Using Trial and Error in sound design
Thought i'd post these super short videos about how i trialled and tested different ideas before coming to my final sound. When coming up with ideas it's often always the case that I will have to go through several ideas before reaching the sound that not only works on its own, but also FITS the intended scene or character in the game.
Take for example the video below:
I started scraping and running my hand across different parts of my sofa, just cos... i felt like it one morning. Turns out (as you can hear) you can get a pretty decent "woosh" sound. The last sound you hear when it's in-game is a combination of the various scrapes i recorded, which have been either doubled, pitched down, pitched up, compressed etc... until it sounded like a sword, slashing through the air.
In Logic Pro X I take a couple recordings, duplicate them, pitch the copied audios, EQ them slightly differently and add slightly different amounts of reverb. All of these very simple techniques help to thicken and proved depth to the sound. Layers are a sound designer's best friend (that and pitch shifting).
As for trial and error, below is another super short video where i wanted to create an armour clanking sound. I collected various metal objects from around the house and here you can witness the process. The last sound you hear is consequently the sound i chosen to work with. I added it to the movement of one of our bosses to give the impression that it carries heavy metal clothing.
