Hi,

I am an aspiring sound designer, not aiming for film business but as a freelancer, in the future, mostly for motion and animation.

I've been composing and mixing my own music for a good decade, i have soft of soft mastering skills but don't consider myself any more efficient than that, i know what compressors and eqs do and my ear knows what sounds bad or good using them but that's about it.

I'm pretty good at matching sound to picture, i do it as a hobby, it's been going on for years, i've entered a few small competitions and was told that i was pretty natural at it.

The thing is i know there is a whole world out there filled with professionals and clever techniques that will pose a strong competition, i just don't know where to dip in and what i should learn now to make myself reach the level of polish i see on Behance for example.

I have the complete Boom Library and use Soundly for what i don't find so the initial sound quality is pretty neat, what i lack i think is a more technical approach, i work by instinct to figure out what the world sounds like in the picture, i apply various concepts that i've picked up with music like space in the mix and using most types of plugins and effects, but i feel like i should be knowing more ?

I don't know, i need some perspective. What do you think is essential, what set of tools should a Sound Designer have in his skillbox for most situations ?

 

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tips-for-becoming-a-sound-designer

 

Always create. Always be "making something". It sounds like you already are.

From sound design to engineering to mastering to production to animation to CG, it seems (overwhelmingly) more often than not that the person hasn't taken the typical or expected road to "career X".

I'm not a sound designer per se, or at all actually, but what I do for my own music has overlap I suppose. But here's what I do for my own goals, endeavors, "dreams" etc.

I kinda follow the Tony Robbins method of modeling or mirroring, which really isn't unique. Google "sound designer interview" and you'll hit dozens of links. Listen to what they did, steal what you like, adapt what you can, and ignore the irrelevant.

I listen to a metric shit ton of podcasts in the audio world, even if it's for genres or particular roles that don't interest me. Songwriting, engineering, mastering, sound design... how they got from where they were to where they are now. There's a lot of overlap. Even with hardware guys -- I only have a passing interest in hardware. They have interesting stories too.

Always create. Always be ready for an opportunity. I know that's not answering your question, but it feels like you're only one opportunity away from hitting the next plateau... BE READY! :D

 

I guess you can approach that dream from different angles:

- Find likeminded folks, work together on projects for fun, learn from there, build a portfolio and a network.
Maybe that eventually leads to a payed position. Maybe not.

- Or, if you think you have the right stuff, and reaally want this, start with getting a clearer picture
of the industry you’re aiming at. ’Motion’ is not a distinctive branch, animation can mean lots of things.
Are you located where they produce such content? If not, are you willing to relocate, and is that possible?

Consider an education in sounddesign. Look at job listings, see what skills they’re looking for.
Knowing how to use a compressor isn’t the most important. Having people skills and building a network is!

 

not a sound designer but do admire individual art on capturing/creating sound fx.. one that i can remember from random youtube moment is Jimmy Mcdonald.. maybe have some go through about his techniques and tools to learn his essential "gems" because the year he did was before computer music comes to aid audio production like today

just sharing.. 4:30..

 

Last edited: Dec 16, 2020