Sound Story Network

256 – Sound Design for Magic

Timothy Muirhead — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 20:51:26 +0200

Magic is always a massive challenge to do sound design for and we can alway use advice on how to tackle it. So we brought…

Inventing Sonic Worlds for ‘3 Body Problem’ – with Tim Kimmel and Paula Fairfield

Jennifer Walden — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:52:14 +0200

3 Body Problem Sound Supervisor Tim Kimmel and Sound Designer Paula Fairfield take you behind the sounds of alien tech, scenes of chaos and destruction in reality and virtual reality, and much more!

The post Inventing Sonic Worlds for ‘3 Body Problem’ – with Tim Kimmel and Paula Fairfield appeared first on A Sound Effect.

20 great new sound libraries: Royal cannons and rare helicopters, Pachinko and Mahjong, European ambiences, game-ready assets, moody atmospheres, ultimate bundles, and more!

Adriane Kuzminski — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 15:17:52 +0200

Get the freshest sound effects available anywhere, with these 20 new sound libraries from the independent community:

The post 20 great new sound libraries: Royal cannons and rare helicopters, Pachinko and Mahjong, European ambiences, game-ready assets, moody atmospheres, ultimate bundles, and more! appeared first on A Sound Effect.

Pixel Perfect Soundscapes: Inside Google’s Phone Sound Design Process:

Asbjoern Andersen — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 10:53:53 +0200

What goes into creating the sound of a mobile phone? Find out in this interview with Google Sound Design Lead Conor O'Sullivan:

The post Pixel Perfect Soundscapes: Inside Google’s Phone Sound Design Process: appeared first on A Sound Effect.

20 great new audio jobs at Disney Television, Meta Quest, DICE, Sony Pictures, Scopely, Gunfire Games, 2infinity, Tampere University, L-Acoustics, Audio Always, Cliffhanger, Compulsion, team&sonic, 5minlab, Goalhanger, Criterion, Boom Post, Mofibo, and Au

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 16:14:21 +0200

We came across interesting new jobs at Scopely, Gunfire Games, DICE Stockholm, and 2infinity:

Scopely is hiring an Audio Director to establish the audio vision and roadmap for an amazingly beloved and long lasting franchise (Remote)
Gunfire Games is looking for a SFX Designer who is highly self-motivated and has a keen attention to detail and passion for gaming (TX, US)
DICE Stockholm is seeking a Sound Design Intern to join them in their mission to create amazing games and experiences (Sweden)
2infinity is recruiting a Lead Sound Designer on behalf of one of their Indie clients making tidal waves in the ARPG genre (Remote / US)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

20 great new audio jobs at Disney Television, Meta Quest, DICE, Sony Pictures, Scopely, Gunfire Games, 2infinity, Tampere University, L-Acoustics, Cliffhanger, Compulsion, team&sonic, 5minlab, Goalhanger, Criterion, Boom Post, Mofibo, and AudioLab York

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 16:14:21 +0200

We came across interesting new jobs at Scopely, Gunfire Games, DICE Stockholm, and 2infinity:

Scopely is hiring an Audio Director to establish the audio vision and roadmap for an amazingly beloved and long lasting franchise (Remote)
Gunfire Games is looking for a SFX Designer who is highly self-motivated and has a keen attention to detail and passion for gaming (TX, US)
DICE Stockholm is seeking a Sound Design Intern to join them in their mission to create amazing games and experiences (Sweden)
2infinity is recruiting a Lead Sound Designer on behalf of one of their Indie clients making tidal waves in the ARPG genre (Remote / US)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

Robot Voice Design: How Joe Grandberg used analog gear to recreate the Cylon voice from Battlestar Galactica

Doug Siebum — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 15:41:13 +0200

Joe Grandberg takes you behind the inventive process of recreating the signature Cyclon voice from Battlestar Galactica

The post Robot Voice Design: How Joe Grandberg used analog gear to recreate the Cylon voice from Battlestar Galactica appeared first on A Sound Effect.

255 – The Sound of Avatar The Last Airbender

Timothy Muirhead — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 06:12:04 +0200

The sound work of the recent Netflix series “Avatar The Last Airbender” was a massive challenge on both the sound design and the dialog side…

19 great new sound libraries: Ambisonic oceans, broken glass, low-frequency objects, ambiences from the Netherlands, Zimbabwe, and Rome, and more!

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:44:08 +0200

Get the freshest sound effects available with these 19 new sound libraries from the independent community:

The post 19 great new sound libraries: Ambisonic oceans, broken glass, low-frequency objects, ambiences from the Netherlands, Zimbabwe, and Rome, and more! appeared first on A Sound Effect.

How the Sandworm Sounds in Dune Part 2 were made (and why the worms don't roar) - with Richard King

A Sound Effect — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 11:30:42 +0200

Video: The evocative sound of David Fincher films

Asbjoern Andersen — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 10:28:53 +0200

Go behind the unique sound of David Fincher films - and Fincher's long-time creative collaborations with sound designer Ren Klyce:

The post Video: The evocative sound of David Fincher films appeared first on A Sound Effect.

Creating ‘COSMIC CHARGES’ — with Matteo Milani

Jennifer Walden — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 09:37:42 +0200

Sound designer and recordist Matteo Milani takes you behind the making of COSMIC CHARGES, an ambitious new sound effects library featuring 'tonal explosions':

The post Creating ‘COSMIC CHARGES’ — with Matteo Milani appeared first on A Sound Effect.

20 great new audio jobs at Rockstar North, Meta, Amazon Music, Stairway Games, Turn 10, Harmonix, DFAD, Audible, Wasserman Music, Kuku FM, PlaySide Studios, HANCE, Forever Audio, Extreme Music, Flashbulb Games, Disney, Playground Games, and Who What Wear

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:33:36 +0200

We came across interesting new jobs at Stairway Games, Rockstar North, Turn 10 Studios, and Harmonix:

Stairway Games is hiring a Music Composer to create original music and soundtracks that enhance their gameplay experience (Indonesia)
Rockstar North is looking for an Associate Music Producer to prepare and implement dynamic scores and in-world music (Scotland)
Turn 10 Studios is seeking a Senior Sound Supervisor to define the direction and goals of their audio content strategy (WA, US / Hybrid)
Harmonix requires an Audio Director to lead and support a world-class team to create best-in-class music and music game experiences (Remote)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

Exploring Shōgun’s Superb Sound Design — with sound supervisor Brian Armstrong

Jennifer Walden — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 15:36:45 +0200

Sound supervisor Brian Armstrong delivers an authentic soundscape for FX series 'Shōgun.' He talks about sonically transforming the Canadian location shoot into 17th-century Japan by de-geese-ing the dialogue and adding era-appropriate background sounds to set the scenes. He also discusses the sound team's approach to capturing sounds on set, creating non-shingy sword sounds, designing the devastating earthquake sound, and much more!

The post Exploring Shōgun’s Superb Sound Design — with sound supervisor Brian Armstrong appeared first on A Sound Effect.

9 new podcast episodes worth hearing: Hear the secrets behind Hans Zimmer’s music, Nathan Moody’s ‘MetalMotion’, live sound for NASCAR, the future of immersive audio & much more!

Adriane Kuzminski — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:22:18 +0200

Hear the very best podcasts about sound - from the audio podcast alliance:

The post 9 new podcast episodes worth hearing: Hear the secrets behind Hans Zimmer’s music, Nathan Moody’s ‘MetalMotion’, live sound for NASCAR, the future of immersive audio & much more! appeared first on A Sound Effect.

13 great new sound libraries: French cities, cinematic fire, amplified phones, tense strings, winter footsteps, and much more!

Adriane Kuzminski — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:07:29 +0200

You get the very latest in sound with these 13 new sound libraries from the independent community:

The post 13 great new sound libraries: French cities, cinematic fire, amplified phones, tense strings, winter footsteps, and much more! appeared first on A Sound Effect.

New Remote Audio Job opening for a Mock-Up Orchestrator at DFAD:

Asbjoern Andersen — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:42:16 +0200

There’s a new remote audio job opportunity for a Mock-Up Orchestrator at DFAD for you here (via Dmitrii Marquize D. Miachin):

Learn more about the audio job opportunity here

Be the first to know about exciting new audio job posts: Get the Audio Jobs newsletter here

The post New Remote Audio Job opening for a Mock-Up Orchestrator at DFAD: appeared first on Soundlister.com.

The Best Sounds in 'Dune Part Two' - chosen by the film's Oscar-winning sound designer Richard King

A Sound Effect — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 18:15:27 +0200

Beautiful nature sounds from HIMALAYA - get 5+ hours of pristine ambiences in the full SFX library

A Sound Effect — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 20:44:49 +0200

What’s New in REAPER v 7.12 update – track lane masking; LUFS peaks display mode

Admin — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 03:20:00 +0100

Learn REAPER's new features in the 7.12 update

The post What’s New in REAPER v 7.12 update – track lane masking; LUFS peaks display mode first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

20 great new audio jobs at Wondery, Blizzard, The Workshop, Warner Music Group, Hacksaw Studios, Frozen Way, MBS Studios, Women’s Audio Mission, Amplifon, EA Vancouver, PitStop, One Line Studios, Domino Publishing, Chamo Games, Mahi Gaming, PRETEND Podcas

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:28:58 +0100

We came across interesting new jobs at The Workshop, Hacksaw Studios, Frozen Way, and MBS Studios:

The Workshop is hiring a Sound Designer to help them ship exciting iGaming products (Spain)
Hacksaw Studios is looking for a Sound Designer / Game Musician to create audio and music for their diverse range of games (Sweden)
Frozen Way is seeking a Sound Designer to work on games like Honeycomb, Chornobyl Liquidators, House Flipper, and Dine Out (Poland)
MBS Studios requires a Junior Sound Designer for UE5 for their upcoming AAA skateboarding game (Remote)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

Support for Avid S6 is changing

info@resurface.audio — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 17:21:39 +0100

Support for Avid S6 and S4 is changing, effective 1st April 2024. Here’s how, and what owners, sellers and buyers will need to know.

In recent weeks Avid announced new rules around Hardware Support Contracts – and the changes are subtle, yet significant. For simplicity, we’ll look at the changes through the prism of support for Avid S6, but it’s important to remember that it applies to every Avid hardware product; surfaces, HDX Cards, interfaces, MTRX…

For some S6 owners – the ones who always keep their Avid hardware fully covered by support contracts – there will be no impact whatsoever, other than a feeling of security and solidified value of their equipment in the used market. Theirs is the behaviour that these changes are designed to encourage and reward.

For those who don’t renew annual support for Avid S6, or at least not always, for every module – there are some fundamental changes which will have an impact.

The background. Support Contracts and Reinstatement

Before looking at the changes to support for Avid S6, it’s useful to set the scene around Avid Support Contracts in general, and the terminology around them, such as ‘lapsed’ and ‘reinstatement’.

When buying a brand new Avid S6, each and every module comes with a 1 year Avid Advantage support plan included. More specifically, the level of support is ExpertPlus including Hardware Coverage, and means that every module is eligible for advance replacement in the event of failure.

The contract start date is generally the invoice date from the Avid reseller to their customer, even if the installation took place days or weeks later. Some resellers will build, test and commission consoles, and complete all the registration process as part of that service. Here, the contract date is often that registration date, somewhat prior to delivery to the customer.

At the end of year 1, and every subsequent year, support for Avid S6 can be renewed, either for another year or multiple years (common in large broadcast installations with fixed budget cycles). Cost to renew support for an M40 Master Touch Module (the main CPU and screen) is $1,200 – or equivalent in other currencies – at the time of writing.

Each additional fader, knob, process, joystick, post or display module costs between $200 and $260 per module, depending on the type. As an overall desk, annual support for a 24 fader, 5 Knob S6 M40 with Displays would be $4,280.

Over a 10 year equipment lifespan (where year 1 is included), this $38.5k total support cost is often among the first to be cut when market conditions are as tough as they have been in recent years. Many users will conclude – understandably – that they’re highly unlikely to spend $38k or more on out-of-warranty repairs during the life of their console, therefore the support costs don’t stack up.

So it’s not uncommon for S6 owners to renew support on just the MTM, covering the console’s all-important CPU against failure. They may cover nothing else, or perhaps just a core of mission-critical modules, to reduce the overall cost of support.

Some will allow the support to lapse entirely after year 1, either with no intention of continuing, or with a view to perhaps restarting support in the future (Reinstatement).

Similarly, buyers of hardware in the secondary market (used desks) will often reinstate support for consoles where support has lapsed under the previous owner.

And it’s here, the future ability to reinstate lapsed support, where the changes have an impact.

Reinstatement

Until now, all original and secondary-market S6 owners could reinstate lapsed support for Avid S6, regardless of the length of time since the previous contract ended. There was, however, a penalty (or a reward and incentive to renew annually, depending on your point of view) of 25% on top of the support cost, for the first year of reinstated support. Using the previous example, that 24 fader M40 console annual support would rise to an initial $5,350 for reinstatement once lapsed, rather than the $4,280 cost of extending support before the contract end.

And so, to the changes:

Change 1: Reinstatement fees are rising from 25% to 35%

For hardware which is eligible for reinstatement – and that’s not all hardware anymore (more of which in a moment) – the reinstatement fee rises from 25% to 35%. This takes that example 24 fader M40 console support reinstatement we looked at above from an initial $5,350 to $5,778.

If less than 60 days has passed since the contract expired, Avid will consider this a grace period. The contract can still be renewed, without any additional reinstatement fee, provided that the new contract’s start date is made continuous with the previous contract’s expiry date.

But there’s more, and here’s where the changes begin to bite a little harder.

Change 2: Reinstated contracts must cover 2 years

For hardware under a support contract which has lapsed, by more than the 60 day grace period, but less than 2 years, that support contract is eligible to be reinstated. The new 35% reinstatement fee will apply, and the new support contract must be taken out for 2 years.

That 24 fader M40 contract then becomes an initial $11,556 to put back under lapsed support. However, the new support contract will last for 2 years, after which it can be renewed as normal.

Change 3: Lapsed support can never be reinstated if the prior support contract expired more than 2 years ago.

If an S6 is not currently under support, and the last contract expired more than 2 years ago, it can never be put back under support.

Not for the newly-increased 35% reinstatement fee, not for 2 years. Not at all, ever. If any of the hardware develops a fault at any point in the future, it will require out-of-warranty repair. Repair costs aside, if the module in question is the MTM ‘brain’, that’s a significant revenue risk, major downtime for a busy studio.

The small print

The changes above are the headline news. There is some small print in the recent policy changes. None of it is hugely important, but in the interests of being thorough, here it is:

Support contracts cannot be re-instated for hardware which is within 9 months of reaching its End of Support date. End of Support dates are usually 5 years after a hardware product has stopped being sold (the Final Sale Date).
There is a 45 day waiting period after the start date of reinstated support before coverage becomes available.
Any support cases which were created for failed hardware prior to the start of a new support contract may remain liable for out-of-warranty costs.

What does this mean to owners, sellers and buyers?

It would be simple to say, if possible, keep your Avid control surface – every single module – under support. Worst-case, don’t leave it 2 years to reinstate a lapsed contract. However, if this news has inspired you to do just that from now on, it may already be too late. These changes are retroactive in nature.

If the decision not to renew support for Avid S6 was made 3 years ago, with an expectation that support could be reinstated in the future: That is no longer the case, any modules not covered today, and which haven’t been for 2 years or more, can never be put back under support. 2020 and 2021 COVID lockdowns saw many studios relocate to simplified home setups, with consoles mothballed and support not renewed. If those contracts weren’t subsequently reinstated, they never can be.

For anyone selling or buying a used S6, this conversation needs to be had. Buyers can no longer assume that they will be able to put a console under a support contract if it isn’t already. If the last contract ran out over 2 years ago, they can’t.

Many sellers are selling because the S6 no longer reflects their specific needs. They’re reducing the number of studios, repurposing a mix room to ADR, moving to S1 and Dock. There’s a good chance that the S6 they’re selling has been removed and stored, so it’s important for the buyer to check the status of support, the last expiry date, and to consider the age of the console.

The simple truth is that Avid hardware which is – or was recently – under support is now potentially more valuable than hardware that isn’t.

What about software support and updates?

In the context of Avid control surfaces such as S6 and S4, it’s vital to make the distinction between Hardware and Software support plans.

Hardware support plans offer warranty repair and/or advance replacement of faulty modules which are under their cover. Conversely, any hardware faults outside of a Hardware plan would need to be fixed via non-warranty, chargeable repairs.

A console which is not under hardware support can still be covered with a software update plan.

Meaning that the lack of a hardware support plan does not prevent a console MTM from being kept up-to-date with the latest software versions.

The policy changes outlined above apply to Hardware Support. Avid’s software-only plan for control surface MTM’s are unaffected by these changes. All S6 and S4 owners are still able to buy the following plans:

0541-60109-08	Avid Advantage, S6 M40 Master Module, ExpertPlus Renewal
0541-60275-08	S4 ExpertPlus only Renewal
0541-60108-08	Avid Advantage, S6 M10 Master Module, ExpertPlus Renewal

What can Resurface do to help?

We have contacted the sellers of every Avid S4 and S6 currently available on the site, and the status of the support for each of those consoles is now in the listing detail. Going forward, this will be a critical piece of information for every listing of a current Avid product.

If you are an Avid hardware owner, the status of your support contract (and if it has lapsed, when it lapsed) can be found in your Avid account.

Resurface have used and ex-demo modules available individually. Being highly modular, there are consoles which have been expanded, split, reduced. Orders have been changed last-minute leaving resellers with excess modules. If no modules are currently listed, get in touch and we can contact our extensive network to find unused and unwanted stock.

The post Support for Avid S6 is changing appeared first on Resurface.

20 great new audio jobs at Meta, EA, Eleventh Hour Games, Ubisoft Shanghai, People Can Fly, Techland, Keyword Studios, Phonic Content, Leigh Academies Trust, Royal Opera House, Black Shamrock, PHMG, Ubisoft India, Cognizant, Pocket FM, EARSAY, and Netflix

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 22:01:52 +0100

We came across interesting new jobs at EA Vancouver, Eleventh Hour Games, Ubisoft Shanghai, and People Can Fly:

EA Vancouver is hiring an Audio Artist II – World SFX to create ambient backgrounds, spot emitters, and many other sound effects to bring their worlds to life (BC, Canada / Remote)
Eleventh Hour Games is looking for a Sound Design Lead to create and implement SFX in Unity while overseeing and managing the workflow of the Audio team (Remote)
Ubisoft Shanghai is seeking a Senior Audio Designer to collaborate with teams from co-dev studios to create immersive, story-driven open-world video games (SH, China)
People Can Fly requires a Principal Audio Designer to own and improve the audio pipeline (Remote)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

KONTAKT 7 Multichannel Template for REAPER

Admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:15:36 +0100

Sharing a new KONTAKT multi-channel template for REAPER users

The post KONTAKT 7 Multichannel Template for REAPER first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

254 – Songs Of Earth with Tormod Ringnes

Timothy Muirhead — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 04:17:51 +0100

We talk with Norway’s own Tormod Ringnes, about his excellent sound work on director Margreth Olin’s new documentary, Songs Of Earth. As the film’s title…

20 great new audio jobs at Audible, Apple, Bauer Media Audio, Haven Studios, Varjo, Yamo Studios, Iron Sight Studios, EA Vancouver, Ripple Effect, Hi-Rez Studios, BBC, Sonar Music, PTW, Absolutely Digital, Motion Blur, and IGT

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 16:14:01 +0100

We came across interesting new jobs at Varjo, Yamo Studios and Apple:

Varjo is hiring a Senior Audio Software Engineer for their VR and XR solutions used to train astronauts and design vehicles (Finland / DC, US)
Yamo Studios is looking for Non-Union Voice Actors for the story-driven RPG “ROT in a Porcelain Dream” (Remote)
Apple is seeking an Audio Tools Software Engineer to work on the Apple Vision Pro to seamlessly blend digital content into physical space (CA, US)
Still open: Climax Studios requires an in-house, talented, and highly enthusiastic Technical Sound Designer to join their award-winning, talented, and highly enthusiastic development team (England)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

Sound Design Contest: Create the sound for this video for 7 chances to win wild prizes!

A Sound Effect — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:07:13 +0100

Free Royalty Free Tracks for Your Projects

Shawn Basey — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 10:01:33 +0100

When it comes to setting a scene for your latest content, nothing beats a killer soundtrack.

Stock music is the unsung hero of the airwaves, the spice in your podcast and video vindaloo. It’s nothing new in the production world, a standard for any new entrants to learn about, and a well-worn tool of the budget-worn hardhats working content construction behind the scenes, DAWs in front and mics in the other room.

Problems with “free” music

There are a lot of temptations to just use any music you can get your hands on, especially those easy pulls from Facebook, Instagram or TicTock. That’s understandable. It’s quick, and if you’re on a budget, it’s clearly free.

But there’s a danger to that, and there are better ways to get things that are actually free.

Using music that’s already out there, that you don’t own the license to, means that you are either stealing someone else’s work and using it illegally or that you aren’t entitled to use it anywhere you’d want. The first often results in copyright strikes, making your content unavailable – and if you’re depending on monetization, that means a whole in the bucket – and the second means that you might be able to use it on one platform, like Facebook, without worrying, but the song is not necessarily licensed on other platforms. Which again, means a copyright strike.

The best way around this conundrum is to use stock music.

The importance of stock music

Stock music enhances the overall production value of a project and ensures that you won’t run into any legal issues when using it in your content. It provides you with a professional and polished sound without the high cost of hiring a composer or purchasing individual licenses for each track.

But stock music usually comes at a price. There are hefty subscription fees or purchase costs from a myriad of producers out there. So how do you choose the best one? You need something that gives you an intro, that gives you some leeway to experiment to make sure you find a service that’s right for you.

The good news for you is that it’s never been easier to get budget-friendly and free stock music. With Smartsound Cloud, you’ve got access to our top app, which lets you customize the length and mix of any track to your need. And we have a ton of tracks for free to use on any platform.

That’s right, free royalty free tracks.

That’s a lot of “free” in one breath.

So how do you get it?

Getting free tracks in Smartsound Cloud

It’s pretty easy. Click here to get to the app.

At the top of the screen, you’ll see a list of how you can browse through our tracks. By “Selection”, which shows both Albums and Tracks, or by “Tracks”, “Albums”, “Favorites”, or “Playlists”. First click one of those options to decide how to view the search results.

Next, use our search options on the left. Either you can type into the “search music” bar, or browse by our tags and BPM. After you’ve entered your search, you’ll see the available tracks (if the “Albums” filter is set at the top, then select the album you’re interested in to see the track list).

Next to each track, if you see the “Free” button like the one below, then you know it’s free to use.

You can then set the filter to only show the free tracks. At the top bar, set it to “Free”. Be aware that every time you do a search, it resets and shows all available tracks, not just the free ones.

But what does free mean?

Free means it’s completely free forever. You don’t have to worry about copyright issues or anything.

To access your license if you ever need it, simply click on “Account” at the top left, then “My Account”. Then to “Downloads”, and click on the box labeled “PDF”. The license will show your name, project name, and the license terms.

What if I get a copyright strike?

As with any stock music, there is a small chance that YouTube (or other system) can mistakenly identify it as copyrighted music.

Don’t panic. Just dispute the claim, download your license and send it to them. They’ll promptly remove the strike.

Subscribe today

Of course, you can continue to get the benefits of our large selection of free tracks whenever you’d like, fully adaptable for your projects. But why not broaden your horizons and get thousands of royalty free tracks of every style?

Click here to get more info on our plans. Stay free, or try out our Premium and Business plans, with a massive discount for yearly subscriptions.

Can’t find a plan that fits your needs? Scroll down to contact us and get a custom plan today.

Whatever you choose, happy creating!

The post Free Royalty Free Tracks for Your Projects appeared first on Smartsound Cloud.

Mixing Maestro's Refined Sound - with re-recording mixers Tom Ozanich & Dean Zupancic

A Sound Effect — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 17:00:30 +0100

Aquarian Audio A5 Hydrophone - First Impressions

Angel Perez Grandi — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:10:07 +0100

Aquarian Audio A5

First Impressions

I have been a happy user of Aquarian Audio H2a hydrophones for some years but on a recent relocation I lost track of them. Hopefully they will resurface (pun intended), but in the meantime work knocked on the door and I had to get a new pair. I found that what was the H2a is now called the H2d and has an upgraded signal conditioning circuit to improve sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio.

This was gold to my ears. However, speaking to Aquarian Audio’s (AA) customer support about delivery times, they mentioned a new model in the works, which they had started selling to enquiring customers: the Aquarian Audio A5 hydrophone. Five days later and two A5s with custom 30 meter long cables arrived through the post.

On first impressions the A5 feels well built and sounds much more pleasing to my ears. Aquarian’s engineers confirmed it is intended to replace the H series in due course and it’s clear they have tried to improve on it, as you would hope from a new model. They also sent me an unpublished web page, showing the temporary (pre mass production) specifications for the A5. This, together with the actual units and my correspondence with AA, is what I’m basing this article on. Please note I have avoided giving specifications that AA considers temporary, as per their request.

The exterior design has changed considerably compared to the H series.

Aquarian A5 capsule and minijack connector Aquarian Audio A5 hydrophone with dummy weight

Smaller capsule

Smaller in diameter than an XLR connector — the H2x capsules are larger. This offers the obvious advantage that you can fit the hydrophone through smaller gaps. But it doesn’t stop here as there is a way, through the other end, to access even smaller gaps. More on this below.

Detachable dumb weight

The stainless steel weight (115 g vs 105 g on Hx’s) is now removable. It has the same width as the capsule (keeping it to XLR diameter) and is designed to screw directly onto it, resulting in a seamless coupling. It is sold separately however, but in my opinion is essential if you want you want your hydrophone to stay submerged and relatively still, particularly in waters with currents.

New cable

The cable has been improved as well. My H2a’s came with the CA-51 ‘low-noise hydrophone cable’. The A5 uses their new CA-52 ‘coaxial hydrophone cable that offers a tighter shield with steeper helix angle, which substantially improves triboelectric noise while slightly improving flexibility’. In other words, it’s a better shielded and more flexible cable. (Shielding is the protection against incoming and outgoing electrical interference, which can translate in unwanted signals in your audio. Made of braided tinned copper in this case). It definitely feels less stiff and I would describe the cable memory as OK; it coils relatively easily considering it’s new and that I have 30 meters of it. AA’s hydrophones usually ship with a choice of 3, 6, 9 or 15 meter length cables. You can also choose a custom length and 30 meters is their maximum recommended length before potential signal attenuation problems. Handling cable noise seems the same or a little improved too, but I have no equal conditions tests to base this on. Note: judging from AAs website the upgraded H2d comes with the newer cable as well.

Smaller connector, with a twist

Instead of soldering the cable directly to an XLR connector (or other connector of your choice, as per H series) the A5 terminates in a low-profile 3.5 mm TRS (tip ring sleeve) output plug; your classic mini jack. This looks well sealed and the low profile design allows it to easily pass through small orifices (their words not mine), essentially through anything wider than 3.5 mm. The mini jack is designed to accept plug-in power (PIP) — aka phantom power — from digital recorders, which all AA hydrophones require to operate. But AA recommend using their PIP to XLR adapter to connect to an XLR input, and for good reason.

Aquarian A5 PIP to XLR adapter PCB Aquarian A5 minijack clicked onto XLR adapter

PIP (Plug-in-power) to XLR adapter

The adapter converts the PIP mini jack to a balanced XLR output. It is sold separately and requires phantom power to work. Again the design is kept low-profile with all the circuitry tucked into a standard XLR connector. Using their adapter as opposed to other commercially available ones will lower the noise, and give it a true balanced output that will work with any recorder. It is installed by simply clicking in the cable’s male mini jack to a female socket inside the XLR adapter.

Personally, I find the adapter a double-edged sword. If I have to point out a weak link this would be it. Connection points in any audio setup involving liquids usually are, offering an opening to all sorts of problems. But also in this case the connection can come loose and un-click, given enough pull. This happened to me and it took a while to figure it out. Suffice to say I was delighted to know there was no problem with the hydrophone proper. It’s a shame I lost a whole day’s worth of recordings, but in future I know to where to check first if I loose signal again — and you know too.

This considered, AA have done a good job at minimising the “weakest link” by compartmentalising it. In the H series the connector was soldered directly onto the cable so if it caught any dampness, it travelled down the cable. I also got a hint that this modularity will make it compatible with planned cable extensions.

But the most significant changes are internal.

The sound

The new circuitry, is what gives the A5 a different sound. As I said, I cannot give specific figures but I can confirm that the sensitivity is higher than that of the H series. It also has a more sophisticated signal-conditioning board that will ‘give consistent gain, regardless of what it is plugged into’. The sales team told me the useful frequency range is also broadened. This confused me initially because the H2x’s boast a frequency response from <10 Hz to >100KHz and the bandwidth I had seen for the A5 was much narrower, certainly not in the ultrasonic spectrum. So I asked them what they meant by “useful”, useful to who?

This is what I got:

‘The "useful range" specification is not intended to be misleading, but it does confuse people. We have many users that will use the H2 for monitoring the presence or timing of high-amplitude ultrasound signals, like location pingers or anti-fouling equipment. So we do consider them useful at these ultrasound frequencies. But output is very low. Sensitivity is down 40 dB at 100KHz. The linear range is what you are concerned with. The A5 is actually filtered above a certain frequency, so it is not a good ultrasound receiver. It does sound much more linear throughout our auditory range though. We don't really want anybody to consider these measurement devices. They are designed for general audio recording and ecotour support, so neither will have data sheets similar to what you would see with our scientific grade AS-1’.

To my ears, the linear frequency response up to 15KHz results in a more pleasant sound than the somewhat mid-frequency dominant sound of the H2x’s. In fact, they remind me of the considerably more expensive Ambient ASF-1 hydrophones, which I rented on one occasion.

Price-wise the A5 is little more expensive than the H series hydrophones, but not by much. Getting the A5’s instead of the H2d’s, cost me an additional USD 50 per unit. This is mainly down to the additional parts, such as the PIP-XLR adapter and the dumb weight, being sold separately. Ultimately, I think this modularity is an advantage. Whilst there is a small amount of assembly required on unboxing, the instructions provided are clear and simple. There is one part I’m missing which was not yet ready to ship with the A5, and that is the contact mic converter. It consists of a moulded rubber cup that fits on the hydrophone capsule giving it a flatter profile, essentially converting it into a contact microphone. I found it really useful with the H2a - albeit not the easiest contact microphone to attach to different surfaces — and I’ll be getting those if they become available. Bear in mind that there is import duty if you are buying a custom length hydrophone direct from Aquarian’s US headquarters, or if you ever need a repair. As an indication, for two A5’s the duties, taxes and fees were GBP 97.66 (summer 2023).

What’s next?

First, it would be great to see the final data sheets for the A5 and how they stack up to other hydrophones, including AA’s H series. Personally, within the Aquarian family I would be interested in using their scientific grade AS-1 model. Beyond Aquarian I would be really curious to try and build one from scratch following DJJules’ World Class Hydrophone Instructables, which I believe some WSRS members are doing or have done already. (If so, an article on that experience would be a great read.)

A word about AA in general

I cannot speak highly enough of Aquarian’s customer service. They respond quickly, even considering the Europe-US time difference, and mindfully, always going the extra mile to solve any queries. In their website it reads ‘every product design is a balance of strengths and compromises. We strive to provide tools that are relevant to our customers without needless expense.’ It is fair to say i’m pleased with the A5s and in my opinion they honour their mission statem

20 great new audio jobs at Netflix, Pinewood Group, Meta, Apple, Sonos, Skeleton Key, London Film School, Epic Games Brasil, ARVORE, Molinare, Citizen Music, Climax Studios, Vobble, Cloud Imperium, Chapman University, Heart Machine, xDefiant, and Bigmouth

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 14:54:34 +0100

We came across interesting new jobs at Epic Games Brasil, Skeleton Key, Netflix Games Studio, and ARVORE:

Epic Games Brasil is hiring an Associate Audio Designer create, implement, and test audio assets (Brazil)
Skeleton Key is looking for a Lead Audio Designer to play a meaningful role as they prototype their game and kick off pre-production (TX, US)
Netflix Games Studio is seeking a Senior Technical Sound Designer to conceptualize and maintain audio systems that support the narrative pillars of their game (Remote / US)
ARVORE requires a Sound Designer to design game audio assets and systems for their narrative-driven XR experience (Remote / Brazil)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

Render Alert for REAPER

Admin — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 21:03:14 +0100

There’s a new script for REAPER to play a sound when renders complete. You can choose any sound to play, and you just need to add the script to your global startup action. Personally I find this extremely useful as I often start watching a video or walk to the kitchen and when I come […]

The post Render Alert for REAPER first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

Authentic Keyboard Sound Effects - from 7 superb-sounding Vintage Mechanical Keyboards

A Sound Effect — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 10:55:08 +0100

253 – Oscar Pool Sound Category Round Up

Timothy Muirhead — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 07:23:28 +0100

Tonebenders ran episodes with members of the sound teams of all five nominees in the “Best Achievement In Sound” category at this year’s Oscars. So…

How Maestro's Masterful Sound Was Made – with Richard King and Jason Ruder

A Sound Effect — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 11:41:58 +0100

20 great new audio jobs at the BBC, Meta Reality Labs, Formosa Group, Certain Affinity, Ubisoft, Deluxe, Studio Alice, Danish Entertainment Orchestra, Pocket FM, Pixel Game Audio, Videnskab, Survios, Hull, United Talent Agency, Soundtree Music, Remedy, in

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 16:01:45 +0100

We came across interesting new jobs at BBC, Certain Affinity, Ubisoft Philippines, and Deluxe:

BBC is hiring a Junior Sound Trainee to shadow and learn from the sound department during the development of “Sister Boniface Mysteries” (England)
Certain Affinity is looking for a Senior Sound Designer to work with the Audio Director to create and implement sounds that best support the player experience (TX, US)
Ubisoft Philippines is seeking a Junior Voice Designer to assist the Audio team in dialogue production, from recording to implementation (Philippines)
Deluxe requires a Junior Audio Editor to support their worldwide Audio departments with variety of audio editing responsibilities (England)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

Fantastic Bird Sound Effects - 200+ sounds and songs from imaginary birds

A Sound Effect — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 10:47:08 +0100

252 – Oppenheimer with Richard King

Timothy Muirhead — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 13:49:38 +0100

Richard King joins the podcast to talk about his amazing last couple of films, Oppenheimer and Maestro. He explains how his approaches varied between the…

New Junior Audio Editor job for you at Deluxe

Asbjoern Andersen — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 14:32:47 +0100

There’s a new audio job opportunity for a Junior Audio Editor at Deluxe in London, UK for you here:

Learn more about the audio job opportunity here

Be the first to know about exciting new audio job posts: Get the Audio Jobs newsletter here

The post New Junior Audio Editor job for you at Deluxe appeared first on Soundlister.com.

20 great new audio jobs at Nintendo, Rockstar Games, Sonos, MassiveMusic, Tsugi, Funcom, Freejam, Ubisoft Lyon, Epic Games Boston, Pahdo Labs, Sony PlayStation, Cliffhanger, Rumble, Treble, Clearcut Sound, The Parasight, Hard Fork, Pixel Game Audio, and B

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 15:06:57 +0100

We came across interesting new jobs at Nintendo, Pahdo Labs, Funcom, and Freejam:

Nintendo is hiring a Lead Sound Designer to lead the creation and implementation of music and audio for NST’s products (WA, US / Hybrid)
Pahdo Labs is looking for a Sound Designer to be responsible for sound design of ‘Starlight Re:Volver’, an anime-inspired action RPG (NY, US)
Funcom is seeking a Lead Audio Designer to lead, mentor, and oversee sound designers on diverse projects (Norway / Remote)
Freejam requires a Sound Designer to work on short- and long-term audio projects, like the online multiplayer game ‘Robocraft’ (England)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

Which microphone for sound design?

Nicolas Titeux — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 09:30:21 +0100

The microphone is undoubtedly the number 1 tool for sound design.

L’article Which microphone for sound design? est apparu en premier sur Nicolas TITEUX, sound designer, sound mixer and composer.

Phase Plant for sound design, Maestro's masterful sound + 18 sound libraries, 20 jobs & 10 podcasts!

A Sound Effect — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 09:22:06 +0100

A fun and creative filter: Sixth Sample Filter (SSF 2)

Admin — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 20:46:18 +0100

Trying out the interesting new filter effect from Sixth Sample

The post A fun and creative filter: Sixth Sample Filter (SSF 2) first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

251 – Dane Davis Part 2

Timothy Muirhead — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:31:13 +0100

Dane Davis will be getting the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Motion Picture Sound Editor’s Golden Reel Awards. So I asked him walk down memory…

The Amish

rick@evocativesound.com — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 21:40:46 +0100

Step back into a simpler time when farm living was a non-mechanized affair. No GPS-guided, 17-foot wide combines with air-conditioned cabs. No crops that are doused from the air with pesticides. To where cow's milk is hand-squeezed into metal buckets before the break of dawn. Where horse and human work side by side. Evocative Sound and Visuals is pleased to announce its latest sound effects library entitled, The Amish. A rare collection of high-quality recordings featuring life among the Amish community of northeast Ohio. … Read More

The post The Amish appeared first on Evocative Sound and Visuals.

250 – Dane Davis Part 1

Timothy Muirhead — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 06:30:45 +0100

For our 250th episode we got one of our all-time favourite guests, Dane Davis, to come back on Tonebenders. He is going to be receiving…

SWS Extension for REAPER v2.14 update – V7 fixes & ReaPack install

Admin — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 22:45:47 +0100

There is a new beta of SWS bringing it up to date with REAPER v7 features, and its now easier to install for the first time, or update via ReaPack.

The post SWS Extension for REAPER v2.14 update – V7 fixes & ReaPack install first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

What’s new in REAPER v7.10 – Envelope Window remade

Admin — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 19:50:23 +0100

Learn about the latest features and changes in REAPER

The post What’s new in REAPER v7.10 – Envelope Window remade first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

249 – The Creator with Erik Aadahl & Ethan Van der Ryn

Timothy Muirhead — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 19:59:21 +0100

The Creator is the recent film by Director Gareth Edwards, that features a sound design philosophy of Retro Futurism. The world is going to war…

Exclusive sound stories, audio jobs & superb sound effects - welcome to the A Sound Effect highlight

A Sound Effect — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 21:54:38 +0100

Sound Story Network

256 – Sound Design for Magic

Inventing Sonic Worlds for ‘3 Body Problem’ – with Tim Kimmel and Paula Fairfield

20 great new sound libraries: Royal cannons and rare helicopters, Pachinko and Mahjong, European ambiences, game-ready assets, moody atmospheres, ultimate bundles, and more!

Pixel Perfect Soundscapes: Inside Google’s Phone Sound Design Process:

20 great new audio jobs at Disney Television, Meta Quest, DICE, Sony Pictures, Scopely, Gunfire Games, 2infinity, Tampere University, L-Acoustics, Audio Always, Cliffhanger, Compulsion, team&sonic, 5minlab, Goalhanger, Criterion, Boom Post, Mofibo, and Au

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

20 great new audio jobs at Disney Television, Meta Quest, DICE, Sony Pictures, Scopely, Gunfire Games, 2infinity, Tampere University, L-Acoustics, Cliffhanger, Compulsion, team&sonic, 5minlab, Goalhanger, Criterion, Boom Post, Mofibo, and AudioLab York

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

Robot Voice Design: How Joe Grandberg used analog gear to recreate the Cylon voice from Battlestar Galactica

255 – The Sound of Avatar The Last Airbender

19 great new sound libraries: Ambisonic oceans, broken glass, low-frequency objects, ambiences from the Netherlands, Zimbabwe, and Rome, and more!

How the Sandworm Sounds in Dune Part 2 were made (and why the worms don't roar) - with Richard King

Video: The evocative sound of David Fincher films

Creating ‘COSMIC CHARGES’ — with Matteo Milani

20 great new audio jobs at Rockstar North, Meta, Amazon Music, Stairway Games, Turn 10, Harmonix, DFAD, Audible, Wasserman Music, Kuku FM, PlaySide Studios, HANCE, Forever Audio, Extreme Music, Flashbulb Games, Disney, Playground Games, and Who What Wear

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

Exploring Shōgun’s Superb Sound Design — with sound supervisor Brian Armstrong

9 new podcast episodes worth hearing: Hear the secrets behind Hans Zimmer’s music, Nathan Moody’s ‘MetalMotion’, live sound for NASCAR, the future of immersive audio & much more!

13 great new sound libraries: French cities, cinematic fire, amplified phones, tense strings, winter footsteps, and much more!

New Remote Audio Job opening for a Mock-Up Orchestrator at DFAD:

Learn more about the audio job opportunity here

The Best Sounds in 'Dune Part Two' - chosen by the film's Oscar-winning sound designer Richard King

Beautiful nature sounds from HIMALAYA - get 5+ hours of pristine ambiences in the full SFX library

What’s New in REAPER v 7.12 update – track lane masking; LUFS peaks display mode

20 great new audio jobs at Wondery, Blizzard, The Workshop, Warner Music Group, Hacksaw Studios, Frozen Way, MBS Studios, Women’s Audio Mission, Amplifon, EA Vancouver, PitStop, One Line Studios, Domino Publishing, Chamo Games, Mahi Gaming, PRETEND Podcas

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

Support for Avid S6 is changing

20 great new audio jobs at Meta, EA, Eleventh Hour Games, Ubisoft Shanghai, People Can Fly, Techland, Keyword Studios, Phonic Content, Leigh Academies Trust, Royal Opera House, Black Shamrock, PHMG, Ubisoft India, Cognizant, Pocket FM, EARSAY, and Netflix

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

KONTAKT 7 Multichannel Template for REAPER

254 – Songs Of Earth with Tormod Ringnes

20 great new audio jobs at Audible, Apple, Bauer Media Audio, Haven Studios, Varjo, Yamo Studios, Iron Sight Studios, EA Vancouver, Ripple Effect, Hi-Rez Studios, BBC, Sonar Music, PTW, Absolutely Digital, Motion Blur, and IGT

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

Sound Design Contest: Create the sound for this video for 7 chances to win wild prizes!

Free Royalty Free Tracks for Your Projects

Problems with “free” music

The importance of stock music

Getting free tracks in Smartsound Cloud

But what does free mean?

What if I get a copyright strike?

Subscribe today

Mixing Maestro's Refined Sound - with re-recording mixers Tom Ozanich & Dean Zupancic

Aquarian Audio A5 Hydrophone - First Impressions

Smaller capsule

Detachable dumb weight

New cable

Smaller connector, with a twist

PIP (Plug-in-power) to XLR adapter

The sound

What’s next?

A word about AA in general

20 great new audio jobs at Netflix, Pinewood Group, Meta, Apple, Sonos, Skeleton Key, London Film School, Epic Games Brasil, ARVORE, Molinare, Citizen Music, Climax Studios, Vobble, Cloud Imperium, Chapman University, Heart Machine, xDefiant, and Bigmouth

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

Render Alert for REAPER

Authentic Keyboard Sound Effects - from 7 superb-sounding Vintage Mechanical Keyboards

253 – Oscar Pool Sound Category Round Up

How Maestro's Masterful Sound Was Made – with Richard King and Jason Ruder

20 great new audio jobs at the BBC, Meta Reality Labs, Formosa Group, Certain Affinity, Ubisoft, Deluxe, Studio Alice, Danish Entertainment Orchestra, Pocket FM, Pixel Game Audio, Videnskab, Survios, Hull, United Talent Agency, Soundtree Music, Remedy, in

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

Fantastic Bird Sound Effects - 200+ sounds and songs from imaginary birds

252 – Oppenheimer with Richard King

New Junior Audio Editor job for you at Deluxe

Learn more about the audio job opportunity here

20 great new audio jobs at Nintendo, Rockstar Games, Sonos, MassiveMusic, Tsugi, Funcom, Freejam, Ubisoft Lyon, Epic Games Boston, Pahdo Labs, Sony PlayStation, Cliffhanger, Rumble, Treble, Clearcut Sound, The Parasight, Hard Fork, Pixel Game Audio, and B

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

Which microphone for sound design?

Phase Plant for sound design, Maestro's masterful sound + 18 sound libraries, 20 jobs & 10 podcasts!

A fun and creative filter: Sixth Sample Filter (SSF 2)

251 – Dane Davis Part 2

The Amish

250 – Dane Davis Part 1

SWS Extension for REAPER v2.14 update – V7 fixes & ReaPack install

What’s new in REAPER v7.10 – Envelope Window remade

249 – The Creator with Erik Aadahl & Ethan Van der Ryn

Exclusive sound stories, audio jobs & superb sound effects - welcome to the A Sound Effect highlight