though. There are many opportunities to create unique and new cinematic noise based on natural sounds by processing them with analog and digital tools.

The synthesizers give the maximum effect when you need to create something new non-standard. Despite the fact that for many years, sound producers have come up with a huge number of effects, it is unlikely that a crisis is possible in this area.

Hardware and Software for sound production

Hardware and especially software for sound production are constantly being improved. This gives musicians and composers new opportunities, opens new horizons. The developers are working on the technological software that will allow them to easily manage sound production. With the high-tech hardware and software, it will become easier for the producers to assure that they will get the best quality sound every time they are working on the project. They cannot compromise with the quality of the sound and that is why producers assure to invest in the latest software that is available in the market.

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The appearance of cinematic noise simultaneously with the image of its source is artistically expedient in all cases where it supplements this image. Sound gives the video a new level and is actively included in the formation of the picture in accordance with the scenario.

For example, the viewer hears a completely new sound that was previously unknown. This situation is typical of fantastic films and horrors. An alien, machine or a cartoon non-human character makes a sound. If a viewer does not see the source of the noise, he (or she) will not understand what is happening on the screen.

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