Soundtrack Research #5
I created all the soundscapes on Adobe Audition, as I had experience using it for our experimental sound project. I was able to record sounds through an external Takstar GL-100USB microphone, so the quality of sound was really clear. This also meant that I wasn't limited to just computer generated sound- i could actually find things around the house and experiment with how to manipulate these noises on audition to create the desired effect. We both knew from the get go that we wanted the soundscape to really reflect the character; ghostly, mysterious, eerie and empty. I wanted to steer away from use of musical instruments and simply draw an atmosphere from noises created through objects such as pots and pans/random household appliances. This is because, especially for the underworld, we wanted a very industrial and chaotic sound. I took inspiration from David Lynch’s ‘Eraserhead’. It sounds as if you’re going through a tunnel with whirring cars around and above you. The sound is so intense and almost indescribable. It’s resonance is deep and intrusive. I want our soundtrack to share similar qualities as it creates more of an immersive experience for the audience.
Underworld
I imagined a kind of grimy, humid and busy, cave-like environment. A space that’s over run with plump, worker ghosts mumbling odd little noises. I envisioned sounds like 'Lord of the Rings’s' Gollum would make, and squeals like Studio Ghibli’s soot sprites in 'Spirited Away' would make. I recorded my own vocals for odd little sounds like these. I did quite a few so that I'd have plenty of options when it came to layering the sounds. I also recorded droplets of water falling from a teaspoon into a glass to create the sense that there’s a flow of water connecting both world’s. I took the lid of a saucepan and whirled a spoon around it to create an invasive whirring noise like that in Eraserhead. I also used it as a gong-like object to create regular bell sounds that echo through the soundscape. This creates a sense of time and discipline- a regular beat like a metronome. This is to emphasise the totalitarian system that is in place in the underworld. All these small, plump ghosts are workers for this underworld town. They are all of similar character and all follow the same regime. The clanging of the pot also could sound like the workers machines, as we want it to sound as manufactured and industrial as possible. I used my guitar simply for the sound that the strings make if you mute the fretboard and then scratch them with something. Again, this created a very intrusive sound. When I layered them all together, I placed an echo effect over most sounds as it really made you feel as though you were somewhere confined, dark and dingy. I made sure to put the sounds virtually on top of one another to make it as chaotic as possible. I made the soundscape into a concept video just because it was easier to compile them without losing track of which was which. I may still make changes as I feel like it still lacks that industrial feel. The mechanical sounds need more depth.
Above world
For the above world, we knew that we wanted it to contrast almost completely to the underworld, so that entering the above world is like a breath of fresh air for the audience. We still wanted it to hold that eeriness but in a different, more subtle way. I started to think about what sound is calming but at the same time, empty and eerie. Mark Korven's soundtrack for Robert Eggers' 2019 horror/drama 'The Lighthouse' travels to some very dark harmonic and textural places. The spirit of experimentation is very present. Specifically 'The light belongs to me', 'Stranded' and 'Into the light' caught my attention. 'The light belongs to me' begins with a very breathy and sustained flute. It sounds like a distorted gust of wind when a clashing harmony is layered over the top and the sound becomes dissonant. This is followed by a low rumbling pedal, sustained underneath the screech of the flute; rather like sounds you'd experience when going through a tunnel. The harmonies intertwine and whine to create a very surreal and unnerving atmosphere. This soundscape made me consider the sound wind makes and I thought about how wind can be delicate but also turn to howling gails. 'Stranded' is far more invasive from the get go. Horn like whines echo and build to be replaced by piercing strings; almost sounding like dolphins laughing and probably trying to mimic the haunting sounds of sirens that exist near the lighthouse. Finally 'Into the light' is similar to 'The light belongs to me' although it sounds as though there are chimes hidden in the soundscape at the very beginning; very delicate but add to the texture of the sound piece. So, taking inspiration from these soundscapes, I recorded myself lightly whistling into the microphone to create the effect of a persistent and eerie wind. I also found some chimes in my room that I thought would add an interesting effect. Chimes are beautiful and nostalgic to listen to however, i can imagine you’d start to go mad (like the men stranded in the lighthouse slowly are) if the chimes never stopped. I recorded this sound and layered it sparsely over the wind, so it acts as a motif throughout the soundscape. When we hear a chime, it’s nostalgic as a lot of people have them in their mobiles as babies. So when our ghost hears the chimes, it’s nostalgic to the town he once knew and the families he once made conversation with. I used the pitch shifter and echo effect to have the sound resonate more strongly. This also made it feel rather dream-like. I will use this soundscape as a general theme for the above world however, I will add separate little soundscapes over it that will act as the different noises for each building the ghost passes. An example of this is a soundscape i created for a house that the ghost will pass that used to be home to a happy family.
For this, I took the wind and chime soundscape and layered the noises of babies giggling with their families over the top. The chimes really work for this piece also, as there are children. It’s a very delicate, maternal sound. I got the babies giggles from old family videos, placed the echo effect over them and lowered the volume to make it sound relatively distant.
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