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Author Topic: How did you learn sound design?  (Read 40879 times)

JackT

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How did you learn sound design?
« on: February 07, 2016, 12:27:09 am »
I can never seem to make the sound that I want, so rather than asking about a specific lead or bass.

I was wondering how each of you went about learning and what resources you found useful?
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vinceasot

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2016, 12:59:56 am »
ADSR has great tutorials

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xp

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2016, 01:20:00 am »
A lot of doing (best way in my opinion,) Seamless, and like above, ADSR.
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Marrow Machines

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2016, 03:07:43 am »
Getting good speakers and headphones.

Once you get a handle on a good replication of what you're hearing, it makes a load of difference when trying to get the ideas into your daw.

I'll also suggest getting a computer that's optimized for audio work. Like the fastest CPU you can afford(intel, amd sucks;effecient hyper threading(i think)>MORE CORES LOL), 16gigs of ram for 64bit OS, and a decent graphics card (this will help with graphical processing and get rid of the burden on your CPU;nvidia)

I also suggest a desktop over a laptop. Mostly because if you're not a touring, it's just better to work with that due to it's power capabilities and expandability.

This probably doesn't touch on like "siqq wubs", but these things should be considered when your siqq wubs start stuttering and you have to deal with bad emotions that shouldn't be present. Just keeps you focused on your sound design.


Other than that, i just continued to do it. The youtube videos got me a basic understanding of the synths, but they didn't really teach me much because i already wanted to make things my own way.

I also read several books on the origins of synthesizers. I've also read more technical books about computer music, dry af and long but i got some bits out of it.

There's several reason, and several resources to draw on that encompasses "sound design".
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xp

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2016, 03:25:57 am »
Quote from: Marrow Machines on February 07, 2016, 03:07:43 am
and a decent graphics card (this will help with graphical processing and get rid of the burden on your CPU;nvidia)
Considering most software like this isn't so heavy on the graphics, and usually allow control over how heavy you want them; you don't need barely a "decent" graphics card (amd or nvidia,) usually something like a GTX 950 or an R7 360 would be fine.
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Marrow Machines

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2016, 04:10:12 am »
Quote from: outofplastic on February 07, 2016, 03:25:57 am
Quote from: Marrow Machines on February 07, 2016, 03:07:43 am
and a decent graphics card (this will help with graphical processing and get rid of the burden on your CPU;nvidia)
Considering most software like this isn't so heavy on the graphics, and usually allow control over how heavy you want them; you don't need barely a "decent" graphics card (amd or nvidia,) usually something like a GTX 950 or an R7 360 would be fine.

thanks for clarifying. I thought it would put some strain on the cpu. To alleviate that, just crush a piece of chalk with a bulldozer. (plus you could even game on it if you'd want lol)
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Escape-Velocity

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2016, 01:46:47 am »
To learn the super basics, I took this class on Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/course/digitalsounddesign. Totally free, or at least it was 3 years ago. After that I just read most of the Massive manual, experimented a ton, got really frustrated, experimented tons more, watched YouTube tutorials, more frustration, read FM8 manual, more experimentation, more tutorials, more frustration, etc etc to today where I'm basically continuing that cycle as I dig deeper into the sound design rabbit hole.

Some really good YouTube channels that helped me get on my feet:

DJ Vespers - https://www.youtube.com/user/DJVespers
SadowickProductions - https://www.youtube.com/user/SadowickProduction
Dubspot - https://www.youtube.com/user/DubSpot
ARTFX Studio - https://www.youtube.com/user/ARTFXSTUDIOS
SeamlessR - https://www.youtube.com/user/SeamlessR
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Hymoki

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2016, 04:32:38 am »
Reading the user manuals  :)
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VCTRLXNDR

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2016, 08:13:05 pm »
I tweeted at San Holo once asking him how he got into sound design and he sent me a link to this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atvtBE6t48M

It's pretty basic stuff, but practicing the core stuff is essential.
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Artless Venture

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2016, 10:13:09 am »
Just spend time with your favorite synths, plugins and what not and fuck around with them until you get something that you really like. I personally don't like to go for a very specific sound that I've heard a million times before, I'd rather experiment to create something different that I haven't heard before ;) The good thing with digital synths and stuff is: you cant break anything - so just turn some knobs, listen to what it does and you will learn!

Hope I could help,
Artless Venture ♢
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Lokan

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2016, 02:10:41 pm »
subtractive, additive, fm, etc...
Start with learning basic synthesis. There are tons of tutorials on the internet.
After then, you move on to copying other's sounds, or experimenting with synths.
Eventually you will get better sound design skill.
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Zundara

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2016, 07:42:05 am »
Quote from: VCTRLXNDR on February 15, 2016, 08:13:05 pm
I tweeted at San Holo once asking him how he got into sound design and he sent me a link to this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atvtBE6t48M

It's pretty basic stuff, but practicing the core stuff is essential.

I spent 3 hours of my life watching these videos...It was amazing help and I have a better understanding on how to make my own sound a bit more! Also I got a bit less fearless and more confident strangely 0_o thanks for the post!
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Zundara

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2016, 07:44:50 am »
As far as sound design. I'd say learn some synth 101 like the guy I just quoted, it will help you a lot, while you may or may not know what ADSR means or do, knowing how to properly use them with envelopes will help you create the sound on purpose rather than on accident, it's good to experiment but if you don't know what your twisting & turning it may be more difficult to make the sound or even a sound that you want & I say this 'cause everybody different, to me it all comes full circle. This is my Analogy and does not apply to anyone since everyone has there own way of going about producing music) so this might connect with you or not but here's what I think. Analogy: If you want to create a beautiful garden first you need seeds (learn theory not just music theory) then you need water (an intro to Synth 101 kinda thing) then you learn over time how to make the sound you want, also patience...lots of patience then if you stuck through it, admire your garden (your music or whatever your end goal is).
« Last Edit: February 17, 2016, 07:54:47 am by KAB »
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Lydian

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #13 on: February 17, 2016, 07:58:31 am »
Once you realize that 50% of the sounds out there are some sort of variation of a saw wave or a square wave you've already won half the battle.
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dslyecix

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Re: How did you learn sound design?
« Reply #14 on: February 17, 2016, 06:17:52 pm »
Quote from: Lydian on February 17, 2016, 07:58:31 am
Once you realize that 50% of the sounds out there are some sort of variation of a saw wave or a square wave you've already won half the battle.
That, and what ADSR is and how to use it.  I'm still such a noob at production, but it even blows *my* mind that people ask "how do you make this pluck" or "how do you make these wobbles"... IMO those people should not be given the direct answer or patches, but instead directed towards an understanding of what makes a pluck a pluck, etc.

If you know what ADSR is and have watched a couple examples being made you don't NEED anyone to tell you how to make the pluck.  You understand (or can figure out) what's happening to make them sound that way.  Then you go to your favourite synth, you make a pluck-shaped envelope, and you experiment with the filters, tweak the envelope shape, effects etc.

Basically people, stop treating sound design as if it's magic. 
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