Surround sound design fundamentals for cinema

Surround design for Digital Cinema

Mick Sawaguchi Mick Sound Lab

http://unamas-labe.jp.net http://surroundterakoya.blogspot.com

Fellow M of AES/ips

Abstract

  In this paper, I introduce a fundamental sound design for surround.

  It gained from my 35 years practical surround mixing designing experience, Also I have been investigated a number of Best Sound Design Films which are analyzed from Academy Best Sound Editing Award since 1981 to 2013.

FL FC FR

LS RS

This is the most fundamental surround sound design. It sounds enable the audience to better perceive how the story is proceeding. There are two typical techniques to create it. One is build up from conventional 2CH stereo ambience to front and surround. The other is that to use a surround-recording ambience.

Surround ambience

FL FC FR

LS RS

As suggested by the name, specific sound flows longitudinally between the front and rear sections of the sound. A sharp snap of sound effect adds a strong impact to the scene.

Fly-Over

FL FC FR

LS RS

The audience is thrown into a spiral whirlpool of sound and so feel as if the place is swinging in every direction. It needs a number of layers to create them.

Whirlpool

FL FC FR

LS RS

Sounds which may predict or remind what is about to happen in subsequent scenes are reproduced, not merely generating a sensation of reality or feeling of unity as with the method in surround ambience. The sounds produced here must be short, have a punch and allow the audience to guess what's coming next or remind a last impact .

Proceeding or After Image

FL FC FR

LS RS

A shower of sound comes from above the audience. It is theoretically impossible to reproduce vertical relations using any configuration of the current horizontal 6-channel speakers. But, It is enable to utilize a latest 3D Surround with Top CH. The method, however, makes use of the physical advantage of surround speakers which are typically installed higher than the audience seats.

Sound shower from above

FL FC FR

LS RS

LFE LFE

This method is useful for emphasizing a specific human voice or for big sound effects representing punch, gunshots and explosions. The main components are reproduced with the front C-channel, and supplementary components with the L-R/SR-SL and LFE channels with some process. In this method, sound can be boosted larger than that reproduced from a single channel.

Big, closer sound feeling

FL FC FR

LS RS

Independent Component sound

It is new sound design since come up digital surround format. The advantage it has that to representing different sound source without any Interference.

FL FC FR

LS RS

Hard Ambience Wall

It is also new sound design since digital format. The difference between ordinary surround ambience it that It enable to presenting much harder sound wall than conventional ambience. To give a more enclosed space or tension to audience.

FL FC FR

LS RS

The contrast subjective and objective image

It is also a new sound design since digital format. It enable to representing a subjective sound and objective sound according to cut back the both cuts.