Watching a horror film, you find yourself frightened by the creek, whisper, or scream whenever the devil spirit appears on the screen. More often than not, turning down the volume makes the movie far less terrifying.
Thanks to sound designers, whose works are involved in the movie production process, the film could make you and the rest of its audience frightened. With the sound elements they designed, everyone watching it feels as if they’re a part of the plot.
The question is, how did they turn simple sounds into an emotional driver for horror films? Learn more about the techniques behind this transformation below.
What does a Sound Designer Do?
Answering how a sound designer could transform mere sounds into a mesmerising plot starts by acknowledging their role in audio production.
What a sound designer does is basically construct immersive experiences by sourcing and sequencing sound effects, dialogues, and music. They further do the editing and manipulation to make these sounds clearer and mesmeric by using digital audio workstations like Pro Tools or Ableton.
Using digital audio workstations, they may add reverbs, increase the volumes without creating distortions, equalise the sounds, or compress the audio. Foley, which is the sound effects made using physical properties, will also be added to the recording, further enhancing the experience and taking the viewers deep into the movie’s world.
But this is only the case for a movie production. Sound designers are needed and thrive in many other fields as well, as long as these industries rely on audio elements for their projects.
In Which Industries Are Sound Designers Needed?
Industries that rely heavily on sound elements to support their projects are most likely to need sound designers to aid in audio production. We’ve explained the role of a sound designer in the movie industry, so now we’ll go on their roles in other fields, including:
Video Game Development
Video games are a lot like movies, only with an interactive plot that changes dynamically based on the player’s decisions. Sound designers play an important role here, as their work can make or break the overall visuals and gameplay.
For instance, in a tactical RPG game, the player is confronted with strategic challenges and decisions. These obstacles become increasingly intense as the game progresses, and the player has to stay engaged to overcome them.
This is where sound elements are present to support the immersive experience and heighten the player’s engagement. There may be sounds of creeping footsteps, eerie whispers, or menacing ambient music accompanying the player’s journey through the game’s world.
Music Labels
Though music labels mainly rely on the works of musicians, composers, and audio engineers, having a sound designer will help in the music video creation.
An experienced sound designer is there to pinpoint the emotions presented by a specific song. Thus, they’re working towards sourcing and mixing sound effects they see will enhance the music video releases.
It’s similar to sound designing for movies, only the intention is to synchronise the audio perfectly with the visuals of the music video. The audience, then, can be fully immersed in the artwork and experience the emotions that the song truly evokes.
Performing Arts
Performing arts featuring live performers, also known as theatre, also requires sound design just as much as movies do. Sound design is present throughout the narrative to enhance the performers’ dialogues and actions, resulting in a lively show for the audience to enjoy.
However, there are differences between sound designs created for a theatre performance and movies. Sounds for theatre productions are more practical, whereas movies incorporate a broader range of sound effects, including those impossible to recreate in real life.
Apart from resembling real-life sounds, the theatre sounds must also be heard across the theatre room. This includes dialogues, sound effects, and scoring, which are more manually adjusted in theatre, compared to the digitised sound systems used in movies.
Advertising
Advertising comes in formats and displays. The ones that come in an audio-visual format and are displayed on TV, billboards, or other digital platforms, need compelling sounds to highlight the product or service qualities.
These sounds are created by sound designers, who work together with other creative team members. Typically, the process will begin with a proposed video. Later, the sound designers will design the needed sound elements to enhance the given video’s appeal.
This may involve incorporating sound effects, using foley sounds, or integrating music scoring. Once the sound elements are prepared, they’re seamlessly integrated into the video, edited for coherence, and presented to the client for approval.
Audio Publishing
Audio publishers who work on projects such as podcasts or audiobooks need sound designers to create captivating sound elements. This is especially true given that audio-based content lacks visuals. It must be rich in sound to keep the audience interested.
A sound designer will work to ensure the plot’s emotions and atmosphere are expressed accordingly through sounds. The final goal is to take the audience into the narrative’s world, where they can vividly imagine the scene, characters, and events even without the visuals.
How Much is an Average Sound Designer Salary in Singapore?
The average sound designer’s salary is $3,000 – $4,000/month, according to Glassdoor.
However, that figure only accounts for 3 reported salaries coming in 2024. In reality, the salary of a sound designer varies greatly, depending on the skills and experience obtained.
It’s less likely that you’ll be able to earn $3,000 – $4,000 per month from sound design without starting from the bottom, where you may earn less or even only on a project-by-project basis rather than monthly.
That’s why when you want to become a sound designer, the first thing you have to think about are the skills and projects to display on your portfolio. As your skills and experience become more refined, your salary will follow.
How to Become a Sound Designer?
Becoming a sound designer should always begin with a burning passion. When passion and curiosity are there, mastering the ultimate skills to further be applied in real-world settings will be far more enjoyable.
Here’s the step-by-step guide on how to become a sound designer:
- Learn The Fundamentals of Sound Design
The sound elements accompanying various formats of content, be it movies, podcasts, or games, are not that simple to create and mix the final audio landscape. There are several fundamentals to learn and master, including:
- Sound theory: No need to go deep into sound theory. Understanding the basic principles, such as pitch, frequency, and amplitude, among others, is enough to acknowledge how sounds behave in the environment and the human ear.
- Acoustics: Acoustics or the principle of how sounds interact with physical space is key to sound designing. Mastering this concept will help you create immersive and spatially accurate sounds.
- Music composition: In some scenarios, sound designers are required to compose original scoring for the project. Thus, the ability to compose music will add one’s value to the market.
- Editing and mixing: Editing and mixing the recordings is key to achieving overall cohesiveness. The processes involve digital audio workstations to manipulate sound effects to the desired levels in the audio landscape.
- Don’t Be Afraid of Making Mistakes
Learning the fundamentals of sound design is a good starter, but to truly become a good sound designer, you have to keep practising. Don’t ever feel afraid to make mistakes, as they serve as a valuable way to improve yourself.
One of the most effective ways to practise is to recreate the sound design of your favourite movie or television show scene. Try watching it without turning up the volume and let your creativity wander as you create your own interpretation of sounds to fit the scene.
Later, you can share your recreation with your friends or family. Ask for their feedback, and use it as constructive criticism to refine your skills.
- Showcase Your Skills in a Portfolio
Just like other creative jobs, setting yourself up to be a sound designer will need a portfolio to showcase your skills and experiences.
Make sure you compellingly present your works. Use a narrative storytelling technique, where you break down each project into 3 main sections, including the project details, your roles, and the results.
If you haven’t created your portfolio yet, now is the time to do it. Read our article on sound design portfolio to help you get started.
- Network with Potential People
Networking with potential people, more often than not, lands you sound design projects faster than applying to job portals. Sound design, after all, is a creative field, where word-of-mouth referrals play a crucial role in securing opportunities.
Even when networking with potential people is yet to secure you a lucrative project, it’s still a good way to set yourself up to be a sound designer. They have more experience, and you can learn from their experiences to improve your skills.
Final Thoughts
The mesmerising experiences of watching a movie, playing a video game, or listening to an audiobook are impossible without the role of a sound designer. They’re the ones who meticulously craft and integrate the sounds into an immersive soundscape.
Since they play an important role in audio production, their skills are currently in high demand. Industries from movie production and game development to advertising are on the lookout for these versatile and creative professionals to add value to their companies.
If you’re a sound design enthusiast yourself, this is a good sign for you to start learning and honing your skills to take part in this exciting and dynamic field.
Get started with Asian Screen Institute today – as we offer a Diploma in Electronic Music Production & Sound Design for those looking for in-depth learning, available in 6-month and 12-month terms, as well as WSQ Music Design For Games short course, tailored for students interested in creating sound designs for games.
Contact us today for more information.
FAQs
Is a sound designer a composer?
Though both roles can be performed by one person, a sound designer and composer have different duties. Sound designers plan and provide sound effects for the play, while composers write the original music.
Who needs a sound designer?
Any industry that produces audio-based media to accompany existing visuals or stand alone to convey a message will need a sound designer. These industries include film production, game development, audio publishing, and more.
Is sound design a competitive field?
Sound design may be a competitive field. That’s where levelling your skills to the demands is necessary, as it helps you to land on a lucrative project more easily.
