Sound Design Theory and Practice

Sound Design Theory and Practice: Working with Sound

Table of Content:

1. Introduction
Sound analysis and sound-image analysis
For those wary of ‘theory’
What this book is not about
Notes
References

2. Theories of sound
Definitions of sound
Theories of sound
The scientific study of sound
Auditory perception
General principles of perceptual organisation
Philosophies of sound
Summary
Notes
References

3. Audiovisual theories of sound
Introduction
Cinema and sound
Early film sound theory
Later film sound theory
Practitioner’s sound theory
Forums and blogs
Summary
Notes
References

4. Sound as a sign
The importance of signs
Written and spoken language
Sound as a sign
Semiotics and sound analysis
The sign system of Charles S. Peirce
The universal categories
The structure of a sign
Classification of signifier-object relations
Dividing the object
Dividing the interpretant
Significance and signs
Reality and semiotics
Summary
Notes
References

5. Analysing sound with semiotics
Using semiotics
Firstness, Secondness and Thirdness in sound
Sound signs
Natural(ised) and arbitrary sound signs
Music in the soundtrack
Emotion and signs
Integrating semiotics with sound theory
Analysis example – The Conversation
Summary
Notes
References

6. King Kong (1933)
Introduction
Sound effects in King Kong
Music in King Kong
Summary
Notes
References

7. No Country for Old Men
Introduction
The sounds of the gas bottle and cattle gun
The use of repeated dialogue
Withholding information
Summary
Notes
References

8.Sound in non-fiction
Sound and non-fiction
Newsreels
Sound from location recordings
Early documentary films
Conventions of documentary
Animated documentary
Sound in television non-fiction: current affairs, news and sport
Semiotics and non-fiction sound
Truth-telling and sound
Impact on the audience
Sound and ethics
Summary
Notes
References

9. Sound in video games
Introduction
Similarities between interactive and linear media
Early game sound design – creating meaningful sounds
Theoretical models for video games
Game audio models
Game audio and semiotics
Modern games
Immersion – modelling reality or ignoring reality?
Meaningful sound design
Summary
Notes
References
10. Sound in practice
Sound analysis revisited
Re-examining sound design
Communication and collaboration
Sound authorship
Working with sound
Summary
Note
References