ImproMedia - Effects

<body text="black", link="black"> <center> <h1></h1> <div id="note" class="PopStyle"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <a name="sfx.inleiding"></a> <table width=100% cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0> <tr> <td width=* align=left colspan=2><h1>Soundscape & Special Effects </h1></td> </tr> <tr> <td width=999* valign=top><p>The use of sound and audio for (improvised) performances roughly falls apart in musical effects and accompaniment music: Instrumental underscores (e.g. 'tension music') and of course music on which can be sung. Moreover there are the types of sound effects which we will discuss below.<br /> <br /> The term 'sound effect' is rather broad and can at least be be split up a few more categories. First there are the (generally longer sounding) contextual or background sounds which together may form the <em>soundscape</em> for a scene. Antoher group is formed by the so called 'spot effects' that accoustically underline a movement or action on stage. A rather big group herein are the funny or comedy effects.<br /> <br /> <em>Image: Take a look at this two guys in the good old days behind their table with mechanical acoustic animal sounds. Nowadays these spot effects can be played from a lap top computer with ease.</em><br /> </p></td> <td><img src="/p-httpd/images/1093786430.jpg" alt="" width="299" height="237" border="0" hspace=6 vspace=5> </td> </tr> </table> <a name="impromedia.tools"></a> <table width=100% cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0> <tr align=left> <td><h1>Tools for soundscape and sound effects: <i>ImproMedia</i> </h1></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>The wish to generate and play sound effects for improvised performances on the spot and at the appropriate moment (i.e. 'real-time'), has already resulted in an experiment back in 1999 (with Hans Kuykens). A software application was build on top of a database with sounds and sound effects that could be used in the theater on a laptop computer. A piece of software was written that assisted the 'operator' (the <em>sound improviser</em>) to find and play the most appropriate sounds while following and supporting the actions unfolding on stage.<br /> <br /> This eventually became the FoleySFX project to which a <a href="/en/p-content/1087222895" target="content">separate (technical) section</a> has been dedicated. This original software is still in use but meanwhile a new project has been started for use under the Macintosh OS X and Linux operating system. The final goal of the new developments is to combine sound effects with musical ambiance and beamed (projected) visuals.<br /> <br /> This may eventually lead to a technical infrastructure that enables an operator to improvise along with the actors in a complete multimedial way: Both sound, ambiance, music and visuals can be real-time inspired by and interact with the actors on stage.<br /> <br /> The original FoleySFX is not be developed any further on the original operating system (i.e. Microsoft Windows). Until versions of the new developments become functionally usable it is however still used at current performances.<br /> <br /> A recent development is the acoustic effects set <a href="/en/p-content/1093646378" target="content">AcoustFX</a>. The goal of this project to develop a collection tools, whistles and percussion instruments which can be used for live accompaniment on stage. Some of these instruments where developed and manufactured in house. This set may prove to be very useful in the field of 'comedy'  (e.g. for accompanying slapstick movies) and can also be used very well in combination with the other electronic multimedia solutions. <br /> </p></td> </tr> </table>  <table width=100% cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0> <tr> <td width=* align=left colspan=2><h1>Sound for improvised performances </h1></td> </tr> <tr> <td width=999* valign=top><p><ul class="quicklinks"> <li><a href="#klankdecor">The <i>Soundscape</i>: Ambiance and mood</a></li> <li><a href="#geroezemoes">Wallas and the sound of people</a></li> <li><a href="#spot.effecten">Spot Effects</a></li> </ul> </p></td> <td><img src="/p-httpd/images/1087233833.gif" alt="Tools for SoundFX" width="390" height="161" border="0" hspace=6 vspace=5> </td> </tr> </table> <a name="klankdecor"></a> <table width=100% cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0> <tr align=left> <td><h1>The <i>Soundscape</i>: Ambiance and mood </h1></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Background or contextual sounds shape the ambiance and overall feel of a scene, and may be defined with the term <em>soundscape</em>. The soundscape may be build out of one or more simultaneous sounds and can be used to 'describe' a space auditively. These atmospheres outline 'where' (and possibly even 'when') something takes place. They are contextual or background sounds that identify location, setting or historical time and provide a sense of place <em>where</em>, and perhaps <em>when</em>, events occur. Depending on technical possibilities (e.g. addition of reverbration) it may also be possible to define the 'material' or the location of the effect. Sound ambiences prove really useful for underscoring improvisation on stage.<br /> <br /> An example in this category may be the sound of birds if a scene takes place in the park or an helicopter flying over adding extra drama to a war scene. But even a room may have a (sometimes hardly perceptible) <em>room hum</em> with its ticking clock and palette of vague sounds that may penetrate from outside. From an auditive point of view the possibilities are almost endless.<br /> <br /> When they are not over used and utilized intelligently, sound effects can support and theatrically improve a scene dramatically. They can bring a scene further, provide emotional depth or make a scene just more pleasant to watch. The big challenge should always be to find the ideal balance between effects, silence (a dramatic element that can have more impact than a very loud sound!) and stage dialogue. </p></td> </tr> </table> <a name="geroezemoes"></a> <table width=100% cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0> <tr align=left> <td><h1>Wallas and the sound of people </h1></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>A more or less separate group that sometimes may be part of the soundscape defined earlier. These so called "Wallas" (called to describe the sound that arises more or less automatically on a cocktail party) are prerecordings of the hullabaloo of a group of people. Generally some effort has been made to prevent the listener to distinguish specific words or dialogue. The result must be 'transparent' enough so that it wouldn't distract from the play on stage. <br> <br> Naturally there are many different 'Wallas': those that are mainly defined by the size of the group (just a couple of people or a large group), the environment of the scene (e.g. a stadium or a bar) and what the people do there (shout with joy over a football game or have a sociable dinner). </p></td> </tr> </table> <a name="spot.effecten"></a> <table width=100% cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0> <tr align=left> <td><h1>Spot Effects </h1></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Spot effects are generally short, possibly comical, sounds timed especially for a single action, movement or event. What we are talking about here are <em>cracking doors</em>, <em>door bels</em> or <em>gun shots</em> etc. Adding spot effects to a improvisation performance is an enormous challenge: The sounds must be timed perfectly with the action. <br> <br> Because of the dynamic nature of these effects, there is simply not enough time to find them in the effects collection. Even when one is assisted by a quick database on a laptop computer. There are however lots of these sounds available on cheap compact disks and on the internet.<br> <br> For playing appropriate spot effects during stage performances only accoustic appliances remain, just like in the old days. Lots of spot effects can be made with the hands or mouth, or with small appliances, whistles or percussion instruments. ImproMedia likes to combine modern techniques (as used for musical effects or the <em>soundscape)</em> with this almost lost art of live accompaniment. Spot effects are everywhere in real life. It is our aim to build the tools that make it possible to accompany everything from improv shows to silent movies in the theatre.<br> <br> When spot effects are added to a movie afterwards, we call them 'Foley Effects'. This type of effect must sound as natural as possible and is used to mimic or underline actions, or as a (polished) sound substitute for the real thing because it was impossible to record a sound track directly while shooting the footage. All Foley Effects are spot effects, but not all spot effects can be used as a Foley Effect. The effects are called after Jack Foley, a second unit director for the Universal Studios in the fourties. Various 'Foley Artists' make a living in Hollywood by jumping around on cushions or punching their fists into over ripe mellons to mimic the sound of figthing to enhance the sound tracks of movies. Watching how the sound effects where made is sometimes more interesting than the resulting movie, although I realise that that may be my own personal option only.<br> <br></p></td> </tr> </table> <script type="text/javascript"></script> <ul class="menu" id="menu"><li id="d-1087212011" class=" cms_parent"><a href="/en/1087212011">ImproMedia</a><ul><li id="d-1087220762" class=""><a href="/en/1087220762">Effects</a></li><li id="d-1087220833" class=""><a href="/en/1087220833">Musical</a></li><li id="d-1087220789" class=""><a href="/en/1087220789">Image Beaming</a></li></ul></li><li id="d-1087229610" class=""><a href="/en/1087229610">Background Info</a></li><li id="d-percussie" class=" cms_parent"><a href="/en/percussie" title="Live Percussion">Live Percussion</a><ul><li id="d-rhythm" class=""><a href="/en/rhythm" title="Salsa rhythms">Rhythms</a></li><li id="d-conga-stands" class=""><a href="/en/conga.stands" title="Conga Stands">Conga Stands</a></li><li id="d-salsaband" class=""><a href="/en/salsaband" title="Salsaband">Salsaband</a></li></ul></li><li id="d-1087222686" class=" cms_parent"><a href="/en/1087222686">Live SFX Console</a><ul><li id="d-1093779731" class=""><a href="/en/1093779731">Sounds & Music</a></li><li id="d-1087222895" class=""><a href="/en/1087222895">FoleySFX</a></li><li id="d-1093646378" class=""><a href="/en/1093646378">AcoustFX</a></li><li id="d-1093687086" class=""><a href="/en/1093687086">Foley OS X/Linux</a></li></ul></li><li id="d-livescore" class=" cms_parent"><a href="/en/livescore" title="LiveScore">LiveScore</a><ul><li id="d-in-en-uitvoer" class=""><a href="/en/in.en.uitvoer" title="Input and Reports">Input and Reports</a></li></ul></li><li id="d-1087222754" class=" cms_parent"><a href="/en/1087222754">Technical</a><ul><li id="d-1087223102" class=""><a href="/en/1087223102">Downloads</a></li></ul></li><li id="d-gallery" class=""><a href="/en/gallery" title="Gallery">Gallery</a></li><li id="d-1087221847" class=""><a href="/en/1087221847">Contact</a></li></ul> </center> <script type="text/javascript" src="/p-httpd/_cms/os/awstats/awstats_misc_tracker_cookie.js"></script><noscript><img src="/awstats_empty.php?nojs=y" height="0" width="0" style="border-width:0px; display:none;" alt:"awstats" /></noscript></body>