Lindsey Komson

Photo by Seej Nguyen

Reading & Writing

In the article 7 Secrets for Getting Pro-Sounding Vocals on Home Recordings, author Filippo Gaetani shares some great tips. As someone who has never been intentional about recording audio (I would just use the voice memos app on my phone), these are extremely helpful to me in doing my first recordings. I learned that rooms on the emptier side will cause reverberation, so when recording at home, it’s best to record in a room with a lot of furniture. If I wanted to go a step further and build myself a sound booth, I can do that using blankets, curtains, mattresses, and pillows.

I also appreciated the several tips for being behind the microphone. I find I’m a pretty shy person in front of those I don’t know too well, so these few tips can help me sound like a pro right from the start. First, before recording, I should position the mic diaphragm towards my lips and on an axis. “P” and “T” sounds are very aggressive when speaking into a direct microphone, so if I don’t end up buying a pop filter, I should make one from scratch to make all letters sound equalized. It’s also important to do several takes of my recording, because I can build confidence in the way I recite the story with every take. This also allows me to edit out bad sections of the audio and replace it with better takes.

Sound Advice: Editing Audio for Video is obviously about editing for video production, but it still contains some great tips that I’ll consider as I move forward with my podcast project. First of all, if I end up recording my podcast in several parts, I should bring them all into the DAW and arrange them based on how the story is told before doing any editing. Regardless of if I need to edit for sound quality, cut parts out, fade in/out, etc., it’s essential to make sure the story is told before anything else. The author suggests arranging the clips in order from beginning to end of the story, and then going back and editing for quality.

If you record your podcast in separate clips, the author also suggests overlapping clips to avoid having any abrupt cuts or silent moments. This is also the time to adjust the volume of each clip, making sure that there’s no shift in volume over the duration of your audio project. I hope to record my podcast in one take, but I find this tip especially helpful in the context of sound effects and ambient noise, making sure to raise/lower the volume to match the section of the podcast it appears in.

Research to Inform

Effective audio and video design can be found in all types of projects, from the most serious films to children’s shows and movies. The High School Musical movies were my favorite growing up (and still are), and I know they’re full of original songs and sound effects that help tell stories. I looked back at 3 songs, one from each movie, and how the audio and video production are effective at enhancing the content.

“Getcha Head in the Game” from High School Musical was my first thought when choosing scenes with effective sound design. The song begins with the sounds of basketballs bouncing and sneakers screeching on a gym floor – I already knew this was effective in setting the scene, but my mom proved that point even further when I played the song in the living room. In the first 2 seconds, she called out the song without me even saying a word. When I asked how she knew, she cited those very sound effects.

Regardless, the bouncing sound is used throughout the song as a beat, and the swish of the basket is included several times as well. We talk about audio telling a story – any viewer could close their eyes, listen to the song, and know exactly where the scene takes place thanks to those sound effects and ambient gym noise.

“Bet on It” from High School Musical 2 is effective in using music and sound effects to showcase character development within the movie. Before this scene, Troy realizes he’s trying so hard to achieve his dream of playing college basketball that he’s acting like someone he’s not and losing his friends in the process. This scene takes place when he becomes frustrated with his actions and decides it’s time to make a change.

The song is generally fast-paced, but slows down around 1:56 where sound effects like a golf swing and a “plop” sound into the water are used. Then, the music slows even more to show and tell that Troy is reflecting on his actions. After the bridge, Troy splashes the water once more (with a very loud sound effect) and sings the rest of the incredibly fast-paced song, showcasing his determination to become a better person and friend. In this song, music and sound effects are used to tell a story and showcase character development through video enhanced by audio.

I could write an entire blog post on the audio & video design during the song “Scream” in High School Musical 3: Senior Year, but I’ll try to keep it to 2 paragraphs. In this part of the movie, Troy is struggling to decide his future – go play basketball at his dream school or pursue theater. All the influences in his life are telling him different things, and this song is basically his emotional breakdown in musical form.

The song begins in the locker room, and his voice echoes to match the scene. Voice and sound effects are used incredibly well throughout the song – as Troy walks around the school, the echo in his voice changes to match the basketball court, hallways, cafeteria, and auditorium. At 0:33, Troy looks up at his jersey on the wall and a crowd noise plays in the background, letting all his memories play back in front of him. The ensuing guitar solo begins Troy’s breakdown and matches his emotions throughout the song. Some key sound effects I’ll point out are the flood of basketballs on the gym floor, the locker banging, the thunder and lightning, and the slam on the floor as Troy jumps off several surfaces. I’d be remiss if I left out the spinning hallway scene (1:11), which brings his feelings to life along with the intense music. All in all, this song is an exceptional example of how audio and video can enhance content on the big screen.

Create

Here’s my final podcast, “A Matchup for the Ages: The History of the Yankees/Dodgers World Series.” I recorded my audio on a Heyday Universal Cardioid Microphone and edited the footage together on Adobe Audition. I really enjoyed writing, recording, and editing this podcast on something I’m so passionate about, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!