Rap Sheet Records: September 2013

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Week 8 EOC: Phileas Fogg Adventure

On my 80-day trip to drink alcohol from every country, I kept hearing rumors of a potent drink known to Chinese locals as Baijiu. I made a point to visit China immediately. Upon arriving in China, I was eager to indulge myself in the liquor known as the “white wine”. After tying up my air balloon, I quickly walked into the nearest watering hole. As I asked the barkeep for Baijiu, he simply laughed and served me water. I then politely returned the glass of water and made sure to clarify what it was that I desired. Noticing the obvious language barrier, I made sure to order the drink speaking slowly and loudly. The bartender snapped at me and said, “You fool, I speak English!” Feeling foolish, I apologized and extended my hand sincerely. The bartender then exclaimed, “You are not worthy of tasting the “white spirit”. He continued to explain that in order for me to be worthy of sipping the legendary Baijiu, I must first defeat the “Brotherhood of Baijiu” in a dangerous tournament. Never one to back down from a challenge, I eagerly accepted the terms of my fate. The “Baijiu Brotherhood” was made up of local bartenders and farmers who created the drink. This dangerous tournament consisted of a six round bracket of a deadly game known as “Chinese Checkers”! Simply known to the locals as “checkers”. I prepared for this tourney unaware of the dangers involved. Turns out, the “Brotherhood of Baijiu” was not that good at checkers as they made it seem. Probably because they were all hopped up on their own stuff. I was determined to join them! After walking through this challenge, I planned to stumble out of this establishment. The delightful barkeep served me a shot of the “white wine” explaining that one shot would be all I needed. As I lifted the shot glass, the bartender wished me a good night. Not realizing what he meant, I took the shot straight. Feeling the immediate effects, I was visited by a white, and somewhat intoxicated dragon. Baijiu, as he introduced himself, offered to take me out to party as I was finally deemed worthy of his presence. We ended up in a massage parlor with many beautiful, well-endowed women. All I can remember is waking up with my head in a bowl filled with crushed fortune cookies and ripped pieces of fortunes reading, “Fortune Nookies”.

About Me

As an audio professional it is in my best interest to observe the world around me in relation to sound. Whether it be the melody of birds chirping, the intensity of screeching tires in traffic, or the serenity of raindrops tapping on the window pane. Each day presents unique opportunities to capture audible images. Sound is everywhere, and it helps to paint the picture. For example; if you watch TV without sound, it is difficult to understand what it is you are watching. But if you listen to the TV without watching, you can visualize what you are hearing. By listening to my surroundings, I can have a clearer idea of what is needed to bring a scene to life, or which sound effects can be used together to make a more realistic sounding car accident, or even matching the sound of a gun shooting a metal target. Similar to anyone's fingerprints, no two sounds should be exactly alike. Meaning, two dogs barking in a quiet neighborhood should have variety in tone, rhythm, consistency, and even pitch. One dog may be older and have a wheezy sounding bark, while the other could be a smaller dog with a higher pitched yapping bark. In this line of work, one can never have too many “dog barking” or “bird chirping” sound bytes in their personal sound effects catalogue. A sound recorder should be attached to the sound designer’s hip at all times. With more variety brings a deeper sense of realism. How many times have you heard the same sound byte of a woman screaming in more than one horror movie? Or the sound of children’s laughter in a diaper commercial and a Chuck E. Cheese ad. Reality shows are infamous for recycling sounds bytes. In my opinion, it is because the sound editor lacks range in his sound effects library. Just as no two sound bytes should be alike, no sound is too distinct. If I needed the sound of someone getting stabbed, for a Foley project. I can always improvise. Maybe try cutting into a watermelon or raw meat, the fun comes with experimenting. Along with being able to capture sounds, one in the audio industry should be able to describe and communicate the type of sound required for each project. In the field, it is common to work with other people. Whether it be talent or director, either of these will be depending on me as the professional to convey what is needed to add color to a certain scene or act. Or even when recording music, deciding which effects to use to make the talent sound even more talented. Maybe a delay here? A little reverb after the chorus? With so many effects to choose from, even the worst singer can make a hit record. That's the beauty of it, to be able create an audible masterpiece from scratch. The behind the scenes work which goes un-noticed to the untrained ear (if done correctly), is what motivates those in this creative field. To be sound Gods and being a part of history by creating beauty for others to enjoy. This is why we spend countless hours staring at computer screens, listening to the same audio loop until it loses it's meaning. To show off our passion and share that same passion with millions of others just like us. Because every project you work on will have your name on it, it is another opportunity to showcase some skills of your own. Skills ranging from A.D.R. (added dialogue recording) to mastering. Because one in this profession usually has his or her hand in every aspect of the industry. One will never go hungry in the audio industry if they are jack of all trades and master of them as well. An audio professional can always jump around in the field if there's ever a need for something new and refreshing. Movies, live sound, voice acting, broadcasting, and even audio books. the possibilities are endless! In addition to recording sounds, being aware of acoustics of a recording area, proper microphone placement and handling is key to capturing optimum sound quality. A great orchestra can sound dull if the acoustics of a room aren't suitable for recording and or proper recording techniques are not practiced. Techniques such as placing a microphone at a 45 degree angle above or below the speakers' mouth to avoid any unwanted popping sounds. Proper handling of microphones is just as important, blowing into a ribbon microphone can cause damage and be quite costly. Knowledge of audio equipment is also a requirement in this advancing field. Staying up to date with the latest consoles, microphones, and even software as well as the more traditional resources to recording, as some artists prefer using the "old school" method. Digital or analog, Pro-Tools or Logic, to be familiar and confident in one's abilities to perform in the industry might be the edge needed to gain the upper-hand in this very competitive market. As a professor once advised me, "If you want to work for Cirque du Soleil, learn to speak French". The slightest advantage could mean getting hired or getting passed up. Even something as minor as wrapping cables correctly can be the determining factor which bends in your favor. Never stop learning! And don't get too comfortable or too set in your ways. Try new techniques, play with different microphones and different pickup patterns to achieve your audio signature. The same way a movie director uses unique camera angles to depict a shot, an audio engineer should use unique and distinctive audio techniques to portray the desired effect. Instead of resorting to the generic sound bytes, why not think outside the box and create something fresh? Bringing creativeness to the table appeals to artists who feel their art is "restricted" when working with someone they can't relate to artistically. They say if you work at doing something you love, you will never work a day of your life. Working in an artistic environment doing what you love is the ultimate payout.

Rap Sheet Records

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Week 10 EOC: What are the benefits vs. the features?

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Week 8 EOC: Phileas Fogg Adventure