Sound Effects Tips
Sound Effects lend a professional touch to home recording, and will contribute much to the fun you can have producing these scripts. Here are a few fundamental suggestions on the technique of creating the sound effects called for in this script. Unless they are used merely as background, sound effects should be made as' close as possible to the microphone in order to gain volume and emphasis. Exaggerated over-emphasis sometimes adds to the fun. To assure the best results, practice making sound effects, and then make test recordings.
Murmuring of Crowd - Have everyone present mumble unintelligibly away from mike.
Glasses and Bottles Clinking - Click two glasses together about two feet from mike.
Rattling of Dishes - Rattle two dishes together about two feet from mike.
Popping of Cork - Using your forefinger, make a popping sound by pulling out side of mouth and letting go suddenly.
Clicking of Camera - Clicking of a cigarette lighter will do the trick, or try clicking tongue against roof of mouth, close to the mike.
Steam Escaping - Make hissing noise close to the mike by placing the tongue at the back of the teeth and blowing. Clock Striking - Strike a glass with e metal object.
Door Opening - Simply open a door fairly close to the mike.
Door opening and elosing - Again, merely use the opening and closing of a door with emphasis on the twisting of the knob the clicking of the latch.
Window shade going up - Move microphone near window shade, and let window shade fly up making as much noise as possible
Window shade being drawn - Move microphone near win- dow shade and pull window shade down making as much noise as possible.
Crash of breaking glass - Break up some oid bottles and put them in a wooden crate. The crash is achieved by droppmg another bottle into the crate of broken bottles. This sound effect may atso be achieved by simply throwing an old light bulb into a wooden box or wastebasket.
Squeak - This may be achieved by rubbing the hand over an inflated toy balioon
Squeak of rocking chair - Achieved by rocking in a chair or by using a squeaky door.
Slide whistle - This is a small whistle sold in most Five and Ten-Cent Stores, in the Toy Department
Shot - The best way to get the sound effect of a shot is to take a flat board and strike it sharply on the leather seat of a chair close to the microphone.
Siren Whistle - Purchasable in most Five and Ten-Cent Stores.
Body Fall - There are two ways of obtaining the sound effect of a body fall, first by actually falling on the floor or by turning over a heavy chair.
Loud Crash - From a height of about two or three feet, drop a tin pail or a cardboard box partially filled with bits of broken glass and a tin can or two.
Door Opening - Simply open a door fairly close to the mike. Water Splashing-Hold a pan full of water close to the mike and splash with the hands.
Atomizer Squirting - If you have an atomizer, use it close to the mike. If you don't have one handy, make a hissing sound through your teeth.
Clock Striking - Strike a glass with a metal object.
Body Falling - There are two ways of obtaining the sound effect of a body fall; first, by actually falling on the floor, or by turning over a heavy chair.
Knock On Door - Just knock on wood.
Mumble of Voices - Have all guests whisper softly, giving the effect of mumbled voices. AppleuseHave entire cest applaud.
Car Horns - Three or four members of the cast can imitate different type of car horns. The best known, of course, is their own type horn.
Siren - Siren whistle available at 5 and 10 cent stores.
Police Whistle - Available at any 5 and 10 cent store.
Car Brakes Squeal - Slide the top edge of a drinking glass against piece of glass.
Crash - Drop severel metal kitchen utensils end at same time rattle silverwere on metal tray.
Teering Cloth - Tear piece of cloth close to microphone.
Patter of Rain - Pour salt from a shaker onto cellophane.
Thunder - Insert about 43 B-B Shot into the Round Balloon, inflate the Balloon to a diameter of six or seven inches and tie the end with a rubber band. Hold the Balloon by the neck, end flip the wrist, tossing the Shot upward. The Shot, felling backward and bouncing around in the Balloon creates a very realistic rumble of thunder. Do this several times, about six inches from the microphone. The closer to the microphone this is done, the louder the rumble of thunder effect. The thunder effect is created also by pounding rapidly with doubled fists upon a table or other solid oblect, increasing and decreasing the intensity.
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