For the Sound Effects designers out there...

[lukpcn]

Hi,

I have a real problem...
I have to make a engine sound of a space ship.
I want it to be complex, i know what I want and I have the sound effects neede to do this....

So my problem is....
The engine sound will be connected with the spaceship speed so it will change freq automatically to it.
so the sound will be looped.
I know how to loop individual samples to achieve it but how do You guys make this "perfect" loop out off 3 or 4 "perfect" loops.
do You mix 4 perfect loops into 1 or make mixdown 4 fx'es to 1 wave and then search for a "perfect" loop ?
Or maybe You do 4 perfect loops and say to the programmer: "Play those 4 loops at once" - but I find this problematic since there will be many other sounds around in the engine....

Can any1 point me into right direction ???

[TLarkin]

The easiest and quickest answer is to drop all 4 loops into ProTools and mix them down together. Then take bounced file back into PT and loop it. With that said, you should also start with loops much longer than 3-4 seconds as you will likely end up doing some major cutting to get them to work together. Another trick that I have used in the past to get files to loop smoother, is to run them through Auto-Tune in order to get as much modualtion as possible out of the file for a more transparent loop. You might have to do that with each file individually first.
After you've done that, cut the loop in the middle of the file, slip the front to the back and crossfade the old ends together in the middle until you're satisfied and have the correct length. Works for me.
Good luck.
Tim

[lukpcn]

to run them through Auto-Tune in order to get as much modualtion as possible out of the file for a more transparent loop.

With what ? any freeware VST or soft out there You can mention ??


slip the front to the back and crossfade the old ends together in the middle until you're satisfied and have the correct length.

I don't get it... can You rewrite it more simply written? Please :o

[His Frogness]

Similarly, you can also copy the file, reverse the copy, fade the end of the original and fade the beginning of the copy and then mix the copy in a bit before the fade-out begins in the original. Then you'll have a mirror image that will loop perfectly.

The only advantage I can see to using multiple files for the engine sound is that you could use different pitch rates so the files will be modulating amongst themselves, concealing any looping. But that's a lot of CPU performance.

The problem is that there's too many ways to get engines to work and the way you usually end up doing them is dictated by the technology you're using. Do you have any front-end application like XACT or ISACT or anything?

[TLarkin]

To clarify the looping technique, and it's always much better explained with visuals, but here goes.
Let's say you have a 10 second file that you'd like to make into a 8 second seamless loop. Cut the file close to the middle into 2 sections. You can now swap places. Put the 1st half ot the file at the end, or visa versa. Now push them together and crossfade about 4 seconds in the middle of the file. 2 seconds form each half. The outside ends of the file now loop seamlessly as they were originally together. The inside crossfade at equal power will generally give you a transparent transition between the two assuming that you have similar material to begin with.
Michael's technique works also by the way, I'm just used to doing it in ProTools by cutting.
As far as a plugin that does what Auto Tune does, I don't know of any freeware. Autotune is made by Antares. You can check out their website. http://www.antarestech.com/
Tim

[lukpcn]

Do you have any front-end application like XACT or ISACT or anything?

Unfortunatelly not. :(

[lukpcn]

To clarify the looping technique, and it's always much better explained with visuals, but here goes.
Let's say you have a 10 second file that you'd like to make into a 8 second seamless loop. Cut the file close to the middle into 2 sections. You can now swap places. Put the 1st half ot the file at the end, or visa versa. Now push them together and crossfade about 4 seconds in the middle of the file. 2 seconds form each half. The outside ends of the file now loop seamlessly as they were originally together. The inside crossfade at equal power will generally give you a transparent transition between the two assuming that you have similar material to begin with.
Michael's technique works also by the way, I'm just used to doing it in ProTools by cutting.
As far as a plugin that does what Auto Tune does, I don't know of any freeware. Autotune is made by Antares. You can check out their website. http://www.antarestech.com/
Tim

Thanks Tim, It's clear to me right now....:cool: