Most people might not realize it at first, but they tend to overlook how important sound is in various types of entertainment media. The sound quality of entertainment media is so important, in fact, that there are schools for sound design. But even with knowing that sound design is such a big deal, you still might be wondering what sound designers actually do. Well, you can relax because we’ll give you a good understanding of what sound design is as well as how sound designers actually get it done.
Sound Design, What Is It?
Sound design is the act of taking audio elements that have either been acquired or generated and manipulating or editing them into soundtracks that are then used for multiple purposes. As stated before, this practice is used in television and video games, but it is also employed in theatre, radio, and just about any form of entertainment or art that involves audio.
The most common usage of sound design is molding an already existing piece of audio to suit another purpose. Take Jurassic Park as an example; the T-Rex roaring is a combination of a squealing baby elephant, a snarling tiger, and the gurgling of an alligator.
How Do Sound Designers Do Their Jobs?
Because sound designers need a wide set of skills to accomplish their jobs (knowledge of musical history, computer networking, and a deep understanding of system engineering to name a few) schools for sound design have become commonplace so that they can learn the skills they need to work effectively.
Sound designers have to gather information about whatever sounds or music the production they are working on needs by meeting with the director, the design team, as well as reading the script to get a working idea for the production concept. They must work alongside the production staff to make sure that whatever audio they create harmonizes the feel and look that the rest of the production team is trying to achieve.
To learn more about sound design, go to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
