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Dynamic Audio Trilogy, part III:
Getting Creative with Sound Effects
Introduction
Welcome to the final chapter in our Dynamic Audio Trilogy. In the
first two tutorials we focused on using Chunked audio and Layered
audio components to create more compelling and dynamic background
soundtracks with a reduction in file size of up to 80%. Using these
two component-based audio approaches, developers can mix and arrange
tailored soundtracks within Flash, by using it as a music sequencer.
The benefit is to produce more interactive and custom-like soundtracks
with greater impact than can be achieved with loops or streaming
audio.
Chunks (inter-related, pre-mixed audio phrases) and Layers (individual
instrument tracks which make up a groove) can be hard to come by.
Traditional Production music is "flat" and pre-mixed, and doesn't
give you access to the raw audio components necessary to customize
and reduce file size. Moreover, the overabundance of loops that
are available on the internet can not provide the breadth nor flexibility
to create truly compelling audio.
If you are a musician, you can create component-based audio in
a variety of music software packages, including Sonic Foundry's
Acid, which does much of the compositional work for you, and is
already component, or loop-based. If you're not a musician, or don't
have the time to create your own original score, you can purchase
Sound Families(tm) from DoReMedia. Sound Families are composed by
professional musicians, and have solved the tedious problems of
properly editing and mastering your component audio files so that
they transition seamlessly into the frame-based timing environment
of Flash and other multimedia production tools. Sound Families provide
the following time-saving advantages:
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Sample accurate timing of components in multiples of length
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Specific BPM (beats-per-minute) rates which are optimized for
frame-based tools
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Tools for determining compatible frame-rates, and synchronization
and arranging tools to help Flash work as a music sequencer.
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Modular phrasing which allows for Lego-like musical arranging
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Mastered specifically for layered applications to reduce clipping
and provide ease of mixing
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Integrated sound effects which blend with chunks and layers
and provide the element of interactivity
The last feature, integrated sound effects, is the topic of this
tutorial.
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