Speaker sound effect. at DVinfo.net

Alfred Okocha · February 10th, 2011, 08:17 AM

Hello all!
I'm not even sure how to name this thread properly but I'll try to explain what it is that I'm after...

I'm looking to recreate something that has been done a million times but never by me. =)

The situation is this, a man in a car and a song in the background. How can I tweak the song so it seems that it comes from the car speakers? (when cutting to something else the song will be changed back to normal..)

Can I do it FCP? Or is there any free software I can use? I'm not the owner of a pro tools but if necessary I can hire somebody that is, I guess.. (if that is necessary.) But I'm guessing that by changing the frequency you can "flatten" the sound so it seems like it comes from some small tinny speakers?

Thanks so much for the attention, any help is much appreciated.

Vito DeFilippo · February 10th, 2011, 08:52 AM

Google "fcp radio effect" and you'll see some tutorials.

Basically it's easy to achieve using an EQ effect.

Alfred Okocha · February 10th, 2011, 09:02 AM

Thank you so much Vito!
Problem solved! =)

Gary Nattrass · February 10th, 2011, 10:14 AM

EQ is the answer but if you also add some very small room reverb and make the bass boomy it will sound more realistic as car stereo's tend to be very bass heavy.

Alfred Okocha · February 10th, 2011, 11:22 AM

Alright!
Good to know Gary, thanks!

Jon Fairhurst · February 10th, 2011, 11:24 AM

A bit of compression and/or distortion helps too. If it's from an audiophile speaker, keep it clean. If played from a laptop, or overdriven small system, squish it a bit and give it some rough edges. If its from a radio dispatch, smash it and tear it up!

And, yes, reverb is important. If the speaker is in the middle of the desert and near the camera, keep it dry. If it's indoors, far from the action or in the next room, reverb is the key to making it believable.

I was given a tip that I'll never forget: Don't make it like it would really sound. Make it like people imagine it would sound. :)

John Willett · February 10th, 2011, 11:59 AM

Or just play it back through a car speaker and re-record it. ;-)

Alfred Okocha · February 10th, 2011, 12:17 PM

Thanks Jon that is a tip I'll try to remember too!

John, the song hasn't been chosen yet and if we believe in Jon... that's not even the way to go. =)

Jon Fairhurst · February 10th, 2011, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Willett

Or just play it back through a car speaker and re-record it. ;-)

There's a lot of truth in this.

Before there were digital, convolution reverbs, sound editors would playback and record sounds in large spaces to get the "wet" signal. They could then mix and delay the dry and wet tracks to get the sound they wanted.

According to Walter Murch, he would play and record while running the tape at double or quad speed. That would make the 30x30 room sound like 60x60 or 120x120 when played back in real time. :)

February 10th, 2011, 08:17 AM	#1
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Speaker sound effect. Hello all! I'm not even sure how to name this thread properly but I'll try to explain what it is that I'm after... I'm looking to recreate something that has been done a million times but never by me. =) The situation is this, a man in a car and a song in the background. How can I tweak the song so it seems that it comes from the car speakers? (when cutting to something else the song will be changed back to normal..) Can I do it FCP? Or is there any free software I can use? I'm not the owner of a pro tools but if necessary I can hire somebody that is, I guess.. (if that is necessary.) But I'm guessing that by changing the frequency you can "flatten" the sound so it seems like it comes from some small tinny speakers? Thanks so much for the attention, any help is much appreciated.

February 10th, 2011, 08:52 AM	#2
Vito DeFilippo Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 1,585	Google "fcp radio effect" and you'll see some tutorials. Basically it's easy to achieve using an EQ effect. __________________ . http://www.nosmallroles.com

February 10th, 2011, 10:14 AM	#4
Gary Nattrass Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cornsay Durham UK Posts: 1,992	EQ is the answer but if you also add some very small room reverb and make the bass boomy it will sound more realistic as car stereo's tend to be very bass heavy. __________________ Over 15 minutes in Broadcast Film and TV production: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1044352/

February 10th, 2011, 11:24 AM	#6
Jon Fairhurst Inner Circle Join Date: May 2006 Location: Camas, WA, USA Posts: 5,513	A bit of compression and/or distortion helps too. If it's from an audiophile speaker, keep it clean. If played from a laptop, or overdriven small system, squish it a bit and give it some rough edges. If its from a radio dispatch, smash it and tear it up! And, yes, reverb is important. If the speaker is in the middle of the desert and near the camera, keep it dry. If it's indoors, far from the action or in the next room, reverb is the key to making it believable. I was given a tip that I'll never forget: Don't make it like it would really sound. Make it like people imagine it would sound. :) __________________ Jon Fairhurst

February 10th, 2011, 11:59 AM	#7
John Willett Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 976	Or just play it back through a car speaker and re-record it. ;-) __________________ John Willett - Sound-Link ProAudio and Circle Sound Services President: Fédération Internationale des Chasseurs de Sons

February 10th, 2011, 09:02 AM	#3
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Thank you so much Vito! Problem solved! =)

February 10th, 2011, 11:22 AM	#5
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Alright! Good to know Gary, thanks!

February 10th, 2011, 12:17 PM	#8
Alfred Okocha Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: London Posts: 427	Thanks Jon that is a tip I'll try to remember too! John, the song hasn't been chosen yet and if we believe in Jon... that's not even the way to go. =)