Sound Story Network

The insane amount of work behind Airwiggles Audio Conference

Asbjoern Andersen — Mon, 18 May 2026 14:21:55 +0200

Lewis Thompson, Lewis Ball, and Greg Lester from the Airwiggles team take you behind the massive effort to plan and run AirCon26 - in their spare time!

The post The insane amount of work behind Airwiggles Audio Conference appeared first on A Sound Effect.

Crafting Spell-binding Sound for ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ – with Peter Albrechtsen, Gabriel Gutiérrez and Garret Farrell

Jennifer Walden — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:49:26 +0200

Get the exclusive story behind The Mummy's skin-crawling sound:

The post Crafting Spell-binding Sound for ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ – with Peter Albrechtsen, Gabriel Gutiérrez and Garret Farrell appeared first on A Sound Effect.

How Game Music Is Made

Asbjoern Andersen — Wed, 13 May 2026 11:45:11 +0200

Find out how how game music is mad, hear the soundtracks - and learn much more about game audio:

The post How Game Music Is Made appeared first on A Sound Effect.

The AirCon26 Raffle – $15,000 Of Prizes To Be Won!

Asbjoern Andersen — Wed, 13 May 2026 11:40:37 +0200

Get 128 chances to win over $15,000 of software and sound libraries at AirCon26

The post The AirCon26 Raffle – $15,000 Of Prizes To Be Won! appeared first on A Sound Effect.

28 great new sound effects libraries: Snow footsteps, fantasy UI, subsurface vibrations, a vintage fire truck & tons more

Asbjoern Andersen — Tue, 12 May 2026 00:53:57 +0200

This week on A Sound Effect, we explore 28 new sound effects libraries covering a rich variety of sonic territory – from 1,199 Finnish Lapland snow footsteps and seismic-transducer subsurface vibrations to a five-style 509-sound fantasy UI pack and real-timber destruction captured up to 50 kHz. You’ll also find Central Park ambience, 49 airliner recordings […]

The post 28 great new sound effects libraries: Snow footsteps, fantasy UI, subsurface vibrations, a vintage fire truck & tons more appeared first on A Sound Effect.

He automated all the boring parts of being a composer

Admin — Mon, 11 May 2026 17:32:18 +0200

Joel shares examples of the major workflow improvements he achieved vibe coded scripts and utilities.

The post He automated all the boring parts of being a composer first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

Game Audio Explained – your guide to making sound for games

Jennifer Walden — Thu, 07 May 2026 21:44:45 +0200

What is game audio? Learn how sound is made for games, how to make games sound their best - and how to get started and succeed in game audio:

The post Game Audio Explained – your guide to making sound for games appeared first on A Sound Effect.

Crafting a Complex Reality for ‘The Night Manager’ – with Oriol Tarragó

Jennifer Walden — Wed, 06 May 2026 12:01:57 +0200

Get the exclusive sound story behind The Night Manager:

The post Crafting a Complex Reality for ‘The Night Manager’ – with Oriol Tarragó appeared first on A Sound Effect.

16 great new sound effects libraries: Robotics, dogs, detective voices, Greek loops & more

Asbjoern Andersen — Tue, 05 May 2026 09:44:58 +0200

Explore 16 new sound effects libraries, including a 3,600-sound robotic toolkit, detective voice pack, 470 construction loops, Greek coastal ambiences + more:

The post 16 great new sound effects libraries: Robotics, dogs, detective voices, Greek loops & more appeared first on A Sound Effect.

AirCon Is Back For 2026 – May 21-23! What You Need To Know

Asbjoern Andersen — Mon, 04 May 2026 12:47:34 +0200

Find out how to make the most of Aircon 26 - the free online audio conference:

The post AirCon Is Back For 2026 – May 21-23! What You Need To Know appeared first on A Sound Effect.

The Ultimate Star Wars Sound Deep-Dive Is Here: May the 4th Be With You!

Asbjoern Andersen — Mon, 04 May 2026 12:06:19 +0200

The ultimate hand-picked guide to the sound of Star Wars - featuring Andor Season 2, Star Wars Outlaws, Ahsoka, Star Wars: Visions, the Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi games, and decades of behind-the-scenes interviews with the people who shaped the sound of a galaxy far, far away:

The post The Ultimate Star Wars Sound Deep-Dive Is Here: May the 4th Be With You! appeared first on A Sound Effect.

What’s New in REAPER 7.71 – Non-destructive sample editing and more

Admin — Sun, 03 May 2026 15:41:41 +0200

Learn the latest features and changes in REAPER

The post What’s New in REAPER 7.71 – Non-destructive sample editing and more first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

Funniest Sound Design winner: Nikola Ilić - Mattia Cellotto Sound Design Contest 2026

A Sound Effect — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:09:42 +0200

Best BTS winner - Junki Kim - Mattia Cellotto sound design contest 2026

A Sound Effect — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:09:33 +0200

Best Sound Design winner: Oliver Stutz - Mattia Cellotto Sound Design Contest 2026

A Sound Effect — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:07:02 +0200

Video Tools Course updated

Admin — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:24:05 +0200

I have just added another hour of content to the REAPERBLOG Video Tools Course in two tutorials. The first new video is covering everything in REAPER related to video editing that was added with v7 (so far). The second video goes through my typical editing workflow for a reaper.blog video tutorial, and includes a download […]

The post Video Tools Course updated first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

Getting Started Media Composing in REAPER with Joel Schwartz

Admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:21:48 +0200

How to get started with professional media composing using REAPER

The post Getting Started Media Composing in REAPER with Joel Schwartz first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

ON Recording Insects

Angel Perez Grandi — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:21:22 +0200

On a rainy British summer morning, myself, Phil and Michael met early at the Zoo’s gate, hoping to record bugs for The Sound Collectors Club. I had never met Michael or Phil in person, so having time to link up in real life was nice after all these years.

For such a metropolitan location finding a café to wait out the rain until opening time was a challenge. Luckily the security guards took pity on us and let us in their cabin, where we had a moment to catch up.

We were inside the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), aka the London Zoo. We’d arrived here via an internet rabbit hole, searching for a suitable environment to record insects. We didn’t know what to expect but the Media liaison person soon welcomed us. In a question of minutes we were standing in a high-ceilinged warehouse room.

It turns out the ZSL have a live food department where they breed exotic bugs to feed some of the animals they keep. What’s even better, they were more than happy to show us around and have a go at recording these bugs.

Despite its central location within the Zoo and the less-than-ideal acoustics of the room itself, we were lucky on three counts:

there were no fans because the bugs require warmth;
no heaters either as it was summer, and more importantly,
the main bug species was loud.

On top of this, the breeding expert was really accommodating. He gave us a thorough tour of the various species, answered our barrage of questions and even helped us isolate some individuals for recording.

It felt tropical in there and we were sweating before we even started. The three of us were delighted by the trove though. We exchanged quick glances and got to work without hesitation.

The main species of insect we recorded was the Black field cricket (Gryllus bimaculatis), a common live food for reptiles and pets. This is what they sound like:

Other species included cockroaches and beetles, as well as invertebrates such as woodlice, snails and earthworms.

Michael used his trusty Sennheiser MKH40 (cardioid condenser) for mono insect goodness, Phil brought with him a Neumann RSM191 (Mid-Side stereo shotgun) and a Sanken CUX 100K, renowned for it’s ultrasonic prowess and particularly useful for insects (more on this below). I had packed a pair of DPA 4060s (omnidirectional) mics, because of for their form factor - thinking of getting extreme close ups in small spaces - and because I had an interview recording job in the afternoon.

I’d also packed a pair of Aquarian Audio H2A hydrophones, and glad I did!

Insects produce all sorts of interesting sounds, from a sound design perspective: buzzing, chirping, tapping, munching, stridulating, thrumming, to name a few rhythmic ones; but there’s plenty of droning, humming or hissing to be had too. They are also useful for suggestive associations when used in backgrounds or ambience tracks.

Courtship is one of the main reasons that insects produce sound, so a little research into their mating habits goes a long way. Other reasons include territorial behaviour, as warning signals and alarm calls, for navigation and even as a defence mechanism through disguise by mimicking. Such is the case of the Ten-lined June beetle (Polyphylla decemlineata) or hissing beetle, which produces a sound similar to a bat vocalisation and was present at the London Zoo. But we failed to record it.

What we did not know and where about to uncover - quite literally - were the sounds produced by beetle larvae, inside decaying soil matter. We buried the hydrophones in one of the breeding boxes that was full with soil and rotting wood, essentially converting them into contact mics. This is what we got:

Why they produce these sounds is still to be fully understood, but biotremology and soil ecoacoustics are growing fields of study. The former is primarily about biological communication via vibrations, while the latter focuses on the study of acoustic and vibrational properties within soil ecosystems.

In this case the ground was soft but out in the field you can get some really experimental sounds by attaching a metal probe to a contact microphone and sticking the probe into the ground. Apparently, this practice dates back to the 70’s when a female member of the Gutai group in Japan began placing microphones underground. In the last couple of decades, UK based sound artist Jez Riley French has been developing these techniques - as well as making contact microphones - for his field recording and creative listening practices.

A great insect to try and record in the summer months are grasshoppers, both individually and as a soundscape. There is something relaxing about the subtle sound of crickets in a meadow. It’s a little more intense in the jungle, but nonetheless useful for our purposes as sound editors and designers.

Another interesting group are aquatic bugs, such as these water boatmen:

With relatively affordable hydrophones (Jez Riley French models, for example) you can record aquatic insects and a whole plethora of other sounds you never thought even existed.

To sum up here are some learnings and tips for recording insects:

Think inside the box: contact local live food breeders or per stores in your area, which will usually keep insects in boxes. And use boxes to isolate individuals. This applies in the field as well.
Go ultrasonic: many species of insects emit sounds at ultrasonic frequencies. Record at high sampling rates - 96 kHz or ideally above. Additionally, use microphones which capture sound the human hearing range (20 kHz) - but don’t be fooled if the microphone specs only cover up to 20 kHz, most microphones will record sound beyond that.
Go underground.
Go underwater.
Try and get an ID as much as possible.

I included this last point because as we have explored there is still much to uncover when it comes to insect sounds and communication. Who knows? You could end up recording a behavioural sound that has not been captured before. You can use apps such as iRecord Grasshoppers which covers all species of grasshoppers and connected species in the UK. For German speakers Orthoptera covers many species in Europe. I’m not aware of what is available for the rest of the world but there are reference websites out there such as https://songsofinsects.com/ for North America, where you can investigate.

Happy recording!

Ángel

Think inside the box: contact local live food breeders or per stores in your area, which will usually keep insects in boxes. And use boxes to isolate individuals. This applies in the field as well.
Go ultrasonic: many species of insects emit sounds at ultrasonic frequencies. Record at high sampling rates - 96 kHz or ideally above. Additionally, use microphones which capture sound the human hearing range (20 kHz) - but don’t be fooled if the microphone specs only cover up to 20 kHz, most microphones will record sound beyond that.
Go underground.
Go underwater.
Try and get an ID as much as possible.

Ángel

Introduction to Freestyle field recording

George Vlad — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:28:44 +0200

Definition

Freestyle field recording is a flexible approach to recording nature and wildlife sounds outside of the studio (or any controlled environment). While traditional methods are prescriptive and rigid, Freestyle field recording encourages deliberate experimentation and a very organic workflow.

Key principles

Adaptable
Flexible
Innovative
Experiential
Immersive
Sustainable
Organic

Main concepts

History

Miroslovesti - the idyllic village I grew up in

I firmly believe that limitations can unlock creativity and help solve problems, with the right attitude. This mindset extends to most things I do in life, including field recording, and its roots go back all the way to my childhood. I grew up with my grandparents on a subsistence farm in North-Eastern Romania, in a time of scarcity and self-sufficiency. (This latter one was not because people chose it, but rather because there was zero support from the government or the state. Romania was highly underdeveloped in the 80s and 90s as a result of many decades of soviet influence.)

Growing up in that time and place meant closeness to nature, weather and the landscape. People in the countryside worked the land in a relatively wholesome way. Most homesteads kept livestock, poultry, pigs, maybe a horse or two for doing jobs around the farm. Everything was reused and the economy was surprisingly circular. People made their own clothes from cotton, sheepskins and wool. Almost all food was grown on the land, and scraps were fed to farm animals rather than discarded. Animal dung was used as organic fertiliser. Clothes were mended and repaired when they broke, rather than being thrown away. Single use plastic was a fairly new concept and not very widespread. It sounds pretty idyllic, were it not for the extremely hard work that people had no choice but to perform.

At any rate, that lifestyle left a big impression on me as a child. I never questioned the need to fix things or to use them beyond their intended purpose. As an example, I made fences using all kinds of random materials with my grandfather, from mud bricks that we made ourselves to discarded concrete blocks, wooden pallets etc. My grandma used to mend our socks and patch our clothes many times until they stopped resembling the original thing completely.

Freestyle field recording

Setting up a drop rig out of hyena reach

You might see where I’m heading with this. Freestyle field recording is all about using and reusing materials from the environment, and coming up with new and innovative ways of doing the job when constrained by the environment or a lack of tools. Don’t have a tripod? Put the mics on a tree branch. Want to avoid getting your mics wet? Make a little canopy out of twigs and vegetation. Is your blimp broken? Try to fix it rather than throwing it away. Can’t spend many hours in the field because of weather, hunger, high risk etc? Set up a drop rig and go back to your tent to have a nice cup of tea. How do you even record a volcano, or a glacier? Freestyle field recording has the answers.

It is also about leaving as little of a footprint as possible. Sustainability is thrown around so much these days that it has lost its meaning. In my practice I think about it at every step of my work. I leave only footprints when I go out into nature, and I always try to minimise my impact. I don’t practice playback to grab the attention of wildlife, and I refuse to use drones in places where they could stress wildlife. My kit is fairly sturdy and deals well with extreme circumstances. I rarely need to replace my equipment, and when I do, I make sure I buy things that will last. The one exception I haven’t been able to figure out yet is plastic tape. Sadly this is still the best solution for putting mics up on trees, even though I hate the fact that it’s plastic, somewhat harmful and not reusable.

Another aspect stemming from my childhood is the flexibility of my mindset. Much like when I’m cooking, I never measure quantities, distances, angles, self noise etc. Everything is done by taste, or by ear in the case of field recording. When planning an expedition, I keep an open mind and I don’t discount certain equipment just because it’s not my main focus. As an example, this is how I decided to bring hydrophones to the desert, which allowed me to capture some haunting ambiences under the surface of the sand dunes.

While I prefer to develop my own field recording methods, some things are still worth learning by following established paths. I spend considerable time improving adjacent skills such as first aid, 4x4 and overland driving, tree climbing, photo and videography, expedition leadership, public speaking, storytelling, general design, ornithology, ecology, conservation and many others.

I’ve seen people lose the passion for field recording because they couldn’t break free from constraints and rules. They almost feel paralysed when having to make tough choices because they’d learned and internalised very stiff ways of doing things. I’m lucky that I’m mostly self taught, and everything I do has gone through lots of repeated cycles of experimentation and optimisation. Not in a corporate way, but rather an organic, flexible and deliberate process of slowly getting better.

This brings me to the human and organic aspect of Freestyle field recording. Many disciplines require careful and exact measurements, but that is not the case with creative/technical hybrids like field recording. In field recording, moving a microphone left by a few degrees or centimetres will likely not impact the final result very much. Correct microphone techniques are useful as guidelines, but they should not become traps.

I don’t dispute that people should learn concepts and terminology. This is actually very useful at the beginning of one’s career. A good sound recordist should know they can’t record in ORTF with omnidirectional microphones, because ORTF is by definition achieved with cardioid mics. The problem is when theoretical knowledge gets in the way of practical fieldcraft. Things are fairly easy to control and organise in the studio, but as soon as you step out into the field, the number of unknown factors grows exponentially. We can only expect to be in control of a handful of them, if at all.

Unlearning the rigid constraints of microphone techniques, self noise obsessions and other taught approaches is a necessary step towards becoming more comfortable and flexible in the field. If a certain method is not established or goes in the way of traditional thinking, that means nothing in the field. Empirical knowledge that can be proven, even by just one person, should not be discounted. To give you an example, recording with drop rigs is frowned upon by certain field recordists for a variety of silly reasons. I think it’s a valid way to get the job done, and I’ve proven it time and time again on critical jobs.

Having said all that, a flexible and organic approach does not mean the results will be random or out of our control. Yes, nature and wildlife are fickle recording subjects. A good field recordist will know what they can achieve and will be able to get the job done, however. This is where flexibility can be even more important. If tried and tested methods don’t yield the desired results, maybe it’s time to experiment? Of course, one should do that on their own time and not when the results are critical. This is where learning from one’s own experience becomes very important.

And how do you get to have that personal experience? Not by staying home and reading about others’ experiences. You have to go out into the field as much as possible, to get the work done and to bring recordings back into the studio where you need to listen to them thoroughly. Repeat the full cycle as many times as possible until the results start feeling right.

There’s a key word there - feel. There are some aspects of field recording that can be measured, but they don’t paint the whole picture. Signal to noise ratio, microphone sensitivity, distance to your subject, pickup pattern are all valid parameters. Making a “correct” recording is not the same as making a good recording that people will resonate with. A technically correct recording is a good base to build on, but the important question to ask is what does it make the listener feel?

Recording the sounds of the African bush

Lastly, I want to touch on listening and immersion. Notice I didn’t say anything about equipment. I feel like too often beginners (and even some more experienced recordists) get stuck in the loop of buying equipment and trying to improve their recordings only by throwing money at the problem. That comes at the detriment of listening, which is probably the most important aspect to field recording.

Whenever I find myself in a new environment, I like to spend at least a day or two listening and immersing myself in the landscape. That isn’t always feasible, but if possible it gives me an excellent opportunity to understand the place I am in. I also like to talk to people who have lived and experienced the landscapes I work in. As a freestyle field recordist, I aim to understand what I am recording so I can tell a better story. This is not limited to species names or historic aspects. I want to understand the human and wild elements, and their subtle (or not so much) interplay.

Once I’m back in the studio with terabytes of data, the stories that I’ve learned on the trip will help me share this material with others. I think of them as the glue that holds disparate information together, and adds an extra dimension to a collection of sounds that is already, hopefully, very interesting.

It has taken me more than a decade to fine tune my approach to field recording, and I’ve spent many months just trying to find good names for these concepts. I hope this makes as much sense to you as it does to me, but feel free to comment or get in touch with me if you still have questions. I love hearing from people who are passionate about the art and craft of field recording. Lastly, please consider buying me a coffee if you’ve found any of this information useful. Namaste!

Listening session at the House of Lords in Westminster

George Vlad — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 13:21:50 +0100

Presenting at the House of Lords - Cholmondeley Room

I recently received an invitation to play some of my soundscapes and to tell stories about conservation. While there’s nothing unusual about that, the setting was definitely novel for me. The invitation was from Lord Zac Goldsmith and Jack Chellman of the Global Returns Project, and the event took place at the House of Lords at Westminster Palace in London - the meeting place of Parliament.

I only had a 30 minute slot for my keynote presentation so I decided to introduce myself and my work for 5 minutes and then play 5 soundscapes of around 5 minutes each. I wanted them to be relevant to the conservation topic, memorable and poignant. I also wanted there to be a bit of story arc, with a slightly depressing beginning, a bit of tension throughout, and a nice and positive ending. I played each sound for a minute on its own, then I spoke about it for 4 minutes, and then on to the next sound. Rinse and repeat. Listen to the final selection in the video below.

We begin with a pretty alarming one - the sounds of glaciers cracking, groaning and bubbling at Flaajokull in Iceland. I was ther a couple of years ago and this soundscape touched me deeply. With the help of Dr Thorvardur Arnason I explored the landscapes there in relative safety, and I managed to get very close to the huge wall of ice. Unfortunately what is a very interesting sound to my ears is also a reflection of the accelerated pace at which glaciers are melting and collapsing.

Me and my wife with Westminster Palace in the background

The second sound recording is a bush fire in Senegal. Bush fires are generally damaging and destructive, but small, controlled ones have been used as tools for landscape management since time immemorial. It’s the context of climate change and chaotic seasons that can derail this age-old practice, even when it’s done right.

Part three is the sound of rain in the desert, captured in the Namib with a pair of mikroUsis on a dead tree. The rain only lasted for about 5 minutes, but the tense dead wood resonated like a marimba when raindrops hit it. I call this Chromatic rain and it’s one of my all-time favourite recordings. The climate change aspect here is that some rain in the desert is very welcome, but the change in seasons and climate patterns is bringing huge and destructive storms to these dry landscapes.

At this stage we’ve heard enough recordings that induce anxiety, so I wanted to steer the audience towards purely positive feelings. The fourth recording is the haunting sound of humpback whales singing off the coast of Madagascar in a little bay. Whale song recorded by Roger Payne was instrumental in the movement that achieved the end of whale hunting in the 70s and 80s. The audience really enjoyed and resonated with this.

Depressing the audience with my recordings

I chose to end on a high note, with a beautiful dawn chorus recorded in Papua New Guinea. When I went on location in PNG I was told that people in many villages hunt and eat any living animal, which creates a de facto dead zone of a few km around every village. This is depressing to think about, but of course I cannot blame people for choosing to feed their family over conserving birds of paradise or other rare fauna. Luckily there are parts of this landscape where the influx of tourists interested in seeing the birds of paradise has created a grassroots conservation movement. People identify bird nests and leks on their property and safeguard them so they can receive a bit of money every time a photographer or birdwatcher comes to see these fascinating creatures.

We had some technical issues which meant that my wife had to do the impromptu job of live sound engineer, but otherwise everything went very well. The attendees were immersed in and enraptured throughout my presentation. We did not have a screen so the video was not visible for anyone, but that did not matter (or maybe it made everything more intriguing).

At the end I had multiple people thank me and congratulate me on my work. The sounds and stories clearly resonated with the audience and left a lasting impression. I was very happy with how it went and the organisers managed to raise a hefty sum for conservation NGOs. Win win!

What’s New in REAPER 7.66 – the FFMPEG Update and more

Admin — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 03:24:03 +0100

learn

The post What’s New in REAPER 7.66 – the FFMPEG Update and more first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

New Sound Design Contest: Create the sound effects for this video (and you could win legendary SFX!)

A Sound Effect — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 17:46:57 +0100

How to use REAPER Theme Replacer

Admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 17:09:45 +0100

Learn to use the new REAPER Theme making tool by Digitt

The post How to use REAPER Theme Replacer first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

20 great new audio jobs at Google, Infinity Ward, Tesla, The Anime Effect, PlayStation, Sony Music, Motion Picture Solutions, Royal Caribbean Group, Royal College of Music, Chronograph Games, Kabam, Infold Games, Sound Parti Studios, Tencent, Affiliated E

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:59:43 +0100

This week, our featured jobs focus on games and media, with projects by Chronograph Games, Kabam, and Motion Picture Solutions. They are looking for Sound Designers who can wear multiple hats, i.e. middleware and Unity implementation, as well as Audio Describers for accessible film and streaming experiences:

Chronograph Games is hiring a Senior Sound Designer (Unity & Wwise) to help them ship a prototype of our CMF-funded Project Hourglass, a hand-drawn 2D fantasy soulslike metroidvania (Remote)
Kabam is looking for a Senior Technical Audio Designer (Unity) to create, implement, and optimize all in-game audio to deliver an immersive player experience (BC, Canada)
Motion Picture Solutions is recruiting Audio Describers with their own professional recording set-up who are experienced in recorded AD for cinema and streaming (Remote)

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

What’s New in REAPER v7.62 – HUGE Ruler, Regions, and Markers overhaul!

Admin — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 03:22:57 +0100

Learn the latest features and changes to REAPER

The post What’s New in REAPER v7.62 – HUGE Ruler, Regions, and Markers overhaul! first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

20 great new audio jobs at A24, Sphere, Amazon, SUPRAPHON, Freakanomics, ADAM Audio, L-Acoustics, Mancala Gaming, Marella Cruises, NBCUniversal, Platinum Games, Pray Media, Side, Black Isle Recording, Biamp, Blizzard, Cloud Imperium, Demant, and Deluxe

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:57:49 +0100

This week, we’ve found inspiring roles that span groundbreaking storytelling at A24, cutting-edge audio technology at ADAM Audio, the spectacle of the Sphere in Las Vegas, and preserving the legacy of classical music in Prague at Sony Music’s SUPRAPHON:

A24 is hiring a Music Intern for a well-rounded, immersive experience across the organization, receiving cross-functional exposure and professional development (NY, US)
ADAM Audio is looking for an Electronics Engineer with a strong background in mixed-signal electronics design who enjoys making new product ideas come to life (Germany)
Sphere Entertainment is seeking a Director Audio Systems to oversee in-house mixing, recording, system programming, and collaboration for new shows (NV, US)
SUPRAPHON is recruiting a Head of Classical Music to work closely with artists and guide projects from concept to release, ensuring their legacy inspires worldwide (Czech Republic)

Bonus: The Audio Jobs Facebook and LinkedIn groups also have opportunities around unannounced game projects, vehicle noise reduction, and both audio and electrical engineering below.

❗Important: Having trouble viewing the jobs on LinkedIn? Be sure to join the LinkedIn Audio Jobs group

20 great new audio jobs at Hasbro, Muse Group, Frag Games, Skywalker Sound, Full Sail, Housemarque, LEGO DESiGN, OHO Radio, Sentric, SMP Amsterdam, videoreality, Apple, AV Corder, Bulkhead, Delhom Acoustics, Dow Jones, EA Create, Ford, and Forte Audio

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 09:52:15 +0100

Job Subscription

Get exciting new audio job opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

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This week, our featured jobs include careers in brand audio, music business, game audio, and audio intelligence at Hasbro, Muse Group, Frag Games, and Skywalker Sound:

Hasbro is hiring a Music Intern to play a hands-on role in supporting the creative music engine behind some of the world’s most iconic brands (England)

Muse Group is looking for a Head of Strategic Partnerships to evolve the organization from a traditional distributor model into a modern, integrated aggregator ecosystem to drive scalable growth (Remote)

Frag Games is seeking a Game Audio Sound Designer who is passionate about crafting immersive game audio experiences to bring their worlds to life through sound (Pakistan)

Skywalker Sound is recruiting a Senior Staff R&D Engineer to lead the development of transformative audio intelligence technologies for global media production (CA, US)

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

ReaWhoosh Generator REAPER Script

Admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 18:30:23 +0100

Make awesome whoosh effects with this easy to use free script for REAPER.
The post ReaWhoosh Generator REAPER Script first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

Why Some Sounds Feel Unbearable

april — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:46:00 +0100

There’s a specific combinations of sounds that drive me crazy. It’s two mobile devices loudly playing different content with different music – especially when I’m tired and trying to focus on something else. The response is immediate and visceral, and I have to make one sound stop or move away.

What’s interesting is that other people in the same room can be completely unbothered. Same space. Same sound field. Completely different experience. In fact, some people need that level of input to concentrate. Research has shown that for some people with ADHD a certain level of background noise can actually improve focus.

We tend to assume that if a sound isn’t uncomfortably loud to us, it won’t be uncomfortable for others nearby. But sound does not move through every nervous system the same way. You might see this watching a show or movie with other people. One person needs it louder to understand but someone else needs the volume lowered for their comfort. Some people love being around a loud concert and crowds and others find that overloading.

When Sound Triggers the Nervous System

A sound can trigger an immediate surge of irritation or panic. It’s not intentionally being dramatic – it means the nervous system is responding quickly and involuntarily.

Misophonia is a condition in which specific sounds trigger a strong, involuntary emotional and physiological reaction. The word literally means “hatred of sound,” but that’s misleading. It isn’t about sound level, and it isn’t about disliking noise in general. The reaction is usually tied to particular trigger sounds, such as chewing and mouth noises, breathing, tapping, or some speech patterns.

Layered audio can do something similar. Competing sources, overlapping frequencies, unpredictable shifts in dynamics — for some people, that creates strain. The auditory system is tightly connected to stress and threat circuits in the brain. When those circuits activate, muscle tension increases, heart rate shifts, and the urge to escape shows up before logic has time to explain anything.

When someone (especially a child) says a sound is uncomfortable or even painful, it may not be metaphorical. Pain can mean overload.

Sound is physical energy, but perception is biological. Two people can share the same environment and have entirely different internal responses. When someone says “this is too much,” it’s a request for relief, not an exaggeration.

Fetal Heartbeat Apps Don’t Work — And Here’s Why

april — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:11:31 +0100

When I was pregnant, I was surprised to encounter apps claiming they could detect a baby’s heartbeat using only a phone microphone. They were popular. They were marketed with confidence.

As a professional audio engineer, I knew immediately it wasn’t possible. A microphone measures changes in air pressure. A fetal heartbeat is not an airborne signal.

Still, I was 17 weeks pregnant, and in a mom group where everyone was recommending whatever had calmed their anxiety that week. I felt terrible (but wanted tacos), and had access to a professional studio.

So I did what any mildly sleep-deprived audio engineer would do. Not because I expected it to work, but because once you’ve pictured a U87 pointed at your stomach in the name of science, you can’t not follow through.

The Studio Test

The studio had an acoustically treated control room, a professional audio signal chain, and a mic collection that cost as much as a car. If there were an airborne signal to capture, this setup would have found it.

It didn’t.

What it captured clearly were stomach noises, fabric movement, HVAC, and the faint life of nearby production stages. When I tried recording my own adult heartbeat directly against my chest, I could eventually hear it – faintly – but buried beneath the rustle of an impromptu Foley session.

If a U87 through a GML into an SSL can’t isolate an adult heartbeat in a controlled studio, a mobile phone microphone pressed against a pregnant belly cannot detect a fetal one.

The issue isn’t quality. It’s physics.

Why a Microphone Can’t Do This

A microphone responds to changes in air pressure. When something creates sound in open air – a voice, an instrument, a footstep – it has caused pressure variations in the air. Those tiny fluctuations move a microphone’s diaphragm, which converts them into an electrical signal.

A fetal heartbeat generates mechanical motion inside the body. But that motion is occurring behind layers of tissue, fluid, muscle, and another body entirely. By the time any of that motion (vibration) reaches the surface, it is extremely weak in comparison to stronger surface and contact noises such as breathing, clothing movement, and simple body motion. Those sounds radiate into the air far more easily than the subtle internal movement of a fetal heart.

A Doppler monitor – the device doctors use to detect a fetal heartbeat – works on a completely different principle. It sends high-frequency ultrasonic waves into the body. Those waves reflect off moving structures like the heart, bouncing back to the montor. The device compares the outgoing ultrasonic wave to the returning one and converts the tiny motion-induced differences into an audible signal.

That’s why a phone microphone and a fetal Doppler aren’t different versions of the same tool. They’re built to detect entirely different things.

The Illusion of Detection

A baby’s heart rate in early pregnancy can be twice as fast as an adult’s. A baby is often in the 140–170 beats-per-minute range. And importantly, you cannot simply hold your ear to your own body parts and hear your heartbeat.

With that in mind, I downloaded and tested several of the heartbeat detection apps available at the time.

Some produced no reading at all – which, given the physics, is what should happen.

Other apps generated numbers at times.

In one case, the app played back a steady heartbeat as the phone was placed at my abdomen and my chest.

That wasn’t detection – it was a simulated heart beat.

That’s scary when an app is presenting itself as a medical tool and not a game. If someone believes they are hearing a real fetal heartbeat, they may delay seeking medical care when something feels wrong. That’s dangerous.

What Actually Works

If someone wants to hear a baby’s heartbeat outside of a clinical setting, the technology required is different from a microphone.

A Doppler fetal monitor uses ultrasound and is typically able to detect a heartbeat around 10–12 weeks, depending on conditions. These are medical devices and are designed to be used by trained professionals. Some are available for home use, but it is important to speak with a healthcare provider before purchasing or relying on one.

Later in pregnancy – usually from 18–20 weeks onward – it may be possible to hear a fetal heartbeat with a stethoscope or a traditional Pinard horn, though this depends on positioning and experience.

If you are considering equipment, make sure it is an actual medical Doppler device that uses ultrasound and not a phone app that relies on a microphone. I’ve included examples of the devices I’m referring to below (for education purposes – not as a recommendation). Always consult your provider before using medical equipment at home.

Stethoscope for Doctors/Nurses/Nursing School Students, Medical and Home Use

Wooden Pinard Stethoscope For Midwives

MINI-Doppler ES-100, Detect and Display Fetal Heart Rate

What This Experiment Actually Showed

We live in a time when software feels capable of almost anything. Phones and wearables can track heart rate, oxygen levels, sleep cycles, and movement. It’s easy to assume that if an app or device exists, the detection behind it must be real.

A microphone cannot become a Doppler monitor just because an app says it can.

When a product claims to monitor a pregnancy, that’s not a tech feature. It’s a medical claim. And medical claims deserve scrutiny.

When A Baby’s Cry Becomes A Hearing Question

april — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 06:03:12 +0100

When my son was little, I found myself in a conundrum: how do you comfort a child who is crying or screaming inches from your ears? My watch was sending high-noise alerts, so I knew I needed to learn more. Do caregivers need to think about ear protection?

Why A Cry Cuts Through

The human ear is most sensitive between roughly 2–5 kHz. That’s where our auditory system prioritizes speech and distress signals. The average adult ear canal also resonates around 3 kHz, subtly amplifying around that frequency band. Human screams concentrate energy there. Babies cry in that same range. Many alarms are tuned there as well. It’s also the region most vulnerable to noise-induced hearing loss.

There’s a neurological layer too. Research shows caregivers – especially mothers – demonstrate heightened brain activation in response to infant cries. Attention shifts almost instantly. For mothers with young children, every cry is an emergency, even when the child isn’t yours.

Is There Real Risk?

A baby’s cry can reach 100–110 dB at close range. Prolonged exposure matters, but context is important: most episodes are short, and hearing damage is about accumulated exposure over time, not one event.

Still, when that peak happens repeatedly, inches from the same ear, it becomes part of your daily dose.

Managing Exposure

There are simple ways to protect your ears, including alternating arms and using filtered earplugs during longer soothing sessions. And if the baby is safe — in a crib, bassinet, or with another caregiver — even stepping into another room for 30–60 seconds can significantly reduce peak exposure. Distance alone drops the level quickly, and a wall or closed door further attenuates the higher frequencies where infant cries concentrate energy.

Of course, stepping away isn’t always easy. The wiring that makes a cry hard to ignore is the same wiring that makes it difficult to leave the room. But even small adjustments — holding the baby slightly farther from your ear or switching sides — can reduce load.

Understanding the physiology doesn’t change the experience of parenting. It just explains why the reaction is so immediate — and gives you practical options for protecting your hearing while you’re in it.

20 great new audio jobs at WWE, Apple, Respawn, Riot Games, Spotify, Musiversal, Oticon, Respawn, Smart Dubbing, The Audio Programmer, Vertigo Games, The New York Racing Association, Crater Studios, Deluxe, iRacing, Leeds Playhouse, Meta, and Moon Media

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:55:34 +0100

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This week, our featured roles highlight a range of music-related careers – from composition to artist engagement – at Respawn, Riot Games, and Spotify:

Respawn is looking for a Music Designer to join their Star Wars team and cover music implementation (not composition), editorial, and mastering (CA, US / BC, Canada)

Riot Games is seeking a Music Project Coordinator to support day-to-day music production activities by assisting with vendor coordination, production logistics, and delivery tracking across products (Singapore)

Spotify is recruiting a Content Designer, Music Mission to be at the intersection of language, systems, and creativity, defining how artists understand what’s working and engage their audience (NY, US)

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

How Loud is Too Loud for Kids?

april — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:02:55 +0100

Hearing damage from loud sounds is permanent, but it’s also preventable. Many parents and caregivers don’t realize just how often kids are exposed to dangerous noise levels in everyday life—at home, school, events, and even from toys.

By understanding what’s too loud and taking simple steps to reduce exposure, you can protect childrens’ ears (and your own).

The Three-Step Guide to Protecting Your Child’s Hearing

Use earmuffs or earplugs when exposure to loud sounds is unavoidable.

Check the Volume. Use a decibel meter app or try the 3-feet test (explained below).

Cut Back if It’s Too Loud. Lower the volume, move away from the noise, or limit exposure time.

Cover Your Ears if You Can’t Avoid the Noise. Use earmuffs or earplugs when exposure to loud sounds is unavoidable.

How Loud Is Too Loud?

Think of sound levels like a fever. Sometimes you notice something concerning and just need to keep an eye on it. Other times, immediate action is needed.

Image from dangerousdecibels.org

85 dB (decibels) is the safety threshold. Sounds below this level won’t cause damage.

Above 85 dB is like running a fever—the higher the number, the shorter the safe exposure time.

85 dB (busy traffic) – Safe for 8 hours

100 dB (concerts, sporting events) – Safe for 15 minutes

115 dB (arcades, playgrounds) – Safe for under a minute

Children’s ears are more sensitive than adults’, making it even more important to limit exposure.

How to Measure Sound Levels

For most accurate readings, a standalone SPL meter is a good option.

A mobile app (often called an SPL meter or loudness meter) is an easy and convenient way to check sound levels. Place your device:

By your ear

By your child’s ear

Near the source of the sound

The 3-Feet Test: A Quick Way to Gauge Sound Danger

A simple rule of thumb:

If you’re standing three feet away from someone and need to raise your voice for them to hear you, the noise level is probably around 85 dB.

If you have to yell, the sound is at dangerous levels.

Common Noisy Environments for Kids

Everyday Sounds That Can Cause Hearing Damage

According to the Better Hearing Institute, common sources of unsafe noise for children include:

Transportation: Subways, trains, airplanes, snowmobiles

Home Appliances: Stereo speakers, power tools, hair dryers, lawnmowers

Loud Toys

Music Concerts & Live Events

The Center for Hearing and Communication adds that some everyday play areas can be dangerously loud:

Playgrounds & Arcades – Up to 115 dB (as loud as a rock concert!)

School Environments – Cafeterias, hallways, and school bells can exceed safe levels.

Loudest Offenders: Toys & Everyday Sounds

The Sight & Hearing Association releases an annual list of toys louder than 85 dB.

Other surprisingly loud sounds:

Balloons popping (when overinflated) – As loud as a gunshot, with risk of instant damage.

Earbuds & Headphones – A major cause of hearing loss in teens.

What Hearing Protection Should You Use?

For adults & older kids – Use earplugs or earmuffs at loud events.

For infants & young children – Use earmuffs (earplugs can be a choking hazard).

Why Hearing Protection Matters

There are no “live sound police” at concerts, sporting events, or amusement parks. Sound levels can creep up gradually, and you may not realize it’s too loud until damage has already started.

If it’s too loud for kids, it’s too loud for you, too. Protect your ears—you only get one set!

Current Used Avid S6 Listings

info@resurface.audio — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:47:42 +0100

Here’s an at-a-glance rundown of the used Avid S6 consoles we have currently available worldwide.

Each is available immediately. All are significantly lower in cost than the new equivalent of the same spec.

Click on the link to see the full listing detail and console photos. From the listing, you can send an enquiry with any questions for the seller.

You can also see all of the currently available S6 consoles in our search page

Can’t see what you’re looking for? Listings change all the time, check back soon or drop us an email – maybe we can find it for you?

FIND ME A CONSOLE!

Make Model Type Faders Frame Currency Price Link
Avid S6 M40 16 5 ft GBP 49950 See Listing
Avid S6 M10 16 3 ft GBP 14950 See Listing
Avid S6 M40 40 8 ft EUR 99500 See Listing
Avid S6 M40 32 7 ft CAD POA See Listing
Avid S6 M10 16 5 ft USD 18500 See Listing
Avid S6 M40 24 5 ft EUR 50000 See Listing
Avid S6 M40 24 5 ft GBP 74950 See Listing
Avid S6 M40 16 5 ft GBP 30000 See Listing
Avid S6 M40 16 5 ft GBP 35000 See Listing
Avid S6 M10 16 4 ft GBP 19950 See Listing
Avid S6 M40 8 6 ft USD 27000 See Listing

The post Current Used Avid S6 Listings appeared first on Resurface.

20 great new audio jobs at Deluxe, PlayStation, Kinetic Games, Freqport, Grip Studios, Garena, Hraymo, Mad Head Games, Nova Sky Stories, Respawn, Sennheiser, Spinnin’ Records, The Audio Programmer, University of Surrey, UserWise Services, Apex Acoustics,

Adriane Kuzminski — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:05:54 +0100

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We came across interesting new jobs at Kinetic Games, Freqport, Grip Studios, and Mad Head Games:

Kinetic Games is hiring a Sound Designer with a keen ear for realism and strong creative ability to help build the audio experience of Phasmophobia (England / Hybrid)

Freqport is looking for an Audio Software Developer to work across most of the software sides of their products, from core DSP implementation to cross-platform GUI and plugin integration (Denmark)

Grip Studios is seeking an Audio Director to take ownership of audio and sound design on a newly acquired AAA project (Czech Republic)

Mad Head Games is recruiting a Sound Designer to create original audio content to support the game’s vision within the technical constraints (Serbia)

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

Current Used Avid S4 Listings

info@resurface.audio — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:15:06 +0100

Here’s an at-a-glance rundown of the used Avid S4 consoles we have currently available worldwide.

Each is available immediately. All are significantly lower in cost than the new equivalent of the same spec.

Click on the link to see the full listing detail and console photos. From the listing, you can send an enquiry with any questions for the seller.

To browse all currently available S4 consoles in our search page instead, click here

Can’t see what you’re looking for? Listings change all the time, check back soon or drop us an email – maybe we can find it for you?

FIND ME A CONSOLE!

Faders Width Currency Price Link
Avid S4 – 24 5 ft USD 32995 See Listing
Avid S4 – 8 3 ft GBP 15000 See Listing
Avid S4 – 16 4 ft GBP 24995 See Listing

The post Current Used Avid S4 Listings appeared first on Resurface.

Video Cut Detection Editor Script for REAPER

Admin — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 18:35:54 +0100

Spot a video faster and easier with automatic cut detection, thumbnail generation and more.
The post Video Cut Detection Editor Script for REAPER first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

Teaching Loud and Quiet to Toddlers

april — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 23:13:00 +0100

This is a reposted blog from Sound Is Fun! written in 2018.

Loud and quiet are basic sound concepts that can be taught to toddlers. Even though we tend to teach these concepts through games, as a parent, I’ve found it to be a functional tool – especially trying to get a toddler to speak quietly when they’re being too loud in public. Here’s the approach I used to teach loud and quiet to my son (who was 23-months old at the time).

Teach Whispering (or Quiet Voice)

Not all toddlers can whisper yet, so this activity can be done with “quiet” voices, too. I find the changing table a good place to do this since it also holds their attention.

Ask questions in a regular voice then ask another question in a whisper (or low voice). Before my son knew how to whisper, he’d answer my whisper in a regular voice. Once he could whisper, he’d repeat back in the same voice I used.

Repeating words is good start for this activity. Say in a normal voice, “Can you say ‘cat’?” and let them respond in a normal voice. If you ask in a whisper, “what sound does a dog make?” have them respond in a whispered voice.

Reinforce what you are doing by saying, “We’re whispering!“, or “We’re talking quietly!”

Some words are hard to say whispered so you may not always get an answer.

Teaching Loud Voices

Loud is fairly easy to teach since it’s a matter of imitation (which toddlers love to do). You could ask in a whisper, “Can you whisper?” and keep talking in a whisper until they whisper back. Then, ask loudly, “Can you be loud?” and they’ll probably respond loudly. My son is usually the one switching our conversation between loud and quiet now.

Using Dynamics (Loud and Quiet) With Music

Any repetitive song would work well for this. We sing “The Ants Go Marching” a lot which is perfect for practicing loud and quiet (not to mention it keeps it interesting after singing hundreds of times). After the ants go marching a couple times, we switch to a whisper. He’ll whisper along (like “Hoorah” or “one, two”), but eventually he will switch to being loud. For example, if he says “Hoorah” in full voice, I switch back to singing instead of whispering.

We also use Remo Lollipop Drums and match what our voices are doing. If we are singing or talking loud, we hit the drums loud. If we’re whispering, we hit the drums lightly. Sometimes I also narrate what we’re doing, like “We’re being loud!” or, “We’re being quiet now.”

Using “Shh” For Quiet

I taught the words “whisper” and “quiet” before using “shh”. I did this because “Shh” isn’t a word we use to describe something while it’s happening. It’s more like a command, like saying “stop” or “go”. But, “shh” could be easily added to these activities by saying, “Shh! We’re being quiet”. The hand motion that goes along with “shh” can also be fun for toddlers, too.

Pink Noise Cymbal Smoother

Admin — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:01:25 +0100

Pink noise in the sidechain of a dynamic eq to make cymbals smoother. Who knew?
The post Pink Noise Cymbal Smoother first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

WT Graphical Sends Script for REAPER 7

Admin — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 20:57:52 +0100

This new script allows you to see and interact with the wiring of track sends and receives in REAPER.
The post WT Graphical Sends Script for REAPER 7 first appeared on The REAPER BLOG.

Ideas for Science Experiments in Sound

april — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 06:38:35 +0100

In 2000, a group of fifth graders at Ida Weller Elementary School (Centerville, Ohio) took on a research question:

“Are there times or activities in our school when the noise level becomes dangerous to people’s hearing?” They discovered a number of places where sound levels were not safe and their results were published in Hearing Rehabilitation Quarterly.

In 2019, 9-year-old Nora Keegan did a science fair project comparing the loudness of hand dryers in over 40 public restrooms. Nora found that many hand dryers were not a safe levels for kids, whose ears were closer to the dryer due to height and shorter arms than adults. Nora’s findings (along with and another science fair project she did a few years later) brought worldwide awareness to the issue. Her data was later published and she was offered a meeting meeting with Dyson to discuss her findings.

I love the idea of these as a formal science activity for students. It’s an opportunity to learn how sound waves travel, how to measure sound, and how loud is safe. It could be reproduced or tested anywhere. For example, which is loudest: the cafeteria, hallway, school bell, or gym class? Some other ideas are measuring music classes (especially drums), rallies, or special events at the school. Are the fifth graders always the loudest? Are they louder inside or outside?

If the results show a potential unsafe environment, it becomes a natural opportunity for the students to advocate for change – with the data to back it up.

Tools Required

An SPL meter is used to measure loudness (SPL stands for “Sound Pressure Level”). SPL meters can vary greatly in price but for this type of experiment, all you will need is a simple meter with a digital readout. Amazon has many options of meters under $30USD.

There are apps for mobile devices that are SPL meters but accuracy can very. A free app that is known for being accurate is NIOSH.

The main issue on a mobile device is the microphone. Results are more accurate when using an external calibrated microphone. Two mics that were tested and found to be very accurate were:

Dayton Audio iMM-6 Calibrated Measurement Microphone for iPhone, iPad Tablet and Android

MicW i436 Calibrated Measurement Type 2 External Mini Microphone for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch (currently not available to buy new.)

Additionally, the Apple Watch has been tested to be very accurate compared to professional SPL meters (accurate within 1dB).

How to Use an SPL Meter

SPL meters are very easy: point the mic toward the sound source.

When you’re trying to test if a sound is too loud, imagine the microphone as the location where someone’s ear would be. If you are testing a school bell mounted high on a wall, you want to measure the sound level from the location where a student or teacher would be. Testing a bell up close (within inches) would be a good data point, but anything loud and up close requires caution (wearing ear plugs or other hearing protection).

Ideas to Modify the Experiment

Toys: Can you find toys that are too loud? How much louder are they up close versus a small distance away? (Similar to Sight and Hearing’s yearly toy testing)

Televisions, screens, and speakers. How loud do you normally listen? How loud is a fight scene versus a calm scene in a video?

Resources

How Does Sound Travel? Lesson for Kids

How Decibel Sound Level Meters Work (this is a more technical description but offers good suggestions.)

White Noise, Sleep Machines, and How Loud Is Too Loud?

april — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 07:19:00 +0100

Noise machines are marketed as sleep solutions. For babies. For kids. For adults. The promise is simple: add steady sound, reduce disruption, sleep better.

Used thoughtfully, they can help. Used carelessly, they can create unintended problems.

A group of Canadian researchers measured the maximum output of several commercially available infant sleep machines. Some models, when set to full volume and placed close to a crib, produced sound levels high enough to pose a risk of hearing damage if left on for extended periods. At maximum output, nearly all of the machines tested were loud enough to disrupt sleep even when positioned across the room.

The most important takeaway from that research is simple: never use a noise machine at maximum volume.

How Loud Is Too Loud?

Background noise influences sleep quality at any age. One study found that when environmental noise reached 75 dB (roughly the level of a vacuum cleaner three feet away) two-thirds of children woke within three minutes. After twelve minutes, all had awakened.

That may sound obviously loud, but many consumer sleep machines are still made that way.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that sound levels in hospital nurseries not exceed 50 dB. That’s approximately the sound of a refrigerator or dishwasher running in the next room. In a typical home environment, maintaining that level constantly may not be realistic, and some pediatricians, including Harvey Karp, have suggested that moderate white noise around 65-70 dB (similar to a soft shower) can be both safe and soothing.

For adults, the risk is not only about hearing damage. It’s also about sleep quality. Continuous sound at high levels can increase arousal rather than reduce it. The nervous system does not simply “tune out” loud noise because it is steady.

Why Placement Matters

Distance changes exposure quickly, which is why placement matters as much as volume.

The goal is not to overpower the room with noise. It is to gently mask disruptive peaks – things like a door closing or a loud vehicle passing by – without dominating the environment.

The same principle applies to adults using apps or bedside machines. If you need to raise your voice to be heard over it, it’s too loud.

Practical Guidelines

Place the machine as far from a bed or crib as possible.

Keep the volume low enough that normal speech is not overpowered.

Use a timer if available, rather than running it continuously at high output.

If unsure, use a basic sound meter app to estimate the level in the room.

White noise can be helpful, but louder is not better, and closer is not safer.

20 great new audio jobs at Netflix, Disneyland, Skywalker Sound, Roblox, Sonos, Polymorph Games, Rocksteady, Bigmouth Audio, Lightspeed Studios, Lower Street Media, Retro Studios, Swish, Aperion Gaming, Apple, CD PROJEKT RED, Epic Games, Frontier, and Kur

Adriane Kuzminski — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:58:22 +0100

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We came across interesting new jobs at Polymorph Games, Rocksteady, and Bigmouth Audio:

Polymorph Games is looking for an Outsourcing Audio Designer with Wwise experience to collaborate with them on their city-builder Foundation (QC, Canada)

Rocksteady is seeking a Sound Designer to join their studio to work with an experienced team on an exciting AAA project, crafting immersive worlds and emotionally resonant player experiences (England)

Bigmouth Audio is inviting Scotland’s next generation of sound designers, audio editors, and mixers into their studio for the SoundStart Audio Internship (Scotland)

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

Does the Music You Listen to Matter When You’re Pregnant?

april — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:59:00 +0100

Originally written for Sound In Fun! in 2018.

Some websites say to avoid music like heavy metal or rap during pregnancy and only play gentle music (like classical) to not startle your unborn baby. I’ve seen references to “research” but I can’t find any real studies about the effects of listening to dissonant, “harsh” or atonal music during pregnancy.

Based on what I can find in research (and knowing about auditory science), there are no limitations to what you listen to. One study advised carrying phones in a chest pocket or purse because a mom’s cell phone can startle her baby. Even then, the baby gets used to sounds over time.

They also can’t hear a lot of what you’re listening to because there’s a noise party going on inside the body. You heart beat, blood flow, intestines – these all make noise inside your body. Some studies show this is as loud as 90 dB (the equivalent to a hair dryer or kitchen blender). In fact, rap and heavy metal may help calm a colicky baby after birth because the rhythm and noise may be familiar to what they experienced in the womb.

At 32 weeks, a baby sleeps 90-95% of the time. That’s awake 1.2 hours a day total (spread over 24 hours). Closer to birth, they sleep 85-90% of the time. Even if your loud music wakes them up it probably won’t keep them awake long.

What Babies Can Hear

An expecting mom is very aware of her baby’s movements. During pregnancy with my son, I could tell the difference when he was startled versus excited. When I was at work listening to loud audio (as part of my job), my son would get excited by low frequencies – especially bass/subwoofer, loud drums, or a male coworker who laughed with a booming voice.

If your goal is for baby to listen to music, low frequencies reach the womb easier than high frequencies. Music like R&B, hip-hop, or EDM may actually have more low frequency information than other music – assuming you are listening with speakers that have low-end. Most tablets or mobile devices can’t do that.

Listen to Music for You

If a pregnant person is feeling relaxed, that can have a positive affect on an unborn baby. Babies can feel and remember their carrier’s emotional state. If a mom doesn’t like classical music, is it going to be relaxing for her? If listening to heavy metal makes a pregnant person happy and there’s no perceive any distress from the baby, power to you, Mom. Dancing and movement might even put them to sleep.

f you’re concerned about loudness or disrupting your baby, turn it down, listen on headphones (on your ears – not your belly).

Books for Toddlers & Young Kids About Sound

april — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:50:06 +0100

Picture books are a great way for kids to learn basic concepts about sound, such as the difference between loud and quiet, how to be a good listener, and when an “indoor voice” or “outdoor voice” is appropriate. Here are some of my favorites.

Books for Toddlers: Quiet, Loud, and Listening

The Loud Book by Deborah Underwood explores the opposite, such as “thunderstorm loud” and “candy wrapper loud!”. It’s a quick read that can pair with The Quiet Book or read on its own.

Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli is part of her popular series for toddlers that explain opposites. In Quiet Loud, each page has funny and playful examples, such as “crayons are quiet” and “pots and pans are LOUD.”

The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood explores different situations that call for a quiet voice, such as “swimming underwater quiet” and “sleeping sister quiet.” The graphics are cute, detailed, and calming. This is be a great book for settling down before bed or nap.

Voices Are Not for Yelling by Elizabeth Verdick teaches a difference between an indoor voice and outdoor voice, and how yelling can hurt other’s ears. This is part of her fantastic “Best Behavior” series, which includes Hands Are Not for Hitting and Teeth Are Not for Biting.

Listening Time by Elizabeth Verdick is another book from the behavior-driven series above. The goal is to help prepare toddlers good listening skills. This would be great for a classroom.

Books for Toddlers: Environmental Sounds

In language development, “environmental sounds” are verbal sounds that imitate another sound. These sounds often come before words – such as saying “vroom” versus car or “moo” instead of cow. They are an important part of early language development but also can be a fun and silly way to communicate.

The Noisy Garage by Dennis R. Shealy is a really cute Little Golden Book about all the sounds a car make. For a child who’s more interested in cars than animals, this would be a great book to get them interested in environmental sounds.

Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss is a classic short book about environmental sounds. Water drips and drops, clocks go tick tock. The board book version is compact and is available in many languages.

Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp!: A Sonic Adventure by Wynton Marsalis blends his upbringing in New Orleans with his life as a professional musician. His book covers all the sounds in a neighborhood from a squeaky door, a noisy mouse, and instruments like drums and a trumpet.

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do you Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle covers the sounds of farm animals and as well as hippos, peacocks, and zebras. You could easily turn this book into a game of “what do you hear?”

The Ear Book by Al Perkins is part of the Bright & Early Board Books series, which are a board book collection of Dr. Seuss stories. It’s full of environmental sounds.

Books for Younger Kids

The Listening Walk by Paul Showers is one of my favorites because it is all about an activity involving sound. A young girl goes on a “listening walk” with her dad (and dog) and talks about all the sounds she hears. It’s an activity you can then do, too. (Ages 3-7)

Oscar and the Bat: A Book About Sound by Geoff Waring weaves concepts about sound with a cute story about Oscar the Cat and a knowledgeable bat. I like this book because it’s first and foremost a story with adorable illustrations, it also includes ideas for discussion about sound at the back of the book. (Ages 4-8)

Science-Driven Books

Decibella and her 6-Inch Voice by Julia Cook is about Decibella, who loves to use her voice but her loudness gets her in trouble. Her teacher shows her five voices: Whisper, 6-inch, Table Talk, Strong Speaker, and Outside. I like this book because it teaches listening, thinking about what you hear, and learning to control of the voice. This book could be used as an introduction to Decibels, which is the measured level of sound. (Ages 5-10)

Ears Are For Hearing by Paul Showers explains the parts of the ear and how sound and hearing works. It ucovers the science but also relates to kids in a way they can understand like, “If any sound hurts your ears – like the screech of a police-car siren or fire engine passing by – don’t be embarrassed to put your hands over your ears.”

Sounds All Around by Wendy Pfeffer is from the “Let’s Read and Find Out” series (stage 1). It covers a lot of topics like how sound waves travel, how to measure sounds, and how people use sound to communicate messages. There’s activities and ideas for further learning.

The books listed here are a starting point. Sound – and especially environmental sounds – are a very common theme in early childhood reading.

When you begin looking for those moments in books, you start noticing them everywhere else, too. The page becomes practice for the world outside it.

20 great new audio jobs at LEGO Design, Harbor Picture Company, Vicious Sound, XITE, Boneshock Studio, Ubisoft Montpellier, Bohemia Interactive, Hacksaw Studios, Side, The Giant Network, Sony Bend Studio, The Orchard, Carmelite Studios, CD PROJEKT RED, Ca

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:36:09 +0100

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We came across interesting new jobs at Vicious Sound, XITE, Boneshock Studio, and Ubisoft Montpellier:

Vicious Sound is hiring a Senior Sound Designer who is a creative and technical expert and can work with the team and design, implement, and refine audio assets, ensuring they meet the highest industry standards (CA, US)

XITE is looking for a Junior Music Curator to drive the programming for a selection of Linear/FAST channels and build out our Interactive TV App playlists across multiple genres, decades, moods and seasonal themes (Netherlands)

Boneshock Studio is seeking a Lead Sound Designer with strong Unreal Engine 5 experience to lead the creation and implementation of all audio for our game (SC, US)

Ubisoft Montpellier is recruiting a Senior Technical Sound Designer to provide technical solutions for the integration and implementation of audio systems to ensure that the audio assets created by the team function as intended, in line with the audio director’s vision (France)

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

A collection of Owl sounds

George Vlad — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 17:37:05 +0100

Pearl-spotted owlet - Glaucidium perlatum in the African bush

I’ve been fascinated with owls ever since I was a child and we had a Little owl nesting in the big cherry tree that I liked to climb. I never saw it, but on clear summer nights I would listen to its wailing calls and wonder what it looked like. Nevermind the rather morbid mythology that exists around it and other owl species, I was more curious about its motives and yearnings. It took many years before I could get access to more accurate information about owls, and my fascination has only kept growing.
More than three decades later I am traveling the world so I can record nature and wildlife sounds. Owls rank highly among my favourites and I often spend considerable time just to capture a few seconds of a certain species. I’ve got some lovely books on Owls and of course the internet exists now which means my curiosity isn’t starved anymore.
What is still applicable though is mythology. Many of the places I visit are home to owls, and the local people have a wide variety of stories about them. Often heard but seldom seen, they are prime subjects for anthropomorphising and for assigning a variety of attributes, from positive to benign and sometimes quite negative and foreboding. I’m sure this would be different if owls had more melodious sounds, or if they were active during the day. As it stands though, their calls can be a bit unsettling and their habits are rather cryptic.
Of course, owls are not inherently evil or destructive. They are living beings and deserve to share our planet with us, just as we deserve to share it with them. In situations where local culture and beliefs affect them in a negative way, there needs to be outreach and education. Understanding owl behaviour (and wildlife behaviour in general for that matter) is key for the conservation of many such species.

Verreaux’s eagle owl - Ketupa lactea in the African bush

Even something as simple as going out and listening to their calls can help dispel some of these myths. My guides are often a bit suspicious about my motives, but they usually get over it quickly and become fascinated once I can play back my recordings to them. I hope the following collection of owl sounds can help dispel some of these myths and create a bit of positive interest in them.
Beyond the conservation and environmental aspects, owls and their sounds are often encountered media in general. Unfortunately they are mostly represented by the Owl hooting trope, probably due to its geographic availability around Hollywood and the US in general. The owls of the world exhibit a dazzling variety of calls and it’s worth getting acquainted with them. As sound designers and editors, we want to use an existing sonic language in the media we work on, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t educate the audience to some extent.
Randy Thom once told me, in reply to a Verreaux’s eagle owl call I posted, that it would be a bad idea to use that as an Owl sound in a film, because it sounds so strange and so different from what the audience is expecting. I tend to disagree, and I hope the audience can be convinced there are more than a few species of owl in the world.
Anyway, this is to say that owls are awesome and it’s worth learning more about them. What better place to start than a curated selection of owl recordings, captured by your favourite wildlife sound recordist! Enjoy.

Make	Model	Type	Faders	Frame	Currency	Price	Link
Avid	S6	M40	16	5 ft	GBP	49950	See Listing
Avid	S6	M10	16	3 ft	GBP	14950	See Listing
Avid	S6	M40	40	8 ft	EUR	99500	See Listing
Avid	S6	M40	32	7 ft	CAD	POA	See Listing
Avid	S6	M10	16	5 ft	USD	18500	See Listing
Avid	S6	M40	24	5 ft	EUR	50000	See Listing
Avid	S6	M40	24	5 ft	GBP	74950	See Listing
Avid	S6	M40	16	5 ft	GBP	30000	See Listing
Avid	S6	M40	16	5 ft	GBP	35000	See Listing
Avid	S6	M10	16	4 ft	GBP	19950	See Listing
Avid	S6	M40	8	6 ft	USD	27000	See Listing

			Faders	Width	Currency	Price	Link
Avid	S4	–	24	5 ft	USD	32995	See Listing
Avid	S4	–	8	3 ft	GBP	15000	See Listing
Avid	S4	–	16	4 ft	GBP	24995	See Listing