Once you start experimenting you will get what I'm talking about. You probably want to do a lot EQing (boosting and cutting the right frequencies) as some sounds will have unnecessary frequencies. Layering, positioning, trimming, pitching and stretching will occupy the major part of the process in most cases. You can make it even better, there are no limits! Typical custom made sound is sort of 'sandwich' made of other sounds placed on top of each other in right positions. You can pitch it as well but also leave as it is. Add another track with another sound on top of existing one - now you're using 'layering' technique. So, how does it sound now? Close enough but not there. You can even stretch that balloon pop of yours. Try to pitch it down! Most software comes with default pitch changing plugins. Watch some videos on youtube about how to use them. We should kill it with fire clean them by using one of the De-Noiser plugin or simple Gate plugin. Perhaps annoying noise that sounds silent. What now? Well, usually recordings have unwanted ambiance sound wrapped around your recording. It's one of the 'newest' daws, I mainly use it for music production but found it to be feasible for sound design as well.Īlright. It can be infamous Audacity but I recommend getting a DAW. You'll need proper audio software for your work and some necessary plugins. Some sounds will be fine on its own but the rest will need cleaning to be done. When you will make enough recordings then it's time to process them. Take for example the work of sound designers in Terminator 2. This is how sound design is done in a first place. You can imitiate it as well - want rain? Record sound of rice pouring into something soft. Nature sounds? This depends where you live, it's often enough to walk mile away from the town and start recording nature. Zombies? Just do it yourself - try to sound like if you're trying to puke. Pop a balloon and you have your first shot. At this point you'll probably start having some ideas about what to do next. Record every possible squeak and buzz then listen to them. Turn it on and run through your house touching, scratching, kicking, dropping and doing all kinds of perversions with every possible object you encounter. It's pure creativity although it involves some minor technical tweaking comparing to the rest of work done in gamedev fields.įor starters, it would be nice to get audio recorder.

If you're going to make sounds (and not just download) then prepare for one of most entertaining experiences in gamedev.

How to create your own game sounds