- Training Video Game
As the name suggests, the Sound Designer is a professional sound designer. They work on all kinds of media, from advertising to cinema and, of course, video games. Combining his talents as a musician and sound engineer, he sets the tone for a project by designing sound creations adapted to the medium.
Missions
The term Sound Designer was coined by Walter Murch on the not-to-be-missed film Apocalypse Now, on which he was also the editor.
In this famous feature film by Francis Ford Coppola, no-one disputes that sound is an asset that gives meaning to the image. It enhances its impact by adding emotion.
Clearly, the Sound Designer’s mission is to multiply the emotions of a film, a show or a multimedia production. They add an aesthetic dimension and a rhythm that magnify a work of art!
In a video game, it’s not just the music that has to be composed, there’s also a whole range of sound effects that are an integral part of the game mechanics and that will guide the player through the game. The famous “Here We Go” from Mario Bross, or the melody of the puzzle solved in The Legend of Zelda, are two examples of the importance of a Sound Designer in the development and success of a game.
A video game without any sound would not have the same scope and would lack coherence. It’s up to the Sound Designer to find the right sound elements and the music that will make it unforgettable.
Skills and knowledge
Sound Designers have to be passionate about music and all the latest technical developments in sound, with their ears wide open and always on the lookout for new trends. They must be fully conversant with modern sound processing techniques (sound design software and Computer Aided Music), mixing techniques, audio standards and digital audio finalisation tools, not to mention a welcome knowledge of film.
It’s a profession that’s both creative and technical! You need to have a global view of sound production, from recording to mixing.
Sound professionals generally come from an audiovisual school after a generalist course followed by a specialisation.
