LO1: Understand the use of sound in interactive media products

Theory of sound:

Waveform (wavelength, amplitude, frequency):

Pitch:

Hertz (Hz):

Decibel level (dB):

Sound generator (loudspeaker):

Basics of sound recording:

Signals:

Signal to noise ratio:

Analogue distortion:

Digital distortion:

Mono and stereo:

Sound recording media:

Digital audio file formats eg .mp3, .wav, .mid, .ogg, .wma, .aif:

Analogue versus digital: comparison of analogue and digital sound:

Advantages and disadvantages of production techniques:

Issues with digitisation of analogue material:

Quality issues:

Applications:

Interactive media products, eg websites, DVD interfaces, interactive presentations, computer
games, mobile phone content

Use of sound:

Carrying dialogue:

Enhancing mood or tone:

Indicators, eg danger, impending action, emotion:

Guiding users:

Alerts:

Entertainment, eg streaming music:

LO2: Be able to devise sound assets for an interactive media product

Stimulus:

eg client brief, own brief, from market research

Ideas:

brainstorming;

audio storyboard, eg soundscape;

identify source, eg own recorded material, fieldwork, studio, pre-recorded material, sound libraries

Legal and ethical considerations:

legal, eg copyright;

ethical, eg confidentiality, decency;

representation, eg race, gender, religion, sexuality

Asset specification:

target audience;

considerations, eg purpose, genre, sample rate, resolution, stereo or mono, ambient sound, voiceover, required file naming conventions;

sound list

LO3: Be able to create sound assets for an interactive media product following industry practice

Plan: asset management (file storage and retrieval, naming conventions); workflow (scheduling, efficient
time management); deadlines (production milestones, deliverables, quality assurance)
Recording sound: recording log; recording (fieldwork, studio); audio sampling (file size constraints, sample
rate, mono, stereo)
Audio levels and metering: meters, eg VU meter, peak program meter; standard operating level
Sound manipulation: importing; editing, eg cut, copy, paste, trim, channel mixer, cue points, markers;
effects, eg amplify, chorus, cross fade, delay, echo, fade in/out, invert, envelope, normalise, pan, reverb,
reverse, re-sample, silence; time and pitch, eg Doppler, stretch; filters, eg pass (band, high, low), notch,
noise reduction, pop/click, equalisation; loops; cue list; playlist; mix down
Industry practice: reflect on finished product (compared with original intentions, fitness for purpose,
technical qualities); production skills (ideas generation, workflow and time management, technical
competence, teamwork)

LO4: Be able to apply sound assets to an interactive media product following industry practice.

Asset management: importing; organising (file storage and retrieval, naming conventions)
Edit audio: audio library material, eg sound libraries, stock music assets; studio produced audio, eg
voiceovers
Apply: synchronising sounds, eg actions, onscreen movement, scenes, lip-synching; dub; embed; link to
sound file
Industry practice: reflect on finished product (compared with original intentions, fitness for purpose,
technical qualities); production skills (ideas generation, workflow and time management, technical
competence, teamwork)