Audio Stories (#1)

Blog #1

Audio Basics!

Editing audio is an incredibly tedious and intricate process that sometimes ends horribly! However, once you get used to the program you use and learn what each tool is and how it functions, editing starts to get real fun. Most multimedia projects use four different types of sound: interview clips, voice-overs, natural sound and ambient sound; being familiar with these is an important step in a successful editing process.

Interview clips are recordings of a piece's subjects. Interview sound bites are crucial to stories as they add texture and help bring the characters and story to life.

Any recording that has scripted narration is referred to as a voice-over and are typically recorded in a studio. These help the story line keep its momentum throughout the session.

Sound effects can be referred to as natural sounds. These are the specific elements that own the audience's attention and propel the subject.

Ambient sounds are background noises that create a greater sense of detail for every element of a story. They help make a setting more realistic or aid in the portrayal of emotion.

It is critical to remember to always minimize noise in the background of your audio works. Having white noise will greatly distract your listener and even hinder your whole project's ability to get a thought concept across. Using sound to add details in your audio editing process will engage your audience and interest them. With a multitude of free sound effects available through the internet, it is actually incredibly easy (and fun!) using sound effects in projects.

Radio Lab and Ira Glass

I listened to a podcast that posed the question of why humans write. Why do we play pretend? A story can be told multiple times and multiple ways. This idea relates to Ira Glass' "moments of reflection" due to Ira Glass' points of how differently it is to write in high school versus writing for broadcasting purposes. You are taught one way to write than are introduced into an entirely new tactic of enhancing a story.