Sonic Design - Task 1

22/9/2025 - //2025 (Week 1 - Week 14)

Te Li Wen (0367811)

Design Principles - Bachelor of Design in Creative Media - Taylors University

Task 1

Lecture

Ex 1 - EQ

Ex 2 - Sound Shaping

Ex 3 - Environment

Ex 4

Ex 5

Ex 6

Feedback

Reflection

Exercise 1

We were given a set of audio files, one flat reference track and eight others. Our task was to adjust the EQ of each track so that they matched the tone and balance of the flat reference.

We were instructed to use headphones and experiment with the equalizer settings on the flat track.

Figure 1.1 Default EQ Parameter

This is the default EQ parameter which we would need to experiment and alter.

Here are all the tracks I did:

Figure 1.2 EQ1 Parameter Window & EQ2 Parameter Window

Figure 1.3 EQ3 Parameter Window & EQ4 Parameter Window

Figure 1.4 EQ5 Parameter Window & EQ6 Parameter Window

Figure 1.5 Filter 1 Parameter Window & Filter 2 Parameter Window

Exercise 2

This week we had to do sound shaping which I had experience from a previous module.

We have to shape it into:

Phone Call
Closet
Walkie Talkie
Bathroom
Airport
Indoor Stadium

Figure 1.6 Screenshot Full Window Of All Edits

These is a screenshot of all the sound shaping I did during class.

Figure 1.7 Phone Call Shaping

I adjusted the middle higher to make it sound more sharp and lowered the bass so it sounds lower quality since its a phone call.

Figure 1.8 Closet Shaping

As for the closet, I moved most of the right loser to make it sound muffled and moved the left side more higher for a lower bass.

Figure 1.9 Walkie Talkie Shaping

For the walkie talkie, I just increased almost everything to imitate how loud and static walkie talkies sound.

Figure 2.0 Bathroom Shaping

The bathroom was pretty simple, I increased the left side for more bass and decreased one of the right so its slightly muffled like how people talk in an echoey room and added wetness from the reverb.

Figure 2.1 Airport Shaping

Since airports are large, I increased the bass a lot and some other pitches since the announcement speakers are loud and sharp but not too clear. As for the reverb, I increased the dryness and slightly decreased the wetness for more echo.

Figure 2.2 Indoor Stadium Shaping

Lastly the indoor stadium, I raised most of the stuff and only lowered the clarity. Stadium halls are usually big and I imagined those type of school stadiums with a stage in front. The sounds would sound heavy and has some echo by increasing the dryness but made sure it didn't sound damp.

Exercise 3

We downloaded a clip of a jet plane and used it to practice clip automation. After learning the basics, we experimented with different audio adjustments.

Panning: Controls the left and right stereo balance (light blue line)
Loudness/Volume: Adjusts the sound level (yellow line)

Figure 2.3 Clip Automation

Figure 2.4 Track Automation

After learning how track automation works, we experimented with different settings to better understand its effects.

Figure 2.5 Person Walking By

We used a sample voice recording from last week to practice editing the audio so it sounded as if the person was walking past while talking. We also learned how to apply EQ using track automation.

Figure 2.6 Person (1st POV) Walking In And out Of The Cave

After that, we were tasked with editing the audio from a first-person point of view, simulating the experience of walking into a cave and then coming back out.

Figure 2.7 Environment 1 & 2

After becoming familiar with the tools, we were given two pieces of concept art and tasked with creating environmental soundscapes based on them.

Environment 1

Figure 2.8 Track Automation

Identified Sounds

Main focus:

Thumping
Oil pumping
Water sounds
Machine humming

Left:

Birds chirping
Nature ambience from the skylight

Right:

Vents
Water pipe noises

Background

Insect sounds
Machine sounds
Vent noises
2 People mumbling

Process

I used Freesound to search for specific sounds I wanted for the environment and imported them into Adobe Audition.

I searched for a few water sounds and oil pumping sounds and found some that would fit what I had in mind.

Figure 2.9 Environment 1 Adding Sounds

I added thumping sounds from an oil pump to create the effect of liquid surging through the pipes into a large chamber. To enhance the atmosphere, I also included subtle underground sewer water sounds to make the environment feel as though water was flowing throughout the area. I used reverb to make the oil sound more echoey.

Figure 3.0 Environment 1 Adding Bubbles

The bubbles were pretty simple, I just added them and increased the bass in the EQ so that the bubbles sounds like its inside the chamber.

Figure 3.1 Environment 1 Adding Bird Chirping and Water Pipe

I added a few birds chirping with some nature ambience that has some machinery sounds as well. I also added a water pipe sound and panned it to the right since there are many small chambers on the right side. I lowered the volume for all of the background sounds so it doesn't distract the ears from the main focus.

Figure 3.2 Environment 1 Final Multitrack

This is how the final audio tracks look like in the multitrack.

Final Environment 1 Result:

Figure 3.3 Environment 1 - Result Image

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Figure 3.4 Environment 1 - Result Audio