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This blog is a guide for budding Foley artists on building a prop collection. From essential shoes and fabrics to classic props like cornflour for snow and celery for bone breaks, learn how to start and expand your Foley toolkit for any project.
October 14, 2022
For many decades, creatives have been telling stories with sound. But yet, from the early days of performing sounds to picture, right through to today, the dark art of creating sound effects and in particular foley effects has been hidden away. With most people unaware that a vast majority of the sound you hear when watching a film has been added in post-production.
Thankfully, more recently, the process of recording foley is becoming much more well known and more and more people are now able to dip their toes into this world.
However when a budding foley artist decides to take on the challenge of building a prop collection, it can easily become overwhelming when trying to decide where to start. So in this article, we'll share with you what we look for when hunting for props.
As a Foley Artist, you'll be recording A LOT of footsteps, so a good variety of shoes is really important.
To start, try building up a collection of one of each type of shoe:
Heeled Shoes can be the most difficult to get right on a project, so a variety of thick, thin, square, round, wedged, tall and short heels will be really useful. Once you have a nice variety of footwear, you can then start looking at building a range of each type of shoe, as one shoe can give you a different tone and character from the next.
Cloth recording, though often subtle, is still a hugely important texture within a mix, it's one of those sounds that you won't notice until it's gone, but when it is gone scenes can be oddly empty.
Like with shoes, it's great to have a variety of different fabrics to choose from, the types of cloth you might want are:
These can come in the form of shirts, jackets, trousers, jeans and coats, and in a range of styles and varying thicknesses of material.
The range of props you will need will drastically vary from project to project, for instance in an office scene you may need:
Prop collecting can easily get out of hand, so depending on how much storage space you have it's probably best to acquire some props as and when you need them.
But some classic props that you can collect are:
Depending on what you will need for your specific projects, prop collecting can be a mammoth task and your library will be ever-growing. But, hopefully this article has been useful in getting you started on your prop hunting journey.
We hope you enjoyed checking out this article! If you would like to stay up to date with all things 344 Audio then please follow our socials via the links below:
If you would like to learn more about foley, there are also articles about building foley surfaces here:
PART 1: https://www.344audio.com/post/article-how-to-build-a-d-i-y-foley-pit
Explore four top DAW control surfaces to enhance your studio workflow, from budget-friendly options to high-end professional gear.
September 2, 2022
Working within a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) offers the user unparalleled flexibility and ease of use when compared to the traditional world of analogue hardware. However, sometimes the experience of working fully "in the box" can feel limited, and we need to use tools that offer a more responsive that just the keyboard and mouse. This is where control surfaces and mixers come in.
External control surfaces can be extremely useful when it comes to mixing and general workflow, giving you a more hands-on, tactile experience. In this article, we explore a few different options for control surfaces that you can add to your home studio to enhance your workflow.
- Affordable price.
- Complete control for navigating your session, editing, writing automation etc.
- Footswitch input for hands-free start/stop.
Presonus have made a name for themselves in the world of pro audio, for providing affordable yet quality products that punch above their weight in terms of price range.
The fade port 8 continues this legacy, offering the user an all-in-one DAW control surface for what is perhaps the most accessible price on the market. This piece of kit gives you everything you need in terms of functionality, whilst remaining fairly simple to get to grips with for new user.
We would recommend this as the best budget option in this list, and perfect for users at the intermediate level who are looking to upgrade their home studio.
- Vibrant and colourful 27" touch screen display.
- Fully customisable batch commands.
- Touch screen gestures to open/close plugins, zoom in/out, select regions for edit etc.
- Integrated app for control with your smart phone.
The Slate Raven MTi2 gives you the power of a full production studio and packs in into a touch screen control surface. Working with the Slate Raven feels effortless and very intuitive. Its features are fully customisable allowing you to create your own shortcuts and batch commands which can be programmed onto a single button on screen.
We can personally vouch for the Slate Raven here at 344 Audio. Its been a centrepiece of our Stephenson suite, and we use it as both a controller for Pro Tools and also for riding faders when mixing. The MTi2 is the perfect option for someone who is looking for a touch screen control surface, or one that has large visual display.
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- Robust design.
- LCD display for real-time visual feedback.
- USB plug and play, no drivers required.
The Mackie MCU Pro-8 channel is a solid and reliable 8 channel mixer that is ideal for home and pro studios alike. Mackie have a well earned reputation for producing quality gear, and have been a mainstay in recording studios worldwide for several decades now. Whilst the design and aesthetics may look fairly rudimentary compared to some of the other options on this list, the MCU Pro 8-channel ticks every box in terms of functionality, including being 100% plug in and play with no drivers required. The price is on the higher side of this list, so we recommend this for more advanced users, and professionals who have previous experience with more traditional mixing desks.
- Sleek & compact design.
- Seamless integration with Pro Tools.
- Rapid Workflow.- High quality, touch-sensitive faders.
Last but not least, we have the AVID S1. This sleek and modern design gives you everything you need in terms of DAW integration and control, and being made by AVID gives this an edge in terms of pro tools compatibility. With the S1 you can easily create custom knob layouts for all of your favourite plugins, tailoring your setup to match your workflow exactly. If 8 faders isn't enough for you then the S1 also allows you to connect multiple docks together, which is a very useful and handy feature, especially for mixing drums, or lots of different mic signals. The S1 is a nice middle point between the Slate Raven and the Mackie, with a combination of traditional mixing desk features with a crisp visual display and modern design.
We would recommend this product for established professionals who are looking for a more compact controller surface, and something that they can take on the move with them if they are travelling.
Overall, there are a lot of different options out there when it comes to a DAW control surface for your studio. Ultimately, it comes down to what your budget is and how the surface fits into your workflow, so hopefully this list should give you some ideas of what to buy when you are ready to make a purchase.
We hope you enjoyed checking out this blog post!
In his new online course for Soundfly, Ryan Lott shares an incredible amount of detailed insight with regards to his sound and instrument design process
August 15, 2022
Ryan Lott is a composer, songwriter, and the band leader of Son Lux. As a composer, he’s worked with dance companies like Ballet de Lorraine, National Dance Company of Wales, and BalletX, and his film scores and arrangements include The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (2014), Paper Towns (2015), Mean Dreams (2017), Looper (2012), and most recently, Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).
In his new online course for Soundfly, Ryan Lott: Designing Sample-Based Instruments, Ryan shares an incredible amount of detailed insight with regards to his sound and instrument design process, and how he captures original tonal and textural sounds to create custom, virtual, playable instruments which he then uses to build the foundations for his songs, film and dance scores, and audio-visual live shows.
More than anything, Ryan’s process reflects the endless possibilities inherent to using sound design as the starting place for “musical” composition, as opposed to the assumption held by so many producers that sound design exists solely as an additive, supplemental element to an audio production or film treatment already in progress.
Today we have the honor of sharing with you a newly released video from Ryan’s course, courtesy of Soundfly, that explores which elements he prepares for in creating new sounds and which he leaves up to chance; as well as how he mediates between those mindsets in practice.
Enjoy this exclusive video below, and if you’d like to check out the rest of Ryan Lott’s full online course, you can take 15% off your subscription courtesy of us! Just head here to sign up for Soundfly and use the following promo code at checkout: 344AUDIO
The practice of designing virtual instruments allows for so much discovery and introspection — two things that can lead to significant artistic growth. One good way to tap into that is to articulate a creative theory early on, and then prod or test it throughout your process, taking the time to reflect on the ways in which your expectations are met or the things that surprise you.
In this segment of the course, Ryan’s hunch is that if he can record three variations on the same piano note (we see him capture these notes in another lesson in his course), through sampling he’ll be able to turn that into a “wavering pitch” phenomenon, giving his virtual sample a lilting, emotive quality.
In the above video, as we see him play the pitch back in a chord dyad, you can really hear that emotionality come to life. Ryan describes the effect as almost like the sound is searching.
There’s so much information just in that single sound.
Ryan also talks about how making an instrument using a sample can be a “surreal experience,” because it involves listening to and then re-contextualizing an already played performance; with all its quirks and asymmetries intact.
You're essentially creating a new way to perform an existing performance, which is an awesome thought. You're able to respond to your original performance as a performer, creating opportunities for serendipity to occur.
Ryan says one of his goals in designing sample-based instruments is not only to have something that responds actively to him, but that he can respond to as well. For him, “imbuing chance into your programming is the key to that.”
When you layer that contour with itself, playing back at a different speed, you’re inevitably getting a lot of chance interaction. There’s an ongoing variability.
In another instance within this video, Ryan shows us how something small and unintended can become a source of sonic inspiration. He takes a closer look at a “squeak sound” that was achieved by accident on one of the piano’s strings during recording.
Because this sound is made of such a high frequency tone, we see him work through a hunch that playing it back at a slower speed might reveal something “invisible” hiding within the sound itself. Ryan prints the .wav file and imports it into Kontakt, mapping it up to C7 so he can utilize the lower registers of the keyboard to unveil what’s hiding inside the sample sonically.
Upon playing it back we see him visually excited to discover that the resulting sample produces a windy, breathing flute-like synth tone, which he describes immediately as “a rainy sound.”
This tiny experiment proves that even a veteran producer or sound designer as experienced as Ryan Lott can be delighted and surprised to discover totally new and unheard sounds, time and time again, by relying on chance encounters in his process and making sure to embrace happy accidents with an open-minded approach.
For even more insightful lessons and unique videos exploring composition and sound design, head over to Ryan Lott: Designing Sample-Based Instruments. And be sure to use our exclusive promo code for 15% off the cost of a monthly or annual subscription to Soundfly. Simply sign up here and use promo code 344AUDIO at checkout.
We hope you enjoyed checking out this article!
We explore the topic of work/life balance in audio post, avoiding burnout, and how many hours a week should we work for optimum results.
July 26, 2022
Audio post-production is a fast-paced business. Building a successful career requires putting in countless hours plying your trade and completing projects.
When you are a student and making your first steps into the world of professional audio, it's easy to become so focused on landing that first gig or job that you don't stop and think about what it's like on the other side.
As you move higher up through the food chain and work on major projects the job can easily become quite gruelling, with very tight deadlines, and fast turnarounds all adding to the pressure. Being busy seems like a dream come true until you get there and realise that it isn't.
In this article we explore the topic of work/life balance in audio post, avoiding burnout, and how many hours a week should we work for optimum results?
We must maintain a positive work-life balance as we move through our careers. If we become too work-focused our relationships and personal lives will be strained, or our health can suffer. We need adequate rest time to perform at our best and maximise our potential.
One of the things to consider early on is whether you want to work for an established audio post studio or to go solo and work for yourself, as this will greatly impact the style of work/life balance you can achieve.
Working for an established studio is great in many ways as your main responsibility is to complete your project tasks, and you don't have to deal with any of the client, management or scheduling side of things, and the stresses that come with this.
The main drawback of working in an established studio is that you have less say in the hours you work or the projects that you work on. You may also be asked to do extra hours during crunch time, so hopefully, you have a manager who is considerate of your wellbeing during busy periods.
If possible try and speak with some of the employees about their experience before agreeing to a job position.
You will generally have more things to take care of when working for yourself, as now you have to do all of the client relations, financial and marketing tasks in addition to your audio work.
The flip side of this though is that you can decide your own hours and fit this around your schedule. Maybe you want to start your workday at 1 pm and save the mornings for exercise, reading etc. Working for yourself gives you this freedom, just make sure that you are disciplined with yourself.
The most important thing for work/life balance when you work for yourself is setting boundaries so that your work doesn't bleed into your personal life too much.
As creative professionals performing a cognitively demanding job, we expend a lot of creative energy that needs to be recovered. This can only be done with time away from the studio.- Walking/hiking in nature.- Going to the cinema, museum or gallery.
Another thing that can help you stave off burnout is to understand yourself, your motivations and your relationship to your work. With this knowledge, you can structure things in a way that plays to your strengths.
I love my job as a sound designer but I don't enjoy being indoors sitting at a computer all day. I find that the day drags when I am doing hours of SFX editing, particularly on consecutive days. I feel tired when the weekend comes and my creative energy is low. Working like this is functional, I meet my deadlines and projects are done on time, but I wouldn't say that it's the best work I am capable of.
Another thing to think about when it comes to preventing burnout is our listening level. Every studio will have a slightly different listening level depending on how its system is calibrated, and this will differ again if you are working with headphones.
Our ears can only handle so much so if you are going to be working long hours then consider the level you are listening at and drop it down to reduce ear fatigue.
When it comes to deciding how many hours to work per week, it really comes down to you as an individual and what your goal is.
We have two recommendations below based on whether you want to prioritise your lifestyle or your work performance:
30 hours - Lifestyle Focus
2 x 3-hour work sessions per day, Mon-Fri.
This option is perfect for the audio professional who wants to leave plenty of time for hobbies and socialising/ family time. A 6-hour workday is still enough to get some quality work done, and shouldn't be too fatiguing over the course of each week.
A weekly structure such as this is the best option for someone who wants to make a living from their passion for sound, whilst also keeping space open for other things.
40 hours per week - Performance Focus
9-5, Mon-Fri.
your focus is purely on work performance then we recommend a maximum of 40 hours per week. This is pretty much the standard hours of 9-5 Monday thru Friday and will work well for someone who is used to this kind of routine from previous jobs.
We don't recommend going over 40 hours as this is likely to have diminishing returns on your work output. It's all about delivering quality work and anything over 8 hours per workday will lead to a drop-off in quality.
We hope you enjoyed checking out this article!
Here are some tips and characteristics to keep in mind as you fit sound effects into your next video.
July 21, 2022
In the context of video editing, a sound effect is any audio that is recorded, especially to be included in your footage. This can include the sound of a gunshot during a battle scene or rain hitting your windows while listening to some relaxing music.
Throughout the filmmaking process, there will be many occasions you will need to add additional sounds to your footage. A common way to do this would be through what is called Sound Effects Editing which refers to the usage of foreground and background sound effects such as such as birds, wind, traffic etc. There are also various online libraries from which you can license royalty-free stock sound effects.
Sound editing is all about putting your audience in the moment. Viewers who watch a movie with good sound editing are instantly put into the centre of the action and immerse themselves in all the sounds around them.
For example, if you make videos online and want to mimic a scene with an intense shootout in an old Western world, you would want to use plenty of different realistic sounds that a cowboy might encounter during the big battle.
They add realism to your film by reflecting the soundscape of real-life and immersing you in action on screen, creating an authenticity that brings your viewers deeper into the story you are telling.
And finally, the movie-making process involves much more than just filming; sounds are just as important in many cases.
For example, car crashes are pretty common in films, but they aren't always easy to portray on camera; however, if you combine the sounds of screeching brakes and broken glass with a few vocal reactions here and there, you can create an impactful scene even without dramatizing it too much!
Sound effects are often used in movies to add emotion and feeling to a particular shot or scene, so it's not surprising that movie studios will spend much money on royalty-free sounds. But there are plenty of free options available online. Here are a few we found:
There are 30,000+ sound effects available for free courtesy of "the Beeb." If you wish to use them in commercial projects, there is a licensing fee and user requirements.
Video is a powerful tool to get any message across. No matter the message, video can make it come alive - which helps grab attention and motivate people to act. Creating and editing videos can be time-consuming and complex, though. This is where Invideo comes in: with an array of professional video templates, you can create different videos in minutes instead of days. You can find many sound effect templates here.
Simply click here to find a plethora of sounds of every type you can imagine, recorded, edited and designed by our team of Audio Craftsmen.
Freesound offers more than 400,000 sounds or samples. Samples are considered to be individual recordings of a particular sound. These sounds can vary widely, from the sound of an explosion to the sound of the ocean or even a yawn. Whether these samples are allowed in your particular project depends on how you plan to use them, so it's probably best to read up on the license that comes with each sample before using them.
There are some tips and characteristics to keep in mind as you fit sound effects into your next video:
To introduce ambient background effects such as rain or sounds of the city, try fading them in gradually. It will help make your video sound more natural and professional at the same time.
InVideo allows users to enter into a transcript mode that displays the scenes of your motion picture story as if you'd read them like a book. Instead of working with the timeline, consider having your project open on a separate window while typing out your script. Working this way provides an additional plane of depth in adding audio to your work because you can drop the sound file directly onto each image of the video (or, in the case of multiple video files, each frame) that you want it played.
Ambient noise should reflect the state of mind of the characters. For example, if the protagonist has a heart attack, the ambient noise should be replaced with sounds of their heartbeat. Or maybe a jangling noise would be more appropriate for a restaurant scene where two lovers are arguing.
Don't get too hung up on your effects - it's not like you will hurt them physically. They won't get offended if you give them a bit of echo or cut them up to create a choppy effect.
Too many sound effects can be overwhelming and take away from the overall impact of your video. So make sure to use them only where necessary. Keep in mind that they are primarily for enhancing certain moments in the video.
Make sure that the effect you choose fits the context and mood. Too many dark or intense sound effects can ruin a light hearted video.
Sound effects enhance what is essentially an important moment, something viewers should focus on. Keep that in mind when you choose a sound. A well-placed sound effect can make a scene pop.
Pay attention to the level of the audio when you add an effect. You don't want them to be too loud or quiet with the rest of the audio in your video.
Nothing will ruin a video faster than using low-quality, tinny-sounding sound effects. Choose ones that are good and merge well with the audio and video.
It's no secret that sound effects can make or break any video. They can change a video's entire mood, tone, and message. Whether you're trying to create a scary, suspenseful, or comedic effect, choosing the right sound design can make all the difference. By following these tips, you can use sound effects to take your videos to the next level.
