sound fx (libraries) for big sailingShip, big woden impacts and puffin ..

[TBR]

Hi,

For a big film project I'm still looking for specific sound fx, hopefully some libraries because I need to build a world, not just 1 sound ;-)

- big wooden sailing ship (sail, creaks, water, wood, flags, splashes, rope ...)
- VERY big wooden impacts (I mean really big. Ice floes hitting the ship ...)
- a little bird called puffin. The sound of a small colony but also a solo bird from young to adult)

I've looked everywhere but I can't find it. I have most of the usual sample cd series like DigiFects, HolywoodEdge, BBC ..... and the cd's "ship shape" and "anchor anchor away" don't do the trick.

thanks
cheers Wart

[D'Animation]

The Recordist — The place for incredible sound effects should get you close source-wise to build the wood and water work - I used them for a similar setting on an animated series. Rope work I just recorded myself

[TBR]

thanks,
I know the recordist and I have many collection from them (snow, ice, wind, leaves, chain .....) but although they have great specialized sounds I find the quality of there recordings rather mediocre.
And there wood collection never really gets BIG, even if they drop a tree from a buldozer.

[ThisIsSka]

I think you'll have to design the BIG wood impacts, real life impacts are usually underwhelming compared to hollywood. :D

Could always try sounddogs or soundsnap?

[FullFrequency]

Just layer some really nicely textured wood crunches/hits etc with larger impacts and sub hits, pitch down, stereo widen some layers etc etc etc. You're not going to get it with just once sound!

[TBR]

Originally Posted by ThisIsSka

I think you'll have to design the BIG wood impacts, real life impacts are usually underwhelming compared to hollywood. :D

Yes you are right. But ... the material I have (on cd or life as in wooden boxes etc) are as not massif and big as I need.
The best result is a recordings of a heavy rubber hammer slamming on a big wooden box, resampled 4 octaves down, using spl vitalizer to get some life back. Altiverb with custem inpulse responses to add a big wooden resonance with subharmonic frequenties .....
still not big enough and also not loud enough (for film you mix at 85db so I can't just turn up the volume.)

Originally Posted by ThisIsSka

Could always try sounddogs or soundsnap?

I know these sites and also audiosparx but no luck there :-(

thanks
Wart

[D'Animation]

Originally Posted by TBR

thanks,
I know the recordist and I have many collection from them (snow, ice, wind, leaves, chain .....) but although they have great specialized sounds I find the quality of there recordings rather mediocre.
And there wood collection never really gets BIG, even if they drop a tree from a buldozer.

I very much doubt you'll find the right sounds straight off a library and I've got to disagree, as far as source material goes, I've absolutely no issues with Frank's stuff. Layering and processing is the only way you'll get what your looking for...

[rhumphries]

I've licensed Puffin sounds from Martyn Stewart before.

Nature sounds

[TBR]

thanks I'll check it out !!!

[Enos]

I agree that to get the really large, massive wood falls/impacts/hits it is about layering and processing and will probably never exist as one sound recording. Its all about layering the right textures and processing the right elements depending on what's needed (Maxxbass, Lowender,etc... if you want weight and size and so on).

Frank's stuff (The Recordist) is all top notch raw material and I also disagree with it being mediocre or anything less than pro work. But real life just doesn't usually sound like a Hollywood movie...you have to design the sound to make it sound like that...

I have some recordings done inside and outside a sailboat capturing all the creaks and movements of it. It works great for ext/int ambiences of the boat. Give me a shout if you think any of this can be useful. Haven't got any specifics like sail,etc...but again all this can be designed.

[TBR]

Maybe it's personal taste but I find the sounds from the recordist a bit sharp and they lack depth and body.

I made a lot of recordings from AMB to loud FX using a Sonosax MiniR82 recorder and a Schoeps MS mic. The mic pre amps on the Sonosax sound very transparent and clean.

But like I state: it's also a question of taste. And I do like the recordist because they have a great selection of extra ordinary sounds.

As for the layering and the building:
I totally agree on live not sounding like Hollywood. And I'm not looking for a sound that has it all. Where would be the fun in that?
But I do need building blocks that can create the sounds I need and I haven't found them yet.

To Enos:
I'm interested in your sounds. Can I listen to them somewhere maybe in a low-ress quality? Are they for sale royalty free?

cheers
Wart

[seanmccoy]

Originally Posted by Enos

Frank's stuff (The Recordist) is all top notch raw material and I also disagree with it being mediocre or anything less than pro work.

Originally Posted by D'Animation

...I've got to disagree, as far as source material goes, I've absolutely no issues with Frank's stuff...

Same here. I've only got his wind and rain libraries so far, but the quality is excellent.

[charles maynes]

If you are looking for Master and Commander or Pirates of the Caribbean sort of stuff, you are not going to find it in libraries.


as to Frank's stuff- its really well done. he has been doing this stuff longer than I have- and it shows up in his work.

[idahorecordist]

Thanks for the kind words guys!

I would like to say that the sounds in my libraries are source material for Sound Designers to work with, shape and mold the way they see fit. I really make an effort to NOT over process them because then it would not be very useful for a Sound Designer. Much of what I sell is the raw recording with maybe just some gain adjustment and slight EQ to help clean them up.

As for big sounds, you would be surprised at how NOT big a log sounds when dropped from a bulldozer. It sounds heavy when your there recording like a gunshot but when you listen back there is not "shockwave" you felt when it's live. If I processed it to be big it would be of little use to a sound designer IMHO.

Frank

[PoxyMusic]

Originally Posted by idahorecordist

As for big sounds, you would be surprised at how NOT big a log sounds when dropped from a bulldozer.

Quoted for truth! I find that small sounds are often the best raw material for big sounds.

[seanmccoy]

Originally Posted by idahorecordist

It sounds heavy when your there recording like a gunshot but when you listen back there is not "shockwave" you felt when it's live.

Interesting you mention that. Several years ago I had a Taiko group come into the studio to record, and for the life of me I couldn't reproduce the raw power I felt in the room when they were bashing the big drums. Feeling the actual sound pressure waves passing over and through your body from 360 degrees is a tough thing to replicate with microphones.

[Enos]

TBR: Just sent you a private message. Anyways, I think the way Frank (The Recordist) delivers his material...in its raw recording state is what is valuable to sound designers. Too many more traditional commercial libraries are often slightly over processed and therefore less flexible in their use in a sound designer's hands. Its not hard to process a recording to sound large and heavy...but its more valuable having the raw sound and then process it to will than vice versa...definitely.

[jjsoudnoc]

Maybe you could license sfx from those involved in Master and Commander.
JJ
Master & Commander Showcases Sounds of the Sea
Sound design of Master and Commander

[sepulchra]

I just want to chime in with my support for Frank's work. It is always meticulously recorded and well thought out. It doesn't get much more "Ultimate" than Mr. Bry.